Worst Ferry Crossing you’ve been on?

[Bald Rick]

I am not a good sailor, and gave up ferries in 1994 (with one exception, see below), and two stand out:

1) returning from Spain on my first (and last) foreign summer holiday with my parents on 30/8/87. Arrived Calais around sunset after a day and a half’s drive up the N20 to see the flags out like boards and a large queue of cars for the ferries - all the hovercraft had been cancelled. Out the breakwater into mountainous seas. Pretty much everyone was seasick - I saw a number of the crew throwing up, and some of the toilets were closed because their floor were literally awash with, err, “carrots”. Two hours into the 90 minute crossing my Dad - fresh from the vomitory - noticed some lights off the Starboard beam disappearing to the stern, and enquired of the crew where we were. Dover was full, and we were doing circles between Dover and Folkestone awaiting a free berth. A further 2 hours later we docked at Dover 1, being pushed in by two tugs. We were then turned over by customs (on a work to rule IIRC) and when we finally got to the A20 my Dad pulled over in the first layby and promptly went to sleep for half an hour.

2) Wellington to Picton across the Cook Strait. My first and last sea ferry crossing since the Channel Tunnel opened. I’d been warned. It was, apparently, an average crossing. I flew back.

I have many more good than bad memories of sea travel, do others agree?

No!

Not a personal experience, but one of a former girlfriend.


She was traveling Heysham-Douglas on the Manx Viking (Sealink Manx Line), late 70's early 80's.
They left Heysham on time, heading into a gale, by the time they got to Douglas the weather made entrance to the harbour impossible, so they returned to Heysham. By the time they got back, Heysham was also impossible, but Douglas was open again - so they turned round once again and headed for Douglas - only for it to be closed again when they got there. So back to Heysham in hope of better weather......but the better weather never came so the ship headed for the protection of the Clyde and weathered the storm.
Eventually as casualties grew desperation kicked in and the ship was taken to the west side of the Island and tied up alongside at Peel, to be met by a cavalcade of ambulances. Thirty six hours after departure.
No linkspan at Peel, so the smashed cars couldn't be offloaded until the weather abated enough to take the ship to Douglas two days later. Allegedly many of the vehicles were simply dragged / scraped off the cardeck by a bulldozer

You win!

 

[Trackman]

On my worst Ferry crossing nothing actually happened apart from a bit of a disagreement with some of the crew.
A couple of days later back in the UK, I was horrified to find the ferry I'd been on the 'Herald of Free Enterprise' had capsized with a great loss of life.
I can remember vividly watching the pictures on TV, praying that everyone would be OK.
It must have been late as I was at my mates house playing cards after chucking out time and he had the TV on with the sound turned down.

 

[Hardcastle]

Worst Heysham to Douglas some years ago a very rough crossing they won't take the cattle across on that day. There was a group of ten of us me & another guy went to the bar on returning to the others sometime later they where either sat down or vomiting not a good scene at all.

 

[181]

I have many more good than bad memories of sea travel, do others agree?

I'd agree with that, and I haven't had any really bad crossings, but some of the comments on this thread bring journeys of mine to mind.

I've done Harwich-Hamburg and back a few times, the best part of that was the Elbe cruise, it was the beginning of the end when it was truncated. However the first time I used it we booked one of the "third class" cabins which were at about the waterline in the bow and were incredibly noisy and didn't have full partitions, and I just don't feel safe being down there as if anything happened you wouldn't be getting out. I think they were sold as couchettes, but even that was talking them up - proper "scum class", as you might put it. I gave up as it was so noisy every time we hit a wave and went and (attempted to) kip in a chair in the cafe. I did sleep on the way back as I was so tired! (It was a mini cruise break).

I went on that route on a family cycling holiday in 1989 (the same trip that included my first overseas train journey as mentioned in another thread a few months ago). My brother and I were by then both old enough to require adult tickets so although our parents were paying for all four of us, on the outward journey we just had reclining seats to keep costs down; these were in quite a pleasant part of the ship, but it was the first time I'd tried to sleep without lying down and I found I couldn't -- I eventually got to sleep by lying on the floor. (Since then I've had a bit more success sleeping in seats on various forms of transport, but it's still difficult without getting my upper body at last partly horizontal). On the way back we were underneath the car deck; my recollection is that couchettes were available, but we were one grade up in an economy class cabin with bedding (I think) and a door, albeit if I remember rightly a door like a toilet door that didn't reach the floor or ceiling. I slept well, but my father was woken by the sound of a bell or revving engine or something, and was sufficiently concerned to make his way upstairs to make sure that all was well (as far as he could see, it was).

