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SEAGULLS CRY | 0:00:02 | 0:00:03 | |
On the south coast of Britain lies a city within a city | 0:00:06 | 0:00:10 | |
that's fighting to keep the nation afloat. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:13 | |
The port of Southampton is a gateway to the world. | 0:00:13 | 0:00:16 | |
-It's the cruise capital of the UK. -Hi. Welcome on board. | 0:00:16 | 0:00:20 | |
-HE SHOUTS -Seafarers from across the globe pass through here every day. | 0:00:20 | 0:00:25 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:00:25 | 0:00:26 | |
In tough economic times, the port is battling for its share of handling cargo. | 0:00:26 | 0:00:30 | |
This is how we and the shipping line make our money. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:34 | |
Ready for the Christmas Market. Batteries not included. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:37 | |
We are looking for Rolls-Royces, which are hidden amongst potentially 100 Bentleys. | 0:00:37 | 0:00:42 | |
Commercial ships and weekend sailors wrestle for space in crowded sea lanes. | 0:00:42 | 0:00:48 | |
Turn round! Go that way! It's not rocket science! A big ship's turning! | 0:00:48 | 0:00:53 | |
Passengers, ships and cargo shaping the lives of the people | 0:00:53 | 0:00:58 | |
that run one of the busiest ports in the world. | 0:00:58 | 0:01:02 | |
This is Sea City. | 0:01:02 | 0:01:05 | |
-In this episode. -SIREN WAILS | 0:01:10 | 0:01:12 | |
-God! -Keeping the sea lanes clear. | 0:01:12 | 0:01:15 | |
A hairy day for marine officer John Hyland. | 0:01:15 | 0:01:18 | |
It just gives me heart palpitations. HE LAUGHS | 0:01:18 | 0:01:21 | |
How cruise change-over day keeps hotel manager Odd in trim. | 0:01:22 | 0:01:26 | |
I'm not going to use any elevators. And that's what keeps me fit. | 0:01:26 | 0:01:30 | |
And financial advice for owners of leisure boats with mechanical problems. | 0:01:30 | 0:01:34 | |
Take a cold shower while tearing up £50 notes. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:38 | |
The hazards are there. Hold on tight and just take it nice and slowly. | 0:01:45 | 0:01:48 | |
And if we're not happy or the cox in the pilot boat's not happy, we don't go up the ladder. | 0:01:48 | 0:01:53 | |
Every week dozens of ships pass through the port of Southampton. | 0:01:55 | 0:01:58 | |
The approach to the port is one of the trickiest stretches of water in Britain to navigate. | 0:01:58 | 0:02:04 | |
Gary, this might take a little while, yeah? | 0:02:04 | 0:02:06 | |
Pilots Rory Jackson and Chris Upton are travelling out to sea to meet a large container ship. | 0:02:06 | 0:02:11 | |
Their skills in ship handling and crucial local knowledge will help guide her into port. | 0:02:11 | 0:02:17 | |
You're climbing up a ladder, once you're committed to that you're holding on. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:21 | |
If the pilot boat was to foul the ladder as it moves about because it was too rough, | 0:02:21 | 0:02:25 | |
there is a chance that something could go wrong. | 0:02:25 | 0:02:28 | |
Good afternoon. | 0:02:28 | 0:02:31 | |
Can we have everything off the pilot boat so we can bring the ladder in, yeah? | 0:02:31 | 0:02:34 | |
The Christophe Colomb is the size of four football pitches. | 0:02:34 | 0:02:38 | |
It needs two pilots instead of the usual one to handle it safely. | 0:02:38 | 0:02:42 | |
-OK. Thanks. -The ship carries millions of pounds worth of cargo in over 13,000 containers. | 0:02:42 | 0:02:48 | |
It's one of the largest that the port handles. | 0:02:48 | 0:02:51 | |
VTS, Christophe Colomb. | 0:02:51 | 0:02:52 | |
It'll be approximately two hours... | 0:02:53 | 0:02:55 | |
On the bridge, Rory's explaining the route into the port to the ship's French captain or master. | 0:02:55 | 0:03:00 | |
There'll probably be some sailing boats to avoid. | 0:03:00 | 0:03:04 | |
-Use the whistle. -There'll be a patrol boat? -Yes, we'll have a patrol boat. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:08 | |
We cannot know every port in the world, | 0:03:08 | 0:03:11 | |
so that's why we take pilots because they know exactly what to do. | 0:03:11 | 0:03:16 | |
