14 days crossing the Atlantic on a ship's rudder
Discussion
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-664...
I found this story quite touching.
I occasionally wonder how I'd cope in such situations. I suspect I'd choose to slip into unconsciousness and drown.
I found this story quite touching.
I occasionally wonder how I'd cope in such situations. I suspect I'd choose to slip into unconsciousness and drown.
Seventy said:
Username checks out!
I just read this, the desperation of some people is heart wrenching.
It’s not desperation, as such, it’s utter naivety and quite a bit of delusion! . It’s an incredible story, but when he says ‘he’d never seen the ocean before’ it makes you realise what a completely daft decision he’s making. I just read this, the desperation of some people is heart wrenching.
And the fact that two of them went straight back to Nigeria suggests this cannot be too bad for the, back there!
Amazing stuff though, incredible that they all made it! Tenacious ain’t the word!
Sorry, I don't believe a word of it... in a following sea they'd have been washed off at short notice, or at least have been underwater too long to survive. The Atlantic is never as calm as a millpond for the supposed days at sea. I assume a member of the crew assisted them (kept them on board) until they got to the harbour.
JMGS4 said:
Sorry, I don't believe a word of it... in a following sea they'd have been washed off at short notice, or at least have been underwater too long to survive. The Atlantic is never as calm as a millpond for the supposed days at sea. I assume a member of the crew assisted them (kept them on board) until they got to the harbour.
Agreed, just too unbelievable.I recall examples of people stowing away in aircraft undercarriage and surviving.
My experience of sailing in the Solent is obviously not relevant.
But I don't see how crew would be able to extract and lower them easily. The crew would be just as well keeping them on deck anyway.
Incredible as the story sounds, I believe it.
Having posted in the "deportation to Rwanda" thread this morning, the account given in the BBC article is an eye opener about what drives migration (the article didn't suggest this was anything to do with asylum).
Asylum requests from Nigeria aren't particularly significant for the UK (2% in 2021 but this is asylum requests only), but there are 223 million Nigerians (6th most populous country)
So reports from Nigerians that their country is heading down hill could well have a future impact, being a former British colony.
My experience of sailing in the Solent is obviously not relevant.
But I don't see how crew would be able to extract and lower them easily. The crew would be just as well keeping them on deck anyway.
Incredible as the story sounds, I believe it.
Having posted in the "deportation to Rwanda" thread this morning, the account given in the BBC article is an eye opener about what drives migration (the article didn't suggest this was anything to do with asylum).
Asylum requests from Nigeria aren't particularly significant for the UK (2% in 2021 but this is asylum requests only), but there are 223 million Nigerians (6th most populous country)
So reports from Nigerians that their country is heading down hill could well have a future impact, being a former British colony.
Four people, two weeks, on that rudder? It's normally reckoned that people can survive 3 days without water. Where did they put enough water for 14 days for four people?
Then there's food. About a week is reckoned without food, but that would be lying down toward the end of it, not perched on a rudder hanging on for grim death.
Sleep..?
Then (as has been said) there's the likelihood of the Atlantic being absolutely flat calm all the way so as not to simply wash them off.
It's not actually physically possible is it?
Then there's food. About a week is reckoned without food, but that would be lying down toward the end of it, not perched on a rudder hanging on for grim death.
Sleep..?
Then (as has been said) there's the likelihood of the Atlantic being absolutely flat calm all the way so as not to simply wash them off.
It's not actually physically possible is it?
Ari said:
Four people, two weeks, on that rudder? It's normally reckoned that people can survive 3 days without water. Where did they put enough water for 14 days for four people?
Then there's food. About a week is reckoned without food, but that would be lying down toward the end of it, not perched on a rudder hanging on for grim death.
Sleep..?
Then (as has been said) there's the likelihood of the Atlantic being absolutely flat calm all the way so as not to simply wash them off.
It's not actually physically possible is it?
Then there's food. About a week is reckoned without food, but that would be lying down toward the end of it, not perched on a rudder hanging on for grim death.
Sleep..?
Then (as has been said) there's the likelihood of the Atlantic being absolutely flat calm all the way so as not to simply wash them off.
It's not actually physically possible is it?
bbc said:
...the only place to lie was in one of two small nets strung precariously over the water...
At least read it first.If they did it they were very very lucky. I have done a TA and the smallest seas we had were about 1 to 1.2m. The biggest were 4-5.
When you hit a rough patch its not just for an hour, its for more like 2-3 days.
Part of me wonders if there is some access hatch inside the rudder area, as you can see there is a 3rd person half out of shot so where is person 4?
When you hit a rough patch its not just for an hour, its for more like 2-3 days.
Part of me wonders if there is some access hatch inside the rudder area, as you can see there is a 3rd person half out of shot so where is person 4?
Ian Geary said:
But I don't see how crew would be able to extract and lower them easily. The crew would be just as well keeping them on deck anyway.
I'm no naval architect, but doesn't a big ship like that have watertight access doors so they can troubleshoot when at sea? If the rudder stops responding, that's a pretty critical issue so they need a way to go and have a look without waiting for someone to sail out to them presumably?I share surprise that an Atlantic crossing would be possible in the way they are claiming... But I am on the fence about whether it's BS.
While I doubt that they would have spent the whole time on top of the rudder itself, you can see that there's a void space above it (the rudder trunk) which is where they were most likely to have actually been. There's not usually a hatch into the rudder trunk as there's nothing in particular to access (all the hydraulic stuff will be in the steering flat above, with a bearing/seal of some sort for the rudder)
Interestingly I've read a little about insurers saying to consider fitting inspection hatches though, specifically to spot stowaways before departure. Or a grating to stop them climbing in
Interestingly I've read a little about insurers saying to consider fitting inspection hatches though, specifically to spot stowaways before departure. Or a grating to stop them climbing in
monthou said:
Ari said:
Four people, two weeks, on that rudder? It's normally reckoned that people can survive 3 days without water. Where did they put enough water for 14 days for four people?
Then there's food. About a week is reckoned without food, but that would be lying down toward the end of it, not perched on a rudder hanging on for grim death.
Sleep..?
Then (as has been said) there's the likelihood of the Atlantic being absolutely flat calm all the way so as not to simply wash them off.
It's not actually physically possible is it?
Then there's food. About a week is reckoned without food, but that would be lying down toward the end of it, not perched on a rudder hanging on for grim death.
Sleep..?
Then (as has been said) there's the likelihood of the Atlantic being absolutely flat calm all the way so as not to simply wash them off.
It's not actually physically possible is it?
bbc said:
...the only place to lie was in one of two small nets strung precariously over the water...
At least read it first.
Sorry, but this is utter bobbins.
I read this and couldnt help but refer back to the pic of the rudder in the article and wondering how on earth 4 people at no point lost balance and fell in. For two weeks, on literally a bag full food and water. Given that Brazil has actually a welcoming stance on immigration why did two of them go back?
Tin Hat said:
It didn’t even occur to me that it wasn’t true, anyone who has read the article would struggle not to believe it.
Desperate people with nothing to lose, makes you realise how lucky you are ( and I agree with the poster above - great names too )
I don't think anyone is suggesting that no one would try, just that no one would succeed. Yet four people did, all balanced on top of a rudder, for two weeks..? Desperate people with nothing to lose, makes you realise how lucky you are ( and I agree with the poster above - great names too )
coldel said:
I read this and couldnt help but refer back to the pic of the rudder in the article and wondering how on earth 4 people at no point lost balance and fell in. For two weeks, on literally a bag full food and water. Given that Brazil has actually a welcoming stance on immigration why did two of them go back?
Brazil isn’t that welcoming to black people apparently. 
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