Thanks, Hillary. USNS COMFORT is Headed For Puerto Rico....
Snippy said
10:53 AM, 09/29/17
https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=7390478
Pipes FC said
11:58 AM, 09/29/17
It says the destination is VA Pilot?
Calvin said
1:10 PM, 09/29/17
Pipes FC wrote:
It says the destination is VA Pilot?
Its like a truckstop for truckers.
Get some chrome relaxing babe mud flaps for the journey...
Snippy said
2:10 PM, 09/29/17
Pipes FC wrote:
It says the destination is VA Pilot?
The Master is the VA Pilot until she gets to the Capes and discharges her pilot.
Below, you'll see her pilot's hatch is open....
Pipes FC said
2:19 PM, 09/29/17
Interesting.
Uke said
3:42 PM, 09/29/17
Pilot hatch, or rope climb to the main deck, then up to the pilot house. The pilot hatchway is much safer!
Snippy said
8:31 AM, 09/30/17
COMFORT threads the needle between a slow, heavy tow and and inbound MSC container boat in the narrow channel just past the rip-rap of the Thimble Shoals of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. In decent weather, ships will shed their tugs just upriver from the piers. They'll be in blue water ocean in less than two hours. That's one of the reasons they call this the "WGH" -- World's Greatest Harbor. Shedding their tugs means that the boats need to be rockin' and rollin' at navigation speed to maneuver over the two tunnels.
The Sea Gull fishing pier where I took the photos will close forever today. It's a real loss of a special secret place to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay.
Pipes FC said
11:09 AM, 09/30/17
So whats the reason the Comfort didn't sheed her tugs?
I remember the long ass rides by boat out there to catch Rock fish. Towards the end we got pretty good at it, or the rock numbers were high enough that anyone could do it. I remember my dad telling me that they finally were able to catch them at the Amoco pier.
-- Edited by Pipes FC on Saturday 30th of September 2017 11:10:03 AM
Snippy said
11:46 AM, 09/30/17
Snippy wrote:
In decent weather, ships will shed their tugs just upriver from the piers.
In decent weather, ships shed their tugs just upriver from the piers.
If I had shed the "will" above, it would have made it more clear that COMFORT did lose her tugs right off the Naval Station. It was picture perfect weather yesterday.
Even in really bad weather, you don't see tugs much past HRBT. They are mostly used by the docking pilots. Inbound, they'll catch the boats as they head up the Elizabeth River and turn them for the outbound voyage and dock them. Used to be the Navy ships could forego tugs and pilots altogether and cowboy their boats right through the harbor. But, I think they are using them a lot more now. The Navy had pushback tugs for many years that would perform the close-in berthing and pier work.
Some of the big container ships will outbound alone from NIT with just their own thrusters standby tugs if something were to go wrong. Some time ago, I was told that it was a $15,000 minimum for a tug to assist, but they'd perform the standby work for around $5,000. I have no idea what it costs now. I don't think they can leave the new terminal in Portsmouth unassisted. There's a Coast Guard station, a maritime hazard degaussing facility, LAMCO Pier 6, and a Navy oil depot right there.
https://goo.gl/maps/UppGss4jpPR2
If you ever go to Savannah, watch what it means to have to come in at navigation speed. It's pretty fucking amazing as those bastards steam upriver at 10+ knots. They are only slowing about the time they come through downtown. It's not unusual at all to be passing unassisted almost all the way upriver. By the time they get to Racist Motherfucker Bridge (in the news the other day http://www.myajc.com/news/local/citing-talmadge-racism-savannah-votes-change-iconic-bridge-name/XMVXHgkP7df1pUJJB5BBtJ/ ), the tugs will catching them to turn and dock upriver at the container port. I have no idea how Savannah maintains its position as the number 4 port in the US. It's a hell of a lot complicated....
-- Edited by Snippy on Saturday 30th of September 2017 11:54:01 AM
Pipes FC said
1:06 PM, 09/30/17
I remember flying over Savannah, surprised cause its not that big, and also it was pretty far inland. Definitely on my list of places to go, for the ships and the food. I guess it's number 4 cause its the first deep water port once you round Florida? They said it would be the biggest winner in the Panama Canal widening.
Snippy said
6:05 AM, 10/04/17
Freddie Krueger said
8:12 AM, 10/04/17
Where are the ro roe's with the construction vehicles to restore power and to truck supplies? Where are the tankers and lighters for fuel?
Snippy said
9:50 AM, 10/04/17
Freddie Krueger wrote:
Where are the ro roe's
https://goo.gl/maps/Q2bcxsuYfUs
https://goo.gl/maps/EpoLAdbmunD2
with the construction vehicles to restore power and to truck supplies?
https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=7390478
Its like a truckstop for truckers.
Get some chrome relaxing babe mud flaps for the journey...
The Master is the VA Pilot until she gets to the Capes and discharges her pilot.
Below, you'll see her pilot's hatch is open....
Pilot hatch, or rope climb to the main deck, then up to the pilot house. The pilot hatchway is much safer!
COMFORT threads the needle between a slow, heavy tow and and inbound MSC container boat in the narrow channel just past the rip-rap of the Thimble Shoals of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. In decent weather, ships will shed their tugs just upriver from the piers. They'll be in blue water ocean in less than two hours. That's one of the reasons they call this the "WGH" -- World's Greatest Harbor. Shedding their tugs means that the boats need to be rockin' and rollin' at navigation speed to maneuver over the two tunnels.
The Sea Gull fishing pier where I took the photos will close forever today. It's a real loss of a special secret place to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay.
So whats the reason the Comfort didn't sheed her tugs?
I remember the long ass rides by boat out there to catch Rock fish. Towards the end we got pretty good at it, or the rock numbers were high enough that anyone could do it. I remember my dad telling me that they finally were able to catch them at the Amoco pier.
-- Edited by Pipes FC on Saturday 30th of September 2017 11:10:03 AM
If I had shed the "will" above, it would have made it more clear that COMFORT did lose her tugs right off the Naval Station. It was picture perfect weather yesterday.
Even in really bad weather, you don't see tugs much past HRBT. They are mostly used by the docking pilots. Inbound, they'll catch the boats as they head up the Elizabeth River and turn them for the outbound voyage and dock them. Used to be the Navy ships could forego tugs and pilots altogether and cowboy their boats right through the harbor. But, I think they are using them a lot more now. The Navy had pushback tugs for many years that would perform the close-in berthing and pier work.
Some of the big container ships will outbound alone from NIT with just their own thrusters standby tugs if something were to go wrong. Some time ago, I was told that it was a $15,000 minimum for a tug to assist, but they'd perform the standby work for around $5,000. I have no idea what it costs now. I don't think they can leave the new terminal in Portsmouth unassisted. There's a Coast Guard station, a maritime hazard degaussing facility, LAMCO Pier 6, and a Navy oil depot right there.
https://goo.gl/maps/UppGss4jpPR2
If you ever go to Savannah, watch what it means to have to come in at navigation speed. It's pretty fucking amazing as those bastards steam upriver at 10+ knots. They are only slowing about the time they come through downtown. It's not unusual at all to be passing unassisted almost all the way upriver. By the time they get to Racist Motherfucker Bridge (in the news the other day http://www.myajc.com/news/local/citing-talmadge-racism-savannah-votes-change-iconic-bridge-name/XMVXHgkP7df1pUJJB5BBtJ/ ), the tugs will catching them to turn and dock upriver at the container port. I have no idea how Savannah maintains its position as the number 4 port in the US. It's a hell of a lot complicated....
https://goo.gl/maps/aXfueU9qyvL2
http://www.icontainers.com/us/2017/05/16/top-10-us-ports/
-- Edited by Snippy on Saturday 30th of September 2017 11:54:01 AM
https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/CAPE-MAY-IMO-7205958-MMSI-366343000
https://www.vesselfinder.com/nl/?imo=7616377
USNS John Lenthall is on the move:
https://www.vesselfinder.com/nl/?imo=8325547
Oops, forgot about USNS GUAM. Converted Hawaiian passenger/vehicle SuperFerry. She was out the day COMFORT left.
Only does 35 knots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Guam_(HST-1)
https://www.vesselfinder.com/nl/?imo=9328924
@DavidBegnaud
As of tonight, 79% of the beds on the Naval Ship Comfort are empty.
There are:
*43 patients
*158 beds available
*153 ppl treated so far
4:24 PM - 20 Oct 2017