The master knows exactly how his ship may handle, | 0:03:16 | 0:03:18 | |
the pilot knows in detail the conditions in the harbour, | 0:03:18 | 0:03:22 | |
and the combination of the two is aiming to get the ship safely from A to B. | 0:03:22 | 0:03:27 | |
Is it going to be raining at home? | 0:03:27 | 0:03:29 | |
A good pilot is a quiet pilot, first of all. | 0:03:29 | 0:03:32 | |
The British pilots are always noisy but they are very good. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:35 | |
We've just got to make a turn into the channel just over here. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:40 | |
Any big ship that approaches Southampton has to stick to a narrow channel to stop it going aground. | 0:03:40 | 0:03:45 | |
With a large sandbank in the Solent and the Isle of Wight to the south, | 0:03:46 | 0:03:50 | |
the pilot has to make two critical turns to keep the ship on course. | 0:03:50 | 0:03:55 | |
If we turn too early, we're going to come to grief. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:58 | |
If we turn too late, we're not going to make the turn. | 0:03:58 | 0:04:01 | |
So we have to adjust the wheel-over depending on the tide. | 0:04:01 | 0:04:03 | |
So you need a detailed knowledge of the tide. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:05 | |
-Port five. -Port five. -Just going around a corner here. | 0:04:05 | 0:04:09 | |
The port's ship traffic control back at Southampton or VTS help give the pilots information for the turn. | 0:04:09 | 0:04:17 | |
CMA, CJ, Christophe Colomb, bound transit, slightly to the left of the reference line. | 0:04:17 | 0:04:22 | |
-Thank you. Two cables. Midship. -Midship. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:27 | |
-OK, hard to starboard. -Hard to starboard. | 0:04:27 | 0:04:29 | |
VTS, Christophe Colomb here. On our way round, thanks. | 0:04:29 | 0:04:32 | |
-On the turn. -Roger. | 0:04:32 | 0:04:34 | |
Making such a complicated manoeuvre in a big ship | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
risks running over small boats that also use this stretch of water. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:42 | |
The guys in the yachts or boats see you going along and think, "It's OK, he's going that way." | 0:04:42 | 0:04:46 | |
And then suddenly you start turning. If you run over a yacht, that's serious. | 0:04:46 | 0:04:50 | |
Any hazards on the water are dealt with by the port's marine officers. | 0:04:50 | 0:04:56 | |
John Hyland is on patrol today. | 0:04:56 | 0:04:58 | |
There's a lot of small boats | 0:04:58 | 0:05:00 | |
and they all conflict with the commercial traffic. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:03 | |
And we're trying to separate the commercial traffic from the leisure traffic. | 0:05:03 | 0:05:09 | |
SIREN WAILS | 0:05:09 | 0:05:11 | |
A couple of yachts over here are actually crossing his track. | 0:05:11 | 0:05:15 | |
Things can happen very quickly and it can be very serious. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
You have got to be alert. You have to have a swivel head, looking everywhere. | 0:05:18 | 0:05:22 | |
If he's going to slow down and stop, he might get in the way. | 0:05:22 | 0:05:25 | |
Sometimes yachts will come right up behind you and go between you and the ship. | 0:05:25 | 0:05:30 | |
You think, "What's he doing then?!" | 0:05:30 | 0:05:33 | |
-Are you OK? -Yeah. Just fishing. | 0:05:33 | 0:05:36 | |
I didn't see any rods. SHIP'S HOOTER BLARES | 0:05:36 | 0:05:39 | |
A big oil tanker is heading for the main sea lanes. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:42 | |
John's trying to keep the navigation channel clear. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:47 | |
It is not easy for anyone to see what the ship is doing in that area, | 0:05:47 | 0:05:51 | |
because it changes course in not a normal pattern. | 0:05:51 | 0:05:55 | |
The ship's right there. He's doing 11.5 knots, so... | 0:05:55 | 0:05:59 | |
RADIO CRACKLES | 0:05:59 | 0:06:01 | |
But John's spotted a yacht heading right across the tanker's course! | 0:06:01 | 0:06:05 | |
Really, I'm not sure about this guy. | 0:06:06 | 0:06:09 | |
He is actually turning now. | 0:06:09 | 0:06:12 | |
