Training Ship Empire State Hits Rogue Wave

[john]

With 1.4 million views this video is climbing the ranks of YouTube. Of course, this is nothing compared to the waves we hit on the same ship in '96 and we certainly weren't allowed to stop the chipping hammers to take video

[That_CMA_Guy]

Love the panicked screaming. Bet it was a bit chillier than they expected.

[bob]

Well, not what I would call a rogue wave.... Maybe in the catigory of a good thump on a snotty day, Argg!
"Panicked screaming" maybe the gleeful squeel of delight, no?
Bob

[fredwx]

John,

Do tell us about the wave that hit the ship in 96. I made 3 trips on the TSES IV way back when as a cadet and 1 trip as an instructor on the TSES VI in 93 and never ran into any really bad weather worse than about Force 7.

[Cheng]

I feel cheated in some way...

[drkblram]

Thats nothing, in '99 the TV SOM got smacked by large wave like that, hardly a true "rogue wave." Rolled the starboard main deck under. 5 4/C went for a swim but somehow weren't washed overboard (really lucky-only significant injury was a concussion). The 2/C in the cabin aft of me on the 01 deck was taking a nap with his porthole open, got woken by cold spray across the legs!

[Shellback7]

I once put a snake in a girls locker ,in grade school, that hit higher notes than that !

[john]

Fred, I've only ever encountered on rogue wave... and it wasn't on a training ship. DeSimone was Captain in '93, great guy but in '96 he left on short notice and the school promoted the Chief Mate... I don't remember his name but the guy must have been reading the wx charts upside-down because he hit every storm head on. There was a 2-day period I will never forget. They locked down all weather decks right up to the bridge and sent the bow lookout to the port bridge-wing. I got the short straw and was sent to the stern to watch for Man Overboard's (did I mention there was no one on deck to fall overboard) despite the fact I couldn't see 10' ahead of me... I certainly used up one of my 9 lives on the walk aft... not fun.
I can't compare it to any previous cruises (and I probably shouldn't be sharing this story in an open forum) but I do remember the upper classmen in our division saying no one in the history of the school had ever jerked off on bridge wing watch without getting caught and anyone who did would get an extra day's liberty in port. Don't ask me how it was proved... the only things I know is that the bridge had the same 10' visibility... the bridge wing was over 10' long and on the first M&R day in port me and the other 3 stern lookout's were the only one's left to chip paint.
I also know, from the day we arrived back in the Bronx the Captain was never seen on campus again.

[CMA_Decky]

Amateur hour, everyone knows you need to make yourself some "happy pockets" to get into the bridge wing club.

[TheGreenHorn]

Here is a good one. you need to wait till the last 30 sec. though
<embed width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="VideoPlayback" quality="high" pluginspage="http://macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0WbLVc9_a5M]</embed>

[Kingfysh]

I was on that cruise on the State of Maine and I saw that wave, it was larger then the others, but it was not a rogue wave. And the 4/C that almost got washed overboard was leaning over the rail trying to touch the wave tops. He did get washed down the deck, lost his camera, and another guy smacked his head against a ladder. It was a larger then expected wave that caught a few people doing something really stupid..... It was an awesome cruise though.

[Capt_Anonymous]

What amazed me was I saw that wave coming about 20 seconds before anyone on that video even had a clue, and I was looking at it on a tiny little YouTube video. Sheesh.

[john]

GreenHorn... it's not a rogue wave unless your looking straight at it (or up at it) from the bridge window. I've only ever seen one in my life and I wasn't thinking about grabbing a camera.


CMA_Decky... sometimes ignorance is bliss.

[drkblram]

kingfysh, yes it was fun. hard to believe its coming up on 10 years ago!

[fredwx]

John,
For several years prior to 93 Bendix Marine Services (BXMARSERV) provided weather routing and forecast message to the traing ship. I was with Bendix Marine for over 20 years and when the new owners (AlliedSignal) shut down the ship routing operations in early 93 I jumped at the chance to take the summer cruise teaching marine meteorology and doing the routing from on board. I guess after 93 they were on there own, weatherwise.

[michelle]

i was about 100ft in front of that kid when that wave hit. it was definitely big but not huge by any means. the force of the water hitting us was like a waterfall. certainly not a rogue wave, but a cool story nonetheless, my mom wouldnt agree.

BTW Capt_Anonymous we saw it too since it was bigger than anything other wave out there, but good for you still.