HaHa...fooled you all !
I like Hull, not because of it's beauty but because it heralds the gateway to Europe and the promise of a good couple of weeks camping. It's just 110 miles from here, all but about 10 on the motorway.
Arrive at 4pm after a leisurely run, on the boat at 4.30, secure the bike and off to your cabin. Change then off for a pint and watch the Capitan get the thing out of the lock into the river with about an inch on either side. An excellent, all you can eat, dinner follows...more drinkies then a good kip 'til about 0630, when they wake you up for a massive, all you can eat, breakfast.
The ramp is down at 0830 in Zeebrugge and it's off heading inland and South to somewhre good, like Switzerland or Austria. Return trip is a mirror image and you're home for lunch !
Mini cruise...really,
Why anyone would want to drive to Dover from here is beyond me.
I like Stornoway and Ullapool as well, though.
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Portsmouth. Its an hour away from me on mostly motorway, Doesn't drop you in some grotty Belgium port, instead arriving in Caen / Ouistreham is not only somewhere nice but feels like D-Day and a mere 5 hour drive to my fav French resort - Royan.
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Small is beautiful, so I'll go with Levington Marina, though you'd barely get a ferret through the entrance, let alone a ferry.
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I don't find the drive to Dover all that challenging. Depends when you do it of course. Might say different if I was tugging a shed. Not keen on boats. There are people on boats.
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I've only done three UK ports.
1. Hull to Zebrugge and Amsterdam. Both for day or two-day trips on the P&O mini cruises.
2. Newcastle/South Shields to Norway for a short cruise.
3. Plymouth to Roscoff.
Used Hull more - the others once each. The Norway cruise was fitted in just before they stopped going from the North East.
I'd say they were all pretty much the same to be honest. Only took a car when we used Plymouth for a holiday (in a static caravan) in France.
Nearly had to take my car to Zebrugge once for a day visit. There were no offers available for foot passengers but there was for cars. When we got to Hull I asked if it could be changed. Offered to even pay for the bus transfer to Brugge. Initial response was no. I explained it surely must be fractionally cheaper to not take my car and I'd pay for the transfer. They relented in the end.
Not done the Bruges trip in years (7!). No idea if the boats are any newer. They were pretty old when we last went. We had free use of the VIP lounge on the Norway cruise.... basic to say the least :-)
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The best port - any with the word "Air" in its name especially when it's a bit choppy.
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There are "people" on aeroplanes too though, and trains. It's never good. Some of them smell.
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>> Some of them smell.
No Humph. You smell. They stink.
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Some of them do, you're right.
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>> The best port - any with the word "Air" in its name especially when it's
>> a bit choppy.
>>
Ships are not a problem even if the weather is bad. Most have stabilisers so roll is minimal, pitching can be uncomfortable but only if you are near the ends of the ship. Always book a cabin or stay near the middle of the ship and there will be little movement in even bad weather. Galleys and restaurants are usually near the middle for a reason. If booking a cabin avoid the area above the engines ( the funnel or a void on the ships plan is a good indicator) as there may be noise or vibration.
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>> >>
>>
>> Ships are not a problem even if the weather is bad.
>>
They might not be to you but I have been sea sick more times than I care to remember. Everything from a cruise ship through car ferries down to whale watching trips and worst of all a mackerel fishing trip in a small boat off Looe which the fisherman enjoyed no end
Actually I'm incredibly sensitive to motion sickness. Avoid coach travel at all time and don't much like travelling as a passenger in a car either. Not helped by the fact that my wife is impervious to motion sickness so little sympathy.
The only cure for sea sickness is to sit under a tree.
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>> The only cure for sea sickness is to sit under a tree. GIN
>>
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>> The only cure for sea sickness is to sit under a tree.
So, getting a grip wouldn't be an option then?
;-)
As you'll maybe gather, I've never been seasick either.
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>> As you'll maybe gather, I've never been seasick either.