The pilot on the ship is worried about the yacht too and wants John to deal with him. | 0:06:13 | 0:06:18 | |
Yeah, OK, I'll send him back to the west. | 0:06:23 | 0:06:26 | |
SIREN | 0:06:26 | 0:06:27 | |
But the yacht is ploughing on towards the ship, despite John's warning sirens. | 0:06:27 | 0:06:31 | |
Turn round! Go that way. No! Go that way! | 0:06:35 | 0:06:41 | |
-The yacht and the ship are seconds apart from colliding. -Go that way! | 0:06:41 | 0:06:46 | |
Go that way! | 0:06:46 | 0:06:48 | |
Even for someone as experienced as John, that was a close call. | 0:06:52 | 0:06:56 | |
Which part of that "go that way" does he not understand?! | 0:06:56 | 0:06:59 | |
I went up to him, I said, "Turn round, go the other way!" | 0:06:59 | 0:07:03 | |
And he went right under my stern and carried on! | 0:07:03 | 0:07:07 | |
It's absolutely unbelievable! | 0:07:07 | 0:07:10 | |
But this sort of thing happens all the blooming time! | 0:07:10 | 0:07:13 | |
And you think, "Is it me or what?!" | 0:07:13 | 0:07:15 | |
I can't tow him out of the way. It'll just run over him and I'd pick up the bits at the back. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:21 | |
SHIP'S HOOTER BLARES | 0:07:21 | 0:07:22 | |
That's what I don't like. It just gives me heart palpitations. | 0:07:22 | 0:07:26 | |
HE LAUGHS But it happens! | 0:07:26 | 0:07:29 | |
Back on the giant container ship Christophe Colomb, | 0:07:29 | 0:07:33 | |
pilots Chris and Rory have now reached the final stages of berthing her in port. | 0:07:33 | 0:07:39 | |
-3-0-9, please. -3-0-9. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
-Midships. -But first, they have to swing all 364 metres of her round, | 0:07:42 | 0:07:48 | |
ready to discharge her cargo at the terminal. | 0:07:48 | 0:07:51 | |
SEAGULLS CRY | 0:07:54 | 0:07:55 | |
Southampton is the busiest cruise port in the UK. | 0:08:03 | 0:08:07 | |
Every week during the summer, thousands of passengers return or set off on a holiday afloat. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:13 | |
All cruise ships have just a few hours on the quay to get ready for their next voyage | 0:08:13 | 0:08:18 | |
after disembarking the last set of passengers. | 0:08:18 | 0:08:21 | |
It's known as a turnaround. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:24 | |
When I step onboard here at the beginning of my contract, | 0:08:26 | 0:08:29 | |
I told myself I'm not going to use elevators and that's what keeps me fit. | 0:08:29 | 0:08:33 | |
Odd Kvamme is the hotel manager for the Balmoral. | 0:08:33 | 0:08:38 | |
Turnaround day is usually the busiest time of a cruise for him. | 0:08:38 | 0:08:41 | |
-It's 10.55am. -We arrived on schedule at 6.30 this morning. | 0:08:41 | 0:08:48 | |
That's essential to have a successful turn-around. | 0:08:48 | 0:08:52 | |
And sometimes, due to weather conditions or it could be other reasons, | 0:08:52 | 0:08:57 | |
if you are delayed, then turnarounds are really challenging. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:01 | |
-Hello! -Hello, sir. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:02 | |
It's the time when you can have a proper look at the cabins as well. | 0:09:02 | 0:09:06 | |
We have a whole team of carpenters, | 0:09:06 | 0:09:08 | |
so they are ready to do any immediate maintenance. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:12 | |
-How are we doing? -Hello. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:14 | |
Good? Fantastic. | 0:09:14 | 0:09:16 | |
Nice new potatoes. Beautiful. Cannot get fresher. Fantastic! | 0:09:21 | 0:09:25 | |
They are nice. | 0:09:25 | 0:09:27 | |
Chefs Dirk Helsig and Sara Sipek are organising the supplies for the cruise. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:33 | |
If you run out it's not like you can just go to a supermarket and pick it up. | 0:09:33 | 0:09:36 | |
Especially when you're at sea, if you don't have it, you have to change the whole menu. | 0:09:36 | 0:09:40 | |
We have 1,400 people on board. 20 tonnes of meat and fish. | 0:09:40 | 0:09:44 | |
Fruit and vegetables probably 30 tonnes. | 0:09:44 | 0:09:47 | |
Eggs, we need around 23,000. | 0:09:47 | 0:09:51 | |