Some friends of my parents once crossed the North Sea in a gale with the loose end of a chain scraping back and forth over the car deck just above their cabin.

Without a doubt, the Scillionian from St Mary's to Penzance on a fairly windy day: the boat is flat-bottomed to cope with the shallow sea and rolls, twists and turns like a fairground ride: not for nothing is it known as the Great White Stomach Pump.

I did that crossing earlier this year, in what I think were probably the biggest waves I've encountered at close quarters -- although it would be an exaggeration to say that they were at eye level from my vantage point on the top passenger deck, some of the bigger ones gave the impression of being not far off. An ambulance was waiting on the pier at St. Mary's -- I think a door had slammed on someone's fingers or something like that. Given the size and steepness of the waves, and the fact that they were coming in at an angle of about 2 o'clock, it seemed to me that there was surprisingly little rolling (but I don't mean none). Presumably the stabilization system is quite effective, but it couldn't stop the up-and-down component of the motion or the violent pitching. Fortunately I don't get seriously seasick (I've never yet thrown up as a result of being on a boat, and queasiness is usually kept away by fresh air and a view of the horizon), so once I'd realised that it wasn't getting any worse I quite enjoyed it. (Scillonian, for anyone not familiar with it).

The most alarming rolling I've experienced was possibly coming back from Sark on one of the boats at the top of this page, with a beam sea in a wind-against-tide situation. It probably wasn't really rolling 45 degrees each way, but it felt rather like it.

And in terms of the state of the vessel, my worst crossing has to be a trip in 1986 to the island of Kerrera near Oban, although as it was a short crossin in calm weather I don't remember feeling too unsafe. I presume whatever body was responsible for the safety of passenger shipping hadn't inspected it for many years; the boat was I think an old military assault boat, a sort of largeish dinghy made of riveted metal, with an outboard motor, a bucket and nothing else -- no buoyancy bags/tanks, no lifesaving equipment (I think there were a few lifejackets piled up at the top of the jetty), no auxiliary means of propulsion, and no means of communication other than shouting. The bucket was an important piece of equipment as the boat leaked so quickly (if I remember rightly, many of the rivets were missing and you could see the water bubbling in) that the ferryman spent the whole crossing steering with one hand and baling with the other.

 

[185]

Lanzarote... Orzola (Mainland) - La Graciosa Island.

I've worked on ships before - specifically fast cats... had a few bumps and bangs on the choppy Irish Sea. This, on the other hand, is a top-heavy disaster in waiting in the heavy Atlantic swells. As soon as the boat passes the needle rock at the far north of Lanzarote to turn the corner aiming for the island.... bang!!!! the front of the little tourist boat is angled down -30% into a 5m high wave. Horrid.

Captain of the boat had nerves of err.. something... he wasn't even looking, watching TikTok videos for 90% of the journey

 

[kylemore]

As a boy growing up in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute in the early 1970s if Saturday coincided with a stormy day me and my pal would take the ferry over to the mainland just for the fun of a white knuckle ride, the Firth of Clyde is relatively sheltered compared with say the Irish sea but then again the boats were much smaller.

The ferry would usually divert from Wemyss Bay to Gourock so we got a good hour or more's worth of bumpy ride for our half day returns!

Other people's nightmare journey was our idea of a fun day out. The ferries never completely cancelled in those days - the skippers were made of sterner stuff and regulation looser, they sailed in all weathers - so we were never scared of being stuck on the mainland.

 

[30907]

And in terms of the state of the vessel, my worst crossing has to be a trip in 1986 to the island of Kerrera near Oban, although as it was a short crossin in calm weather I don't remember feeling too unsafe.

Which reminds me of a decidedly rough crossing from Kilchoan to Tobermory in the mid 70s on what looked like a repurposed landing craft. Not leaky though! The minibus west from Ft William via Corran Ferry in pouring rain was bad enough, and we were worried about making the ferry connection. It was the last of our worries - and memory says the ferry had no other passengers...

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I only vaguely remember hovercraft, I think they were very noisy and cramped
What did they do in rough weather?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I only vaguely remember hovercraft, I think they were very noisy and cramped
What did they do in rough weather?