Same here. I remember one across channel ferry trip where there was just two of us at the bar, the beer glasses sliding up and down between us, the vomit sloshing out of the bogs with people still queuing to use them.......
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 23 Jan 15 at 01:42
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Bunch of wimps, the channel does not get rough, if it gets a bit choppy the ferry's stop running, they don't have time to lash all the cars down. You need to get into deep ocean open water with a big swell for real ship movement. Or a badly ballasted car transporter. :)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 22 Jan 15 at 19:58
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>> You
>> need to get into deep ocean open water with a big swell for real ship
>> movement.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OalYOmBvgpk
>>Or a badly ballasted car transporter. :)
The seas were calm when that went over.
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>> >>Or a badly ballasted car transporter. :)
>>
>> The seas were calm when that went over.
>>
If it is badly ballasted it will list and maybe roll over on a duck pond. (Too subtle Z?).
Sea sickness is caused by conflicting visual and balance sensor information. It may help if you get somewhere where you can see the horizon. You can tell if someone is going to throw up, they will continiously swallow.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 22 Jan 15 at 20:08
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SQ for Mr Lazy pants ;)
>> If it is badly ballasted it will list and maybe roll over on a duck
>> pond.
It only rolled one way, clearly far too subtle for you ON.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 23 Jan 15 at 01:43
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>>
>> It only rolled one way, clearly far too subtle for you ON.
I bow to your greater knowledge of all things.
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>> You
>> need to get into deep ocean open water with a big swell for real ship
>> movement.
Roughest I've seen was Oban to Castlebay around 1988. Ferry was CalMac's Claymore, a rear loader at Oban but discharging via a lift at Castlebay where a linkspan was still under construction. Supposed to be 5 hours but more like 7, just pitching and rolling in featureless grey sea and sky clue we were finally reaching destination was when roll/pitch eventually eased as we slipped between Barra and (then still isolated) Vatersay. I was OK so long as I stayed out doors bu there were a lot of very sick tourists.
Vomit marks on hull were still visible 48hrs later when we re-boarded Claymore for 90 min trip to Lochboisdale.
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>> >>
>> >> >> The only cure for sea sickness is to sit under a tree.
I'm not prone to it at all.
The best thing is to pre-empt the sickness before you set sail.
Tie a length of string round the middle of a length of raw bacon rind then swallow it, keeping hold of the string. Then pull the rind back up...swiftly followed by the contents of the stomach.
This can be done in the bog before leaving dock saving all that embarrasment in front of other passengers. You'll be able to strut about on the deck like Horatio Nelson on a good day out without chundering down your anorak !
Edit SP beat me to it...later on.
Last edited by: Ted on Thu 22 Jan 15 at 23:19
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Actually Nelson suffered terribly from seasickness, which only increases my admiration for that Norfolk hero even more.
Tried most "cures" but nothing really works. Strangely,though I am invariably feeling sick after a few miles in the back of a car, I am unaffected when driving. Trains and planes are usually fine although was a bit queasy the last time I flew into Madeira - there was a lot of turbulence near the island.
Actually motion sickness was the only reason I took up insurance for a career rather than become an astronaut. :-)
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If you haven't seen it (and it's perfectly possible it wouldn't appeal I know), there was a Mythbusters episode testing seasickness cures. That of course meant they had to build something to generate the seasickness in the first place. I won't describe what it was for fear the very words would enqueasulate you, in case you are not interested in clicking.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZLRCNpc9Ss
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It says "This video requires purchase" when I try to open it.
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Hmm. Sorry abut that. Looks like I gave you a duff link for the UK.
If you still care, text summary is here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_%282005_season%29#Episode_43_.E2.80.93_.22Seasickness_-_Kill_or_Cure.22
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it's a funny thing, you never get any sympathy for sea/carsickness. Somehow people assume you can overcome it by will-power and People who don't suffer from iit are always willing to give you advice as to how to avoid it.