Oh. Oh. We have to check the melon. | 0:09:51 | 0:09:55 | |
The biggest nightmare for me is the rough seas, | 0:09:55 | 0:09:58 | |
when everything falls over and all the plates fall down | 0:09:58 | 0:10:01 | |
and we have to make everything again. | 0:10:01 | 0:10:04 | |
I'm from a small village in Norway. | 0:10:06 | 0:10:09 | |
Only 700 living there, so we all know each other. | 0:10:11 | 0:10:14 | |
We were there only three days ago with the ship. | 0:10:14 | 0:10:17 | |
It's funny, I'm from a small village with 700 people living | 0:10:17 | 0:10:22 | |
and we have twice that amount of guests on board. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:26 | |
If you just head to the forward staircase. We're on deck 6. | 0:10:26 | 0:10:30 | |
I love it. I love it. | 0:10:30 | 0:10:33 | |
You are never bored. From morning to evening, you are busy. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:37 | |
It's two lives - you have one here busy working | 0:10:37 | 0:10:40 | |
and when you come home, you live a totally different life. | 0:10:40 | 0:10:44 | |
After a career as a land-based chef in Europe, | 0:10:44 | 0:10:47 | |
Dirk wanted a change of direction. | 0:10:47 | 0:10:50 | |
I was a bit bored, so I asked for a new job. | 0:10:50 | 0:10:53 | |
He said, "Oil platform or oil rig, | 0:10:53 | 0:10:56 | |
"Saudi Arabia or ship." | 0:10:56 | 0:10:58 | |
Ship came first so I said, "OK." | 0:10:58 | 0:11:01 | |
-The life is just... -It's a great life. -It's a great life. | 0:11:01 | 0:11:03 | |
What I like is you just get dressed and go up two decks and you're at work already. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:07 | |
-You don't have to travel or commute, you know. -SHE LAUGHS | 0:11:07 | 0:11:10 | |
The other good part is you go in and eat fresh vegetables, fruits. Mmm. | 0:11:10 | 0:11:15 | |
RADIO CRACKLES | 0:11:15 | 0:11:17 | |
-Hello. Welcome. -Good afternoon. | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
Would you like to head over to the check-in desk, please? | 0:11:20 | 0:11:23 | |
In the terminal new passengers are checking in for their cruise to the Baltic. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:28 | |
Separate, please. | 0:11:28 | 0:11:29 | |
But John Lucas is going to get more than he bargained for when he gets onboard the ship. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:34 | |
You'll be pleased to know we are now ready to commence with embarkation of the Balmoral. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:39 | |
On a busy day, hundreds of pleasure boats cruise around the Solent. | 0:11:46 | 0:11:51 | |
So it's no surprise some of them find themselves in trouble. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:57 | |
Riding to the rescue is Jonathan Parker. | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
People do get into trouble when they break down. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:03 | |
They'll be floating around, potentially once they drift closer to rocks, they can get into danger. | 0:12:03 | 0:12:08 | |
We need to get to people as quick as possible. | 0:12:08 | 0:12:11 | |
If it's fixable, then Jonathan can probably fix it. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:15 | |
He works for an emergency breakdown company, like roadside assistance but on the water. | 0:12:15 | 0:12:21 | |
There's a large 50-foot motorboat that's anchored off Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. | 0:12:21 | 0:12:28 | |
He's stayed there overnight, but he can't get his engine going. | 0:12:28 | 0:12:34 | |
Kevin and Lisa Bowden have spent the last three years renovating their boat | 0:12:34 | 0:12:38 | |
only to find themselves stranded on their maiden voyage. | 0:12:38 | 0:12:42 | |
Just stopped to have breakfast, came up and it's just click, click. | 0:12:42 | 0:12:45 | |
-But it still starts. -So you've just been stopped for a short amount of time. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:50 | |
-Yes. -It's not as if... | 0:12:50 | 0:12:52 | |
OK. Can I get you to attempt to start that starboard engine, the one that is playing up? | 0:12:52 | 0:12:58 | |
BELL RINGS | 0:12:58 | 0:13:00 | |