In the case of the Isle of Wight one, not bother running and palm the passengers off on Wightlink. I don't know about the Channel ones, probably the same.

They were a bit like a cross between a Pacer on rough jointed rail and a Boeing 747 (the interior was like a large 1960s widebody aircraft) in severe turbulence. Technically impressive, but not really an effective mode of transport.

 

[route101]

Never had a rough crossing on the Arran ferry, bit of trouble docking and thats about it. I always thought the Clyde ferries were sheltered somewhat.

 

[Bald Rick]

I only vaguely remember hovercraft, I think they were very noisy and cramped
What did they do in rough weather?

They didn’t!

As I mentioned upthread, they were simply cancelled and punters transferred to whatever was available with Sealink. In theory it could operate in a Force 9 gale with seas of up to 3.5m, but in practice flights were stopped at lower wind levels, although I don’t know how low.

 

[Scotrail314209]

As a boy growing up in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute in the early 1970s if Saturday coincided with a stormy day me and my pal would take the ferry over to the mainland just for the fun of a white knuckle ride, the Firth of Clyde is relatively sheltered compared with say the Irish sea but then again the boats were much smaller.

The ferry would usually divert from Wemyss Bay to Gourock so we got a good hour or more's worth of bumpy ride for our half day returns!

Other people's nightmare journey was our idea of a fun day out. The ferries never completely cancelled in those days - the skippers were made of sterner stuff and regulation looser, they sailed in all weathers - so we were never scared of being stuck on the mainland.

Never had a rough crossing on the Arran ferry, bit of trouble docking and thats about it. I always thought the Clyde ferries were sheltered somewhat.

Yeah the Clyde ferries are relatively sheltered, but it can get really awful on a bad day. Ardrossan is a difficult pier to dock into as it isn't really sheltered in any way, I think Wemyss Bay is in a similar situation. There has been times where the Arran ferry has not been able to dock in Ardrossan but has instead diverted to Troon or Gourock. Diversions I think became more prominent after a gust of wind blew Caledonian Isles into the Harbour wall.

One rough crossing I did was between Wemyss Bay and Rothesay on MV Bute. Going to Rothesay was fine, but later in the day when we were about to return back a thunderstorm hit the island. We only felt a few bumps on the ferry, but you could tell it was rough because we could see the seaspray hitting the side window.

 

[Bevan Price]

Isn’t the barley sugar trick supposed to be for helping clear your ears when flying? I can see why they might get mixed up as it’s seen as a travel issue...

Nobody (almost) flew on holiday at that time. I remember huge crowds waiting at Liverpool, and I think they even ran a "relief" boat on busy days.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

They didn’t!

As I mentioned upthread, they were simply cancelled and punters transferred to whatever was available with Sealink. In theory it could operate in a Force 9 gale with seas of up to 3.5m, but in practice flights were stopped at lower wind levels, although I don’t know how low.

The SRN4s would operate up to force 8, and I have been on them in such conditions.

It was wind speed rather than wave heights which dictated when the SRN4s would cease operating in bad weather.

 

[adamedwards]

Dover to Dunkerque on the St Eloi in December 1979. The sleeping car passengers cannot have enjoyed it. The warning sign was when the train got to Dover Marine and all the signs were swinging in the wind and creaking ominously!

 

[leshuttle]

A couple of memorable occasions crossing the North Channel.

In February 2000 on an evening sailing from Stranraer we were booked on the HSS ferry but that was stuck in Belfast due to storms. Around two boat loads were squeezed onto the almost life-expired Stena Caledonia with little option but spend the night onboard in Stranraer harbour until calm enough to cross in the morning. It was a small ferry without passenger cabins and barely enough seating for all. What made things worse, we'd about two coach loads of highly intoxicated Rangers football supporters to share it with.

On another occasion we were sailing on the Superstar Express from Cairnryan. It was extremely rough, rocking at extreme angles side to side, all open-plan layout with the buffet restaurant in the middle, and we could see out either side. What made that trip all the more notable was being sat opposite a pair of undertakers who were taking an empty hearse back to Larne.

 

[Red Onion]

So many stories, I don’t envy you all in the slightest.

I’m surprised the Northlink from Aberdeen to Orkney/Shetland hasn’t came up yet as that one can be particularly awful.

I did Aberdeen to Shetland in December 19 and never again. I thought I’d got over seasickness and was pretty confident I’d cope. I had a pint in the bar and a heavy burger & chips for dinner with haggis bon bons with whisky sauce on the side. I had taken a sleeping pod for the journey so on my way there after dinner, with the ship now pitching heavily, I decided to have a laugh at all the folk at the toilets throwing up.

Then karma struck. I spent most of the 14 hour journey living in the toilet.

Thankfully I changed my eating strategy for the return and just about coped.

Next time I’m flying...

 

[WessexEclectic]

They were lucky it was the Manx Viking....she was lively in rough seas but had massive fuel tanks - in theory she could have reached the Falklands unrefueled. Some other ships would have been running on fumes after that time at sea.

During Manx service she enjoyed an unrivalled reputation for reliability with passengers and was able to put to sea in weather conditions which forced her competitors to remain in port. Her arrival created a marked change in Manx traffic flows eventually resulting in the financial collapse of the rival Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and the Steam Packet's subsequent amalgamation with Sealink-Manx Line.

Dunno about reaching the Falklands though.....

Have had a couple of rough trips on the SeaCat to Boulogne when they should have used a SWATH vessel instead....

 

[randyrippley]

Dover to Dunkerque on the St Eloi in December 1979. The sleeping car passengers cannot have enjoyed it. The warning sign was when the train got to Dover Marine and all the signs were swinging in the wind and creaking ominously!

Apparently as it could carry rail vehicles, BR classified that ship as a loco, even giving it a 99xxx number

Dunno about reaching the Falklands though.....

I knew I hadn't made that up....

Extract from a Sealink/Manx Line onboard guide, 1984

YOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE MANX VIKING
The Manx Viking was built in Spain in 1976 as the Monte Castillo of the "Aznar" Line. She ran a summer service in the Mediterranean, and in the winter carried fruit and vegetables across the notorious Bay of Biscay to Liverpool and Newhaven from Spain and the Balearic islands. She was purchased by Manx Line, a new and independent Manx company, in 1978 and has been operated by Sealink since 1980. When Manx Line took over, the entire cargo area of the vessel was refrigerated.

By far the biggest ferry on the Isle of Man routes, the Manx Viking weighs 3,589.43 tonnes and can carry a maximum of 777 passengers and 180 cars or 30 commercial vehicles. She has one of the greatest operating ranges of any UK ferry currently in service, and her 450 tonne fuel capacity would be sufficient to take her from Heysham to Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands without refuelling.........

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I had one bad journey from Liverpool to Dublin about 1990 (Irish Ferries).
We left the quayside on time, moved about 200 yards and tied up on the opposite quayside (ie before we leached the lock out to the Mersey) until the Force 9 outside abated.
We stayed all night there, and the crew wouldn't open the bar because "we were still in port".
Nor could we disembark and abandon the trip because we had checked in and "departed".
Eventually we set off in the morning, but it was still rough crossing in Force 8.
Reaching Dublin about 10 hours late and having missed our meeting, I headed straight to the airport and flew back to Liverpool (in a Shorts Skyvan which has very poor pressurisation - so a painful descent).
I wasn't keen to visit Dublin again by ferry after that, but I've been a few times recently from Holyhead without problems.
I haven't been on any of the new Stena Superfast ferries on the Irish Sea routes yet.

 

[Crawley Ben]

Poole to Guernsey day trip in 2018, utterly horrendous crossing.

Never been so sick in all my life.

Captain apologised as even wasn’t expecting the conditions to be as rough as what they were.

Return journey not so bad thankfully!

Ben

 

[morrisobrien]

Day trip Swansea to Ilfracombe,Bristol Channel, gale force.
On arrival at Ilfracombe there is no way I am going back to Swansea on that boat.
Only to find that Ilfracombe no longer has a railway station!

 

[LMS 4F]

Day trip Swansea to Ilfracombe,Bristol Channel, gale force.
On arrival at Ilfracombe there is no way I am going back to Swansea on that boat.
Only to find that Ilfracombe no longer has a railway station!

When I worked at Ilfracombe 1974/75 a small boat, not a ferry left for Swansea in a storm. It and the crew were never seen or heard of again. Presumed lost at sea, the Bristol Channel should not be underestimated.

 

[Bald Rick]

Day trip Swansea to Ilfracombe,Bristol Channel, gale force.
On arrival at Ilfracombe there is no way I am going back to Swansea on that boat.
Only to find that Ilfracombe no longer has a railway station!

I’d have walked to Barnstaple.

 

[randyrippley]

I had one bad journey from Liverpool to Dublin about 1990 (Irish Ferries).
We left the quayside on time, moved about 200 yards and tied up on the opposite quayside (ie before we leached the lock out to the Mersey) until the Force 9 outside abated.
We stayed all night there, and the crew wouldn't open the bar because "we were still in port".
Nor could we disembark and abandon the trip because we had checked in and "departed".
Eventually we set off in the morning, but it was still rough crossing in Force 8.
Reaching Dublin about 10 hours late and having missed our meeting, I headed straight to the airport and flew back to Liverpool (in a Shorts Skyvan which has very poor pressurisation - so a painful descent).
I wasn't keen to visit Dublin again by ferry after that, but I've been a few times recently from Holyhead without problems.
I haven't been on any of the new Stena Superfast ferries on the Irish Sea routes yet.

That was presumably a Manx Airlines Shorts 360 - a bit bigger than a Skyvan
Wonderful armchair seats

 

[peteb]

Oban to Duart Castle on a large dinghy, with 10 onboard. Huge storm blew up on the return. Noone was sea sick on the boat because we were simply too terrified. When we got back to Oban the skipper said we should come back in winter to see a proper storm!!

By the way, only been on Scillonian once, when planes cancelled due to fog. Calm as a mill pond and eerily quiet.

 

[Nicks]

It was about 1980, when I was 18, I travelled on my own from Leicester to Douglas IOM to spend a few days riding the railways and trams. The ferry crossing was horrendous and people were being seasick everywhere.

On arrival there were two policeman monitoring passengers as they disembarked the ship. When it was my turn one of the officers took my arm and told me I was being taken into custody and put me in a police car. I was still feeling seasick and too shocked to say anything.

Eventually at the police station I was told that I was being arrested on suspicion of (Northern Irish) terrorism! I was allowed to make one phone call, so I called my mum who then spoke to the officers. I don't know what then happened but after about another hour or two I was told I could go, apparently the police had been tipped off about a terrorist arriving on the ship and I had fitted the description perfectly. Fair enough but I didn't get any apology and no offer of a lift to my B&B or a taxi, I had no idea where the police station was situated either and I was many hours late for my expected arrival there.

 

[randyrippley]

It was about 1980, when I was 18, I travelled on my own from Leicester to Douglas IOM to spend a few days riding the railways and trams. The ferry crossing was horrendous and people were being seasick everywhere.

On arrival there were two policeman monitoring passengers as they disembarked the ship. When it was my turn one of the officers took my arm and told me I was being taken into custody and put me in a police car. I was still feeling seasick and too shocked to say anything.

Eventually at the police station I was told that I was being arrested on suspicion of (Northern Irish) terrorism! I was allowed to make one phone call, so I called my mum who then spoke to the officers. I don't know what then happened but after about another hour or two I was told I could go, apparently the police had been tipped off about a terrorist arriving on the ship and I had fitted the description perfectly. Fair enough but I didn't get any apology and no offer of a lift to my B&B or a taxi, I had no idea where the police station was situated either and I was many hours late for my expected arrival there.

You would have been spotted by Special Branch at Heysham and probably monitored during the whole voyage. All the sailings were checked and an 18 year old non-resident single male would have stood out

 

[Gloster]

In the early 1980s coming back from Ireland through Fishguard in the early hours of the morning, security let the first ten or a dozen passengers through and then stopped and checked, including searching a few, all the rest. I was one of the lucky group who got through without being checked as I wanted to grab a seat, but the train waited until everybody was passed, which took until something like 03.30. The passengers heading for the ferry were stuck in the DMU up at Goodwick until our train cleared the platform at the Harbour.

This wasn’t my worst experience on the Fishguard route, but that was a result of overindulging in the brewery tap in Cardiff and an ill-advised burger from a stall. A couple of hours in a DMU and a choppy crossing did not add to my happiness.

 

[rangersac]

Which reminds me of a decidedly rough crossing from Kilchoan to Tobermory in the mid 70s on what looked like a repurposed landing craft. Not leaky though! The minibus west from Ft William via Corran Ferry in pouring rain was bad enough, and we were worried about making the ferry connection. It was the last of our worries - and memory says the ferry had no other passengers...

I had exactly that experience in about 2008, and I'm willing to bet the ship was probably still the same!