They do say sea sickness has two stages. The first is you are worried you are going to die. The second is you are worried that you won't. If you have and a bad case of motion sickness you will know that that is about right. Have a alwasy been prone to it which is a shame as I've alwasys like the idea of sailing.
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>> it's a funny thing, you never get any sympathy for sea/carsickness. Somehow people assume you
>> can overcome it by will-power and People who don't suffer from iit are always willing
>> to give you advice as to how to avoid it.
Bit like depression then?
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I suppose so but wouldn't class something which I can usually easily avoid with such an affliction as depression which blights a huge number of people's lives. You are right though. People do tell people suffering from clinical depression to "snap out of it", as if they could if they only tried.
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Cure for seasickness...
Tie a piece of string to a nice fatty bacon rind. Swallow the bacon and pull the string.
:o)
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>> right. Have a alwasy been prone to it which is a shame as I've alwasys
>> like the idea of sailing.
If you are sailing, specially in a small boat, you wont get sea sickness. There is too much going on to consider it, the thing is keeling over at such a crazy angle and thrashing about so quickly that motion sickness is not an issue.
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>> If you are sailing, specially in a small boat, you wont get sea sickness. There
>> is too much going on to consider it, the thing is keeling over at such
>> a crazy angle and thrashing about so quickly that motion sickness is not an issue.
Pish tosh. Come along with me, back in time, to a trip around the Isle of Wight in 1985. We're in a 26' Westerly, it's 3am, and it's only a breezy force 6.
Large chaps are hauling and bellowing and small chaps are scurrying hither and yon, trying to look as if they know what they are doing. The headless horseman appears to have donated his horse for the little boat to ride on, and the sea is bubbling like Satan's soup. And indeed, that appears also to be what is emanating from my mouth at regular intervals.
Stand in front of me with your capacious seaboots and tell me again that nobody gets sick on a small boat.
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>> If you are sailing, specially in a small boat, you wont get sea sickness. There
>> is too much going on to consider it, the thing is keeling over at such
>> a crazy angle and thrashing about so quickly that motion sickness is not an issue.
Took a dinghy sailingcourse on Hicklling Broad some years back. Had to give it up because I felt so ill. Managed to avoid actually throwing up though. Shame as I like the idea of sailing.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 23 Jan 15 at 10:12
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>>
>> If you are sailing, specially in a small boat, you wont get sea sickness. There
>> is too much going on to consider it, the thing is keeling over at such
>> a crazy angle and thrashing about so quickly that motion sickness is not an issue.
>>
>>
Rubbish.
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>> Rubbish.
Agreed. I've had to give up trips in dinghys 'cos of feeling queezy.
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>> If you are sailing, specially in a small boat, you wont get sea sickness.
Whilst on a small yacht (40 foot maybe) on the Bay of San Francisco, I was enjoying it a lot. A nice sunny day. Then I thought I'd pop below to grab my camera.
Within no time at all, realising the movements of the boat and not seeing the horizon I was soon feeling sick! Still had a great day sailing. I was just a passenger.
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>> If you are sailing, specially in a small boat, you wont get sea sickness.
When I was 18 went out for an afternoon in an 8 ton yawl in brisk weather in Dublin Bay with my Irish uncle and the boat's owner, a friend of his who was a big Dublin car dealer. Seeing me turning a bit green, and noting that sailing was new to me after the boom had swiped me across the head, they sadistically lit stogies and offered me a large packet of greasy salami sandwiches. I was as sick as a dog and they had a good laugh about it.
I've had a fair amount to do with boats and the sea at intervals through my life, but have only been seasick sometimes. Not at all recently. I may have grown out of it at last.
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Pour some salt water over the floor -
Ugly I'm sure you'll allow it to be:
Suppose it extended a mile or more,
THAT'S very like the Sea.
Beat a dog till it howls outright -
Cruel, but all very well for a spree:
Suppose that he did so day and night,
THAT would be like the Sea.