OK. | 0:13:00 | 0:13:02 | |
-Bugger all, as they say. -HE LAUGHS | 0:13:02 | 0:13:05 | |
The idea was we were going to have a trip round the island. | 0:13:05 | 0:13:09 | |
And we still might get it. If we get started in the next hour, we can still make it round the island. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:13 | |
OK, do it again. OK. BELL RINGS | 0:13:13 | 0:13:16 | |
OK! | 0:13:16 | 0:13:18 | |
It looks like the starter motor's jammed. | 0:13:18 | 0:13:22 | |
Just going to grab some spanners and we should be able to fix it. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:24 | |
This is really the first big trip since we've considered it finished. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:29 | |
We hope this is going to be one of many. | 0:13:29 | 0:13:32 | |
MOTOR WHIRS | 0:13:34 | 0:13:35 | |
It turns out that the problem is all down to a small electrical connector. | 0:13:35 | 0:13:40 | |
All it needs is a quick rub down. | 0:13:40 | 0:13:43 | |
You think you know what the problem is and sometimes you're right and sometimes you're completely off base. | 0:13:43 | 0:13:48 | |
It's like a car, you know, something will go wrong at some point. | 0:13:48 | 0:13:53 | |
Hopefully, it's only minor. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:55 | |
-Ready? -Yeah. | 0:13:55 | 0:13:57 | |
BELL RINGS | 0:13:57 | 0:13:58 | |
ENGINE TICKS OVER | 0:13:58 | 0:14:00 | |
-Good lad. -Yes! | 0:14:00 | 0:14:03 | |
Yippee-doodle-diddle-di-dumb! | 0:14:03 | 0:14:06 | |
-That's fantastic! -LISA LAUGHS | 0:14:06 | 0:14:08 | |
With the engine fixed, Kevin and Lisa are able to continue their trip around the island. | 0:14:08 | 0:14:12 | |
It's very rewarding being able to fix it because you know they're happy. | 0:14:12 | 0:14:18 | |
Other days you can't fix anything and you feel like you're the worst mechanic in the world. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:23 | |
Another call sends Jonathan heading up the coast to help the Impulse, a cruiser with a dodgy gearbox. | 0:14:26 | 0:14:32 | |
Greg Connell is the unlucky owner. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:35 | |
We were just manoeuvring into our berth over there. | 0:14:35 | 0:14:38 | |
We'd just lined up and tried to go forward and no forward propulsion. | 0:14:38 | 0:14:43 | |
I could have ended up hitting any of those boats. | 0:14:43 | 0:14:47 | |
I think what's happening, when you put it in reverse, it's kicking up. | 0:14:49 | 0:14:54 | |
See that oil coming out? | 0:14:54 | 0:14:56 | |
The cable seems to have come adrift or broken actually in the gearbox. | 0:14:56 | 0:15:00 | |
The problem is the gearbox is underwater. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:03 | |
It's a night at the marina for the Impulse. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:06 | |
The boat needs to be hauled out of the water to be fixed. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:09 | |
And it's not going to be cheap. | 0:15:09 | 0:15:11 | |
The best advice I was ever given before buying a boat | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
was, "Go into a cold house, take a cold shower, while tearing up £50 notes. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:20 | |
"And if you enjoy doing that, you'll enjoy boat ownership." | 0:15:20 | 0:15:24 | |
OK, stop pushing it forward. That's fine. | 0:15:24 | 0:15:27 | |
We've not been able to fix it, but we've been able to reassure him that he's fine to get back on one engine. | 0:15:27 | 0:15:35 | |
And we've found what the problem is so he knows what he's dealing with. | 0:15:35 | 0:15:38 | |
So you get some satisfaction even out of not fixing jobs sometimes. | 0:15:38 | 0:15:42 | |
SEAGULLS CRY | 0:15:49 | 0:15:51 | |
Pilots who guide large ships safely into port work 24 hours a day. | 0:15:57 | 0:16:04 | |
Shawn O'Toole is starting his shift. | 0:16:04 | 0:16:06 | |
First job, to plan the day ahead. | 0:16:09 | 0:16:12 | |
We don't make it all up, there's facts and figures. I have my tide tables here for the year. | 0:16:12 | 0:16:17 | |
So that's my essential piece of kit. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:19 | |
