Sapphire Princess Struck by lightning

[wrongwaywatson]

I was on FB and I saw a post that said that the Sapphire Princess mast was struck by lightning during a storm this morning.   It incapacitated the ship's radar.   They are anchored off of the eastern part of Singapore Straits, as they can't navigate through the Straights without it.  The Captain said it was the first time in his career that he has seen this happen.  They are working to get it fixed.

 

[SLC1954]

The Coral was struck in November in Lake Gatun while I was on her.  There were no adverse effects other than a few expletives that came flying out of my mouth.

I was sitting out on my balcony watching the storm, I could feel the electrical tingle during the strike and it was followed by the loudest crack of thunder ever.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the info.

Hope they get it fixed soon.

[Colo Cruiser]

[Colo Cruiser]

Back in 2006 the inaugural year of the Crown/Caribbean in mid July my son and I were standing outside in the miniature golf/jogging track area above Skywalkers on a sea day. Clear blue skies when a bolt of lightning came down and a huge boom and scared the Bejesus out of us. I seem to be a magnet for lightening.

Colorado ranks second to Florida for number of deaths from lightning strikes.

I had one hit so close that it set my digital watch to all zeros and made the hair on my neck stand up. Also on a sunny day. I do not like lightning.   

[wrongwaywatson]

4 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Back in 2006 the inaugural year of the Crown/Caribbean in mid July my son and I were standing outside in the miniature golf/jogging track area above Skywalkers on a sea day. Clear blue skies when a bolt of lightning came down and a huge boom and scared the Bejesus out of us. I seem to be a magnet for lightening.

Colorado ranks second to Florida for number of deaths from lightning strikes.

I had one hit so close that it set my digital watch to all zeros and made the hair on my neck stand up. Also on a sunny day. I do not like lightning.   

Yikes!  We once had our house hit by lightning.  It hit the telephone box on the outside of our house, near out bedroom window.  We both sat straight up in bed and you could most of our appliances go pop, pop, pop, pop.   My hair was standing straight out and you could feel the electricity in the air.  So strange!

[Colo Cruiser]

6 minutes ago, wrongwaywatson said:

Yikes!  We once had our house hit by lightning.  It hit the telephone box on the outside of our house, near out bedroom window.  We both sat straight up in bed and you could most of our appliances go pop, pop, pop, pop.   My hair was standing straight out and you could feel the electricity in the air.  So strange!

Scary stuff.  😳

[mcrcruiser]

Yes very scary  

[Scubadoc]

I’ve always wondered why this does not happen more often. Isnt lightning drawn to the highest thing in a region? So you have a big tall metal thing in an ocean!  I’m probably just showing my ignorance of all things scientific and electrically related.  But does anyone know why this is rare? And is there something about a ship that protects people on it from being electrocuted if lightning strikes it? 

[Pam in CA]

Ships have lightning rods which means that they rarely experience a direct lightning hit. It’s pretty unusual. 

 

Last I read, the Sapphire was still anchored waiting for the navigation and communication systems to be restored. They cannot sail or approach a port without navigation or communication. 

[satxdiver]

2 hours ago, Scubadoc said:

I’ve always wondered why this does not happen more often. Isnt lightning drawn to the highest thing in a region? So you have a big tall metal thing in an ocean!  I’m probably just showing my ignorance of all things scientific and electrically related.  But does anyone know why this is rare? And is there something about a ship that protects people on it from being electrocuted if lightning strikes it? 

 

Lightening strikes occur a lot more than most realize.  You do not have to be the target but rather just standing nearby to feel the effects.  If you are inside the ship (metal) you are safe from the strike but could feel some of the effects.  Similarly if you are inside your car, it will protect you from a direct strike but again will feel the effects.   Effects are feeling the tingling and electronics resetting or worse crashing.

 

It is a myth that lightening strikes the highest point.  Sometimes yes but more no.  BTW lightening strikes aircraft in the air frequently (their equipment is protected as well as possible) but is not reported to the masses.  Again sitting inside a metal tube protects you from the direct hit.  While strikes on ships is rare it does happen but is not always reported.  

 

I was sitting at home watching the news one lunch time a year ago and lightening stuck directly or very near the telephone lines coming into my house.  I heard a loud pop and it took out all the network gear in the house.  AT&T had to replace all their equipment and put a new line (twisted pair) from the street to the house.  Luckily all my electronic gear including computers on the internet were not damaged.  We have now converted to fiber which will alleviate some of the risk.   

[Kartgv]

I was on a very small (maybe 30 passengers) airplane from Pensacola to New Orleans, took off into a thunderstorm, which never should have happened.    Shortly before landing we were struck by lightning - a horrible jolt and blinding flash.    This was followed by a stunned silence until one man in the rear of the plane said "#*#&, I just peed my pants".    We landed safely, and the pilot was standing in the cockpit door as we left the plane.   The man in front of me asked him "Was that flash what I think it was?"   The pilot said "What flash?"   There was no way he would admit the hit since he shouldn't have taken off in that weather.

    

We've watched some spectacular lightning storms at sea, one on the Tasman Sea that I'll never forget, but never been hit on a ship.   

[SinbadThePorter]

5 hours ago, Scubadoc said:

Isnt lightning drawn to the highest thing in a region?

 

It's drawn to the thing with the greatest electrical potential difference to the cloud from which it originates.

 

This can be another cloud, another part of the same cloud, a tall mast or someone standing on the ground.

 

It all depends on the local electrical field and the position of objects within that field.

[Colo Cruiser]

She is underway to Penang.