It is pleasant and dreamy, no doubt, to float
With 'thoughts as boundless, and souls as free':
But, suppose you are very unwell in the boat,
How do you like the Sea?
from Sea Dirge by Lewis Carroll
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>> I've had a fair amount to do with boats and the sea at intervals through my life, but have only been seasick sometimes. Not at all recently. I may have grown out of it at last.
Bay of Biscay doesn't seem bad in these huge Santander ferries with their stabilizers. But it's a very rough bit of sea, with a vast slow Atlantic swell in one direction and a lot of Channel weather in the other. In 1947 or so, in what then seemed a decent sized ship but only half the size of a ferry and without stabilizers, rolling and creaking with the enormous, very slow swell and digging its nose into the sea as it simultaneously pitched as if it was going to go down, I got extremely seasick when the excitement wore off (I wasn't quite 8 at the time).
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>> Not keen on boats. There are people on boats.
I got the fast boat from Stranraer to Belfast one afternoon. It was at the start of the school holidays and the sailing was full of families. As a trucker I got entry to the drivers' lounge, there were only two other lorries on the boat so we each had sofas to stretch out on, all the Irish Stew we could eat and no squealing kids running amok. Best large ferry crossing I've ever had.
I like the little Hebridean ferries more though :)
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Did the Portsmouth crossing but once, and that was five hours of everyone on the boat throwing up. An experience not to be repeated.
We used to use those nice quick (and admittedly a bit bouncy) hovercraft, but just having gone out of interest to see how much it would cost to do that these days, inspired by this thread, I was astounded to discover...well you know what I discovered.
When did THAT happen? Bah.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Thu 22 Jan 15 at 18:24
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and again!
>> When did THAT happen? Bah.
1999 - They were not Y2k compliant.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 23 Jan 15 at 01:43
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When we crossed from Plymouth to Roscoff it was sunny and I sat outside with the others at the back of the boat. Enjoyed the crossing. Coming back however, only seats were at the front! I was ill. Well enough to drive later though. Back to the north west.
Next day.... I had a flat. Lucky we made it all the way back and had no blow out.
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1999 - They were not Y2k compliant.
Not so. We came back from Calais on a horribly cold and blustery day in July 2000, where it was fully 20 degrees colder than it had been when we got on the Autotrain at Narbonne the evening before. We listened as we were waiting to West Indies v Zimbabwe from Chester-le-Street, where it can hardly have been colder or nastier, with much of the talk being of England's new batting discovery Marcus Trescothick.
The crossing was awful - twice the scheduled duration and more like a fairground ride in terms of comfort. Enough to put us off ever doing it again, but the decision was made for us.
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>> The crossing was awful - twice the scheduled duration and more like a fairground ride
>> in terms of comfort. Enough to put us off ever doing it again, but the
>> decision was made for us.
Similar experience in 1974 crossing from Calais to Ramsgate one a Hoverlloyd SRN 4. The fairground ride analogy is spot on - for first few minutes people shouted "wheeee!" as we rode down each wave. Another few minutes and they'd turned green and shut up.
The only other time I tried one was in 1980 on a day trip. One of the few occasions the French SEDAM N500 'aeroglisseur' was operating normally. Reasonably benign conditions but also better stabilisation and pax cabin much higher above the water meant it was just about tolerable.
I'm not keen on high speed catamaran type ferries either.
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I like the little Hebridean ferries more though :)
The ones between the Shetland Islands are fun too. I found out you're supposed to book if you aren't a local but I was in a signwritten BBC technical vehicle, just joined the queues as if I'd booked and no-one said a dicky bird.
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It is much the same on the Hebridean inter island ferries, you book a crossing time but if there is room you get on an earlier one. The last one I was on (mid afternoon) I shared the ferry with two bin lorrys, a few cars and a lot of room for more vehicles.
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It's a good job I got away with it as I was working silly hours as it was. Tying up loose ends for Ofcom and the BBC (BBC area historically for TV transmitter planning). The ferry crossings to and from Shetland were fixed points, I had to get everything done between them.
