Zaandam arrives in Seward with..........

[IRL_Joanie]

Sad to see Zaandam making the news this way:(

 

http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/wildlife/2016/05/29/cruise-ship-arrives-in-seward-with-dead-endangered-whale-draped-against-its-bow/

 

Joanie

[joekerstef]

The idea of striking a whale is my cruise nightmare. I've seen way too many whales with horrible scars from ship strikes (usually the propellers) and a few that didn't survive the encounter. This though, OMG. This would be pretty traumatic to see as a passenger. I hope the poor whale was already deceased when it was skewered. :(

[IRL_Joanie]

The idea of striking a whale is my cruise nightmare. I've seen way too many whales with horrible scars from ship strikes (usually the propellers) and a few that didn't survive the encounter. This though, OMG. This would be pretty traumatic to see as a passenger. I hope the poor whale was already deceased when it was skewered. :(

 

According to the article and photo, the whale was not skewered. It was draped over the bulbous nose thingy.

 

Either way, I agree, a horrible thing for anyone to see.

 

Joanie

[jhannah]

It's too bad, but bound to happen from time to time. The equivalent of road kill on our highways. No one (in their right mind) sets out to strike a deer; but it does happen.

[Boytjie]

The article also mention that many dead Fin whales were found in the Gulf of Alaska last Summer and they have not quite figured out why. Apparently the whale wasn't there about half an hour before they docked; my guess is that it was already dead when the ship encountered it.

[RedneckBob]

Happened on one of my cruises through Panama Canal fifteen years ago.

 

HAL denoted $3,000 to a save the whale fund.

[Alphen]

Without knowing if the whale died as a result of the incident, or before, this also may have to do with the known side effect of the bulbous bow, it generates a lot less noise, so this makes it harder for ships to be noticed by marine life.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the link.

Very sad.

[qsuzi]

See article below for details.

 

http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/wildlife/2016/05/29/cruise-ship-arrives-in-seward-with-dead-endangered-whale-draped-against-its-bow/

Edited May 31, 2016 by qsuzi

[Krazy Kruizers]

A thread was started yesterday about the whale:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2361900

[chengkp75]

Without knowing if the whale died as a result of the incident, or before, this also may have to do with the known side effect of the bulbous bow, it generates a lot less noise, so this makes it harder for ships to be noticed by marine life.

 

Typically, a necropsy done on whales found like this indicate the whale was ill and unable to get out of the way of the ship. In Hawaii, the NCL POA deck officers have to slow down in the whale sanctuaries, and wear night vision goggles. I was told when I worked out there that the last whale strike by a ship in Hawaiian waters was by the Pacific Whale Foundation (not sure of exact title) research vessel.

 

The bow wake or even the main wake of the ship is not the noise that marine life associate with ships, it is the machinery noise, so I doubt that they care whether the ship has a bulbous bow or not.

[IRL_Joanie]

See article below for details.

 

http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/wildlife/2016/05/29/cruise-ship-arrives-in-seward-with-dead-endangered-whale-draped-against-its-bow/

Suzi, I did a thread yesterday morning, but it has apparently dropped off the 1st page. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2361900

 

I've red triangled your post and asked the hosts to merge yours with mine. I hope that's OK with you?

 

Joanie

[qsuzi]

Oops. Thanks Joanie.

[kevingastreich]

See article below for details.

 

http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/wildlife/2016/05/29/cruise-ship-arrives-in-seward-with-dead-endangered-whale-draped-against-its-bow/

 

The larger vessel always has the right of way. :p

[voyageur9]

Separate investigations should be able determine:

 

1) whether whale was already dead or dying with impaired mobility at time of impact or was an otherwise healthy 45-foot-long juvenile killed by Zaandam's bow.

 

2) whether Zaandam captain and crew were in compliance with Coast Guard and other marine mammal avoidance regulations before and at time of impact.

 

3) there may also be internal HAL rules on ship handling in the vicinity of whales.