Crossing Base Straight
On the 8th March 2023 the Pacific Explorer sailed north along the eastern coastline of Tasmania, then changed direction to west, northwest to sail away from the northern coast. As the ship sailed north with the coastline of Tasmania in sight we could make out the wind farms dotted along the northeastern lands of Tasmania. Then the final object to be seen was Eddystone Point historical lighthouse, dating back to 1889, perched on rocks close to the sea.
I was in the old wheelhouse bar making Gatsby head wear for tonight's Gatsby Theme Night, sitting with a couple of new found friends. All of a sudden the glasses in the bar nearby crashed to the floor, a notice board hanging from the wall nearby swung and stayed in a 6-10 degree angle. A couple of wine glasses on the table I was sitting at, slid across and fortunately saved from crashing to the floor by the owners of the drinks they contained. Mmm...I looked around to see the ship was actually held, suspended at this angle and for what I considered to be about 5 to 10 mins, Wow! I have never seen this happen in my cruising experience!.
Shortly afterwards to ship righted itself and the Captain spoke over the p. a. system to inform us there was a medical emergency and a helicopter medivac was required. The Captain had been requested to alter course to sail closer to Tasmania to enable the helicopter less distance to fly. At the time we were sailing in 6 meter waves and gale-force winds, so when the ship altered course, it caused a lean in that position until it was righted by a change of course back into the wind and seas.
Paul was on a different deck, about to catch a lift and he fondly recalls a couple of young boys had decided to lie down on the carpet in front of the lifts and roll across the floor!, just like we used to do as children when faced with a grassy slope. I later spoke with a couple who were having a late lunch, sitting at a table alongside the window on deck 5. When the ship tilted, the outside of the window they were sitting at became covered in seawater, alerting them to something not quite right, so they looked at each other and jumped up out of their chairs and tried to run out of the dining room but were hindered with the tilt of the deck.
Path of Pacific Explorer showing the alterations
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