I did however manage to visit a few places of interest, this being about the weirdest:
www.amusingplanet.com/2010/06/curious-story-of-bobby-bus-shelter-at.html
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>> It is much the same on the Hebridean inter island ferries,
These days Scalpay has a bridge but when we holidayed there in 1992 it was still served by a ferry. Single end jobby similar to a tank landing craft, while it was equipped with a turntable cars were expected to reverse on. Crossed about six times a day each way according to published timetable, maybe 10 minutes each way.
No bookings but if there were too many vehicles or a dangerous load like the LPG tanker they'd run an extra crossing.
Even today I'm not sure you can book Leverburgh>Berneray or Barra>Eriskay.
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You book specific ferries with an island hopper ticket. There is some unofficial flexibity inter island.
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>> You book specific ferries with an island hopper ticket. There is some unofficial flexibity inter
>> island.
My recollection was from the early days of the Sound of Harris service when capacity was perhaps less than demand and before the internet made reservation easy. Even so I was careful to be up early and on the slipway at Obbe ahead of the crowd.
It's certainly reservable now for summer 15.
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St Malo for me. Similar reasons to Z, only it's closer than Caen to our Atlantic coast destinations, and the crossing from Portsmouth is long enough for a decent night's sleep. It's also a delightful place for a last night of holiday - a galette Bretonne in a harbourside creperie is a great way to finish, and the sunset view from the old harbour walls is magnificent.
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Always ends up as Dover for the Continent. Portsmouth might be marginally nearer but crossing too expensive for any gain that's to be had.
Not much to chose between Calais and Dunkerque on French side - whichever is cheapest.
Uig for the Western Isles unless bound for Barra or S. Uist in which case Oban, but that's a damn long crossing.
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Portsmouth works best for me; partly because it's closer so anything I save by going further is offset by fuel costs, partly because my daughter lives in Gosport so I get to see her and the grandkids and am guaranteed a bed for the night.
Mrs HM however is not a good sailor so prefers the Tunnel. I've considered using it to go to Holland but usually end up going by the Harwich ferry.
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Fred Olson's ship Boudicca has had an engine room fire, lost all power at about four am and listing off Morocco. Now moving under own power. Guess why I always carry a small but powerful LED torch when onboard ship.
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Good idea ON. I've used Dover, Folkestone,(Tunnel and Boat), Hull, Holyhead - for Ireland of course. Holyhead has been the one with least hinderance...easy to get to etc. Landed at Rotterdam.....mile of travel to the Mway....ditto Dunkirk, Calais is great, I love Oostende - not been years but that used to be straight into the town. Also used Boulogne but only as a "footie"..
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If you have a smart phone you have have a powerful torch in your pocket.
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>> If you have a smart phone you have have a powerful torch in your pocket.
Well a light anyway - can't be described as powerful 💡
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OK, I will restate that:
If you have a smart phone you have have what I would say is powerful torch in your pocket although others like Zero would disagree with that description and would simply describe it as a light.
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>> OK, I will restate that:
>>
>> If you have a smart phone you have have what I would say is powerful
>> torch in your pocket although others like Zero would disagree with that description and would
>> simply describe it as a light.
I confess - I was wrong
Its a sodding useless torch
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Try Melbourne to Southampton by boat/ scrap heap
Just over 6 weeks in 1963. Dont ask, blame my late Father.
You want seasick, try the Bay Of Biscay in a force 9, still have nightmares thinking about it.
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>> Try Melbourne to Southampton by boat/ scrap heap
>> Just over 6 weeks in 1963. Dont ask, blame my late Father.
>> You want seasick, try the Bay Of Biscay in a force 9, still have nightmares
>> thinking about it.
Nice to hear from you, seasidersrock.
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My phone has a powerful flash. The Torch app uses it. It is very bright on the top setting. Three levels of brightness.
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OK there are many types of battery powered lights, for emergency use, (there are few things as dark as the inside of a ship without power day or night) I use a one x AA powered LED torch. We always have two of them in hand baggage when travelling and they have been used from the Australian bush to the Canadian forests and many places between. AA batteries provide a long period of use and are easy to obtain or carry. If you are in a real difficult situation your phone battery may be better used than as a tortch. I was never a boy scout so I don't carry a knife. :)
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Actually I do have a small torch of the type you describe on my key ring together with a small Swiss Army knife. Ready for all eventualities!
I remember I once worked with a guy who always carried a rolled up emergency escape ladder around with him when staying in foreign hotels as he had a fear of being trapped by fire.
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Ready for all eventualities!
...except airport security.
I know, you're allowed a 6cm blade, but has anyone tested a security screener's judgement of length? My 6cm Opinel wouldn't stand a chance, probably rightly if not correctly; stays in my desk for peeling oranges.
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>> stays in my desk for peeling oranges.
>>
Why don't you use your fingers - and fingernails - for peeling oranges?
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Only wimps peel them -eat them whole. :-)
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Never had any trouble with small Swiss Army Knife at airport security since the regulations were clarified.
www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/personal-items
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Why would I want orange pith under my nails for the rest of the day?
Anyway, those regulations say
Knife (with a sharp or pointed blade and/or blade longer than 6cm) No
and my 6cm Opinel and Victorinox blades are certainly sharp and pointed, so I think they'd be disqualified regardless of length.
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Court security are hot on knives too.
Since I was working nearby at time I took the form work regarding my late Mother out law's estate to the Probate Office in London. Misguidedly, I decided to do it on the way home so was on the bike and carrying my tools etc which included a mini penknife - blade less than 2inches. It showed up when my bag was X-rayed but I couldn't find it!!
Finally ferreted it out from under the lining for inspection; it was then confiscated. I was handed a form to request its return but it was made clear that would only be at a manager's discretion. Seemed like overkill for Probate but they share premises with Family court so need be aware of Families need Fathers et al.
It was eventually returned.
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"airport security since the regulations were clarified."
Yes - things did get particularly ridiculous at one stage - quite Pythonesque.
My father's late partner, a lady of about 70 years was stopped at airport security on her way to New Zealand ..... they confiscated her eyebrow tweezers. Can you imagine a 70year old lady bursting into the cockpit and barking out "Fly me to Havana, mister, or else I'll pluck your eyebrows!".
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>> My father's late partner, a lady of about 70 years was stopped at airport security
>> on her way to New Zealand ..... they confiscated her eyebrow tweezers.
Mrs B's nail file was similarly removed from her at Stornoway. We'd flown out vis Birmingham and Edinburgh both of whom must have seen it and allowed it through.
Last time I flew my hand luggage was a small rucksack. When x-rayed it was handed back with words to effect that there was something like a knife in it. Turned out to be the telescopic aerial from one of my scanner radios left in the bag from previous weekend's airshow trip. After discussion I was allowed to keep it.
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Al Qaeda's true victory over the infidel. They must pee their pants laughing at us.
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>> Al Qaeda's true victory over the infidel. They must pee their pants laughing at us.
>>
To be fair, the PLO started screwing up air travel.
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Funnily enough same thing happened to my wife some years back. "stand back I've got tweezers" doesn't quite do it really.
The Swiss army knife on my key ring has a 3.5 cm blade and is not a problem now although in the early days I lost a couple of the things at airport security having forgot to take it off the ring and put it in my hold luggage. Very useful little tool that I don't like to be without.
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I must admit (not recently though) I've walked down the street wearing both my filleting knife and a machete. Blade length on the former is about 7 inches and the machete is at least a foot and up to chopping a small tree down.
Suspect these days I'd get sent to the big house for carrying them. I have though given demonstrations to cubs of how to gut and fillet fish. Not something most have ever seen anyone do.
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Which Port ? - Zero