I mustn't forget the glasses, my most important things these days, I'm afraid to say. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:23 | |
Complacency is the most dangerous enemy. | 0:16:23 | 0:16:25 | |
So if you think it's a small ship it's going to be easy, that's where it all goes wrong. Nice to see you. | 0:16:25 | 0:16:30 | |
Nice to meet you. Thank you very much. How are we doing, captain? | 0:16:30 | 0:16:33 | |
-We're sailing in 30 minutes. -No problems at all. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:36 | |
The only predictable thing about ships is they're unpredictable. | 0:16:36 | 0:16:38 | |
And if you work on that basis, you'll never be disappointed. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:41 | |
Today, Shawn has a car carrier to take out from port. | 0:16:44 | 0:16:49 | |
Breakaway next few minutes from 201. | 0:16:49 | 0:16:51 | |
Shawn went to sea at 16 as a cadet for the oil company BP. | 0:16:51 | 0:16:56 | |
Thank you. | 0:16:56 | 0:16:58 | |
RADIO CRACKLES | 0:16:58 | 0:16:59 | |
-Dead slow ahead. -Dead slow ahead. | 0:17:01 | 0:17:03 | |
-OK. And steer 1-0-0, please. -1-0-0. | 0:17:05 | 0:17:08 | |
I know the sort of ship I'm on and I know where the wind is and I know where I want to be. | 0:17:08 | 0:17:13 | |
You get a feel for it. | 0:17:13 | 0:17:16 | |
-Midships. -Midships! | 0:17:16 | 0:17:18 | |
-Port five. -Port five. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:20 | |
The tide's coming in so if we just go a little wide to keep clear of the buoy. | 0:17:20 | 0:17:24 | |
It takes a long time to be comfortable with it. | 0:17:24 | 0:17:27 | |
And you still have a wet and windy blowy night, you're not human if you're not a bit nervous. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:34 | |
You just wouldn't be human. We can increase speed whenever you're ready. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:39 | |
But where mistakes at sea may cost a great deal of money and even lives, | 0:17:39 | 0:17:43 | |
there are safer places to get the hang of how large ships behave. | 0:17:43 | 0:17:48 | |
-Slow ahead. -Slow ahead. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:54 | |
Pilots come from all over the world to train at Warsash's Maritime Academy's Ship Handling Centre. | 0:17:54 | 0:17:59 | |
just up the road from the port. | 0:17:59 | 0:18:02 | |
Once you get across that mental thing that it is a model but doesn't act like a model, | 0:18:02 | 0:18:06 | |
it acts like a ship so treat it like a ship, it responds then as you would expect it to. | 0:18:06 | 0:18:10 | |
Shawn and retired pilot Nigel Allen are both associate lecturers at Timsbury Lakes. | 0:18:10 | 0:18:17 | |
The models look like toys but they behave exactly like the real thing. | 0:18:17 | 0:18:21 | |
-Slow astern. -Slow astern. | 0:18:21 | 0:18:23 | |
Steer right on his bow. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:25 | |
Most of what goes wrong here, it's the right place to do it, | 0:18:25 | 0:18:29 | |
because there's no pollution, fire, loss of life, damage, | 0:18:29 | 0:18:32 | |
but there's a learning experience. | 0:18:32 | 0:18:34 | |
There's a lump in the bank. I've been there once or twice but don't tell anyone else here, OK? | 0:18:34 | 0:18:40 | |
But we'll keep an eye on that lump and see how it chips away over the years. | 0:18:40 | 0:18:44 | |
I'm sure I'm not the first person and I won't be the last person. | 0:18:44 | 0:18:48 | |
Just easy now. Just easy. | 0:18:48 | 0:18:51 | |
These models are fantastic. They handle just like our own ships. | 0:18:51 | 0:18:56 | |
-Midship. -It gives you a chance to experiment and see what will happen, | 0:18:56 | 0:19:02 | |
but in real life the consequences would be severe. | 0:19:02 | 0:19:05 | |
Even at slow speeds, the effects of large ships passing close to each other are clear. | 0:19:05 | 0:19:11 | |
Starboard. | 0:19:11 | 0:19:13 | |
If these ships had collided in the real world, it could have cost money and lives. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:18 | |
Midships! Ah, yeah! | 0:19:18 | 0:19:21 | |
-Midships. -Midships. | 0:19:24 | 0:19:27 | |
The lessons you learn on the models, as a ship handler | 0:19:27 | 0:19:31 | |
you keep for use the rest of your career, no two ways about it. | 0:19:31 | 0:19:34 | |
Puts it all into perspective, the mechanics of it all, | 0:19:34 | 0:19:38 | |
what is happening, where the forces are, where the forces are changing. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:42 | |
It doesn't teach you to be a pilot overnight, | 0:19:42 | 0:19:45 | |
but it gives you the basics to keep on going for the rest of your career. | 0:19:45 | 0:19:49 | |
Back at the cruise terminal, John and Sue Lucas have checked in for a trip to the Baltics. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:10 | |
It's Sue's birthday treat for him, | 0:20:10 | 0:20:12 | |
but his family have another surprise up their sleeves. | 0:20:12 | 0:20:16 | |
My dad's 60 and we're coming on a surprise cruise, basically. | 0:20:16 | 0:20:19 | |
Me and my other half and their best friends are here. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:22 | |
We want to get on now so he can come on and be surprised. | 0:20:22 | 0:20:25 | |
It's been planned since May last year. | 0:20:25 | 0:20:29 | |
He thinks that we're all at work and his friends are at home. | 0:20:29 | 0:20:32 | |
He just thinks he's going on a cruise to celebrate his birthday with my mum. | 0:20:32 | 0:20:36 | |
Hello. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:37 | |
Sue's anxious that John doesn't rumble | 0:20:38 | 0:20:40 | |
that family and friends are onboard and will join them for the two-week cruise. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:45 | |
It's our first cruise to the Baltic, so we are looking forward to seeing the Scandinavian countries. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:50 | |
-Hello. -Cabin number? | 0:20:50 | 0:20:53 | |
-4137. -4137. That side. | 0:20:53 | 0:20:55 | |
-Thank you. -Thank you. | 0:20:55 | 0:20:58 | |
Sue is carefully trying to nudge John towards the surprise without giving the game away. | 0:20:58 | 0:21:03 | |
Let's got to the front of the ship. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:06 | |
In her cabin, daughter Helen is beside herself with nerves after months of planning. | 0:21:06 | 0:21:12 | |
Really hard. We're at breaking point... Well, I'm at breaking point. | 0:21:12 | 0:21:15 | |
-It's a long ship. -It is, isn't it. | 0:21:18 | 0:21:20 | |
Sue seems to be disorientated. Her ship's compass is a bit awry. | 0:21:20 | 0:21:24 | |
-Got to go up? -Up to Deck 7, yeah. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:28 | |
Daughter Helen, fiance Steven and best friends Pat and Mike are on their way to spring the surprise. | 0:21:28 | 0:21:35 | |
We're going to the front of the ship to the observatory deck and hopefully that's where they'll be. | 0:21:35 | 0:21:39 | |
But a lack of direction seems to run in the family. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
Where are they going? It's this way. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:46 | |
No? | 0:21:46 | 0:21:48 | |
Sue's finally got John to the rendezvous. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:51 | |
She takes the opportunity for a little something to...settle the nerves. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:56 | |
Aren't you all nervous? | 0:21:56 | 0:21:58 | |
-Yeah! -SHE LAUGHS | 0:21:58 | 0:22:00 | |
The moment finally arrives. | 0:22:03 | 0:22:05 | |
LAUGHTER | 0:22:05 | 0:22:06 | |
-Hi! -Happy birthday! Hello! | 0:22:07 | 0:22:12 | |
LAUGHTER | 0:22:12 | 0:22:15 | |
-I'm gobsmacked! -If you knew how many secret phone calls we have had! | 0:22:17 | 0:22:22 | |
I was told to book a holiday and that's all I knew, | 0:22:22 | 0:22:26 | |
and then a month ago I was told, "You're going on a cruise and this is where you're going." | 0:22:26 | 0:22:30 | |
So, superb. | 0:22:30 | 0:22:31 | |
But then I didn't expect...this. LAUGHTER | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
-You didn't, did you? -At all. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:37 | |
-So you going to have a drink, then? -LAUGHTER | 0:22:37 | 0:22:40 | |
SEAGULLS CRY | 0:22:41 | 0:22:43 | |
With celebrations under way the Balmoral heads safely out of port. | 0:22:43 | 0:22:48 | |
Coming into the docks and nearing the end of its journey | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
is the container ship Christophe Colomb. | 0:22:51 | 0:22:55 | |
I would have thought this will go round quite quick. | 0:22:55 | 0:22:59 | |
But the ship's so high that the wind can easily blow it off course. | 0:22:59 | 0:23:03 | |
You get so used to working with a south-westerly wind on the portside, | 0:23:03 | 0:23:07 | |
but today it's actually on the starboard side, so you have to rethink everything a little bit. | 0:23:07 | 0:23:11 | |
-Thank you. -Rory and Chris are bringing the ship in for berthing. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:15 | |
Tugs are needed to keep it in position. | 0:23:15 | 0:23:18 | |
Captain Pierre Cort has to co-ordinate ropes and lines with his crew on the deck. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:23 | |
So where we're going, Captain, see the four white cranes up in the air? | 0:23:23 | 0:23:27 | |
Just about there. Hard to starboard. | 0:23:27 | 0:23:32 | |
With a ship the size of four football pitches, there's very little room for manoeuvre. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:37 | |
Damage to the ship or the quay would cost thousands of pounds. | 0:23:37 | 0:23:41 | |
-Steady. -The pilots go outside to the bridge wing for a clearer view of the berth. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:46 | |
It's certainly not to enjoy the weather. | 0:23:46 | 0:23:49 | |
So we've got about a ship's length to come astern. We'll stop with the wheelhouse. | 0:23:49 | 0:23:53 | |
It needs careful co-ordination of ship's engines, lines and tugs | 0:23:53 | 0:23:59 | |
to park a ship, which is over 350 metres long. | 0:23:59 | 0:24:03 | |
RADIO CRACKLES Position's good. | 0:24:03 | 0:24:05 | |
Nothing astern, Captain. | 0:24:05 | 0:24:08 | |
Nearly six hours since the pilots boarded, the ship is finally and safely on the berth. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:15 | |
-Thank you very much indeed. -You're welcome. Thank you. | 0:24:15 | 0:24:21 | |
HOOTER BLARES | 0:24:24 | 0:24:26 | |
Cowes Week is one of the highlights of the sailing calendar. | 0:24:26 | 0:24:29 | |
Hundreds of yachts take part in dozens of races. | 0:24:29 | 0:24:33 | |
-It's serious competition. -..two, one... | 0:24:33 | 0:24:35 | |
CANNON FIRES | 0:24:35 | 0:24:36 | |
It's a busy time for marine patrol officer John Hyland. | 0:24:36 | 0:24:42 | |
This is when the rule book tends to get to put aside. | 0:24:42 | 0:24:45 | |
There's all rules for this area, | 0:24:45 | 0:24:47 | |
but this week everyone ignores them, you know. | 0:24:47 | 0:24:50 | |
SIREN WAILS | 0:24:50 | 0:24:51 | |
Commercial traffic has to be kept separate from racing yachts | 0:24:51 | 0:24:55 | |
as collisions can be fatal. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:57 | |
You can see some of them are going to get across his bow OK. | 0:24:57 | 0:25:00 | |
You've got one, two, three OK. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:02 | |
The guy with the sail will be a problem. | 0:25:02 | 0:25:04 | |
HORN BLARES | 0:25:04 | 0:25:06 | |
They have trouble turning, they don't like turning. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:09 | |
My God! | 0:25:09 | 0:25:11 | |
HE SIGHS | 0:25:11 | 0:25:13 | |
And he doesn't like turning either. | 0:25:13 | 0:25:16 | |
The ship behind us is quite manoeuvrable, so he can steer round this situation, | 0:25:16 | 0:25:21 | |
it's not so bad. | 0:25:21 | 0:25:23 | |
If that was a container ship, we'd have all kinds of problems. | 0:25:23 | 0:25:27 | |
And they all think you're the bad guy, | 0:25:27 | 0:25:31 | |
but we're only trying to make sure there's no collisions that's all. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:34 | |
We're not out to stop their fun. | 0:25:34 | 0:25:37 | |
On a busy day it can be quite hairy, we have to be very careful about our timings of ships. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:42 | |
Barry Saddler is a Southampton pilot helping the Yacht Club to run the races. | 0:25:42 | 0:25:49 | |
We need to see if we can track this boat down. | 0:25:49 | 0:25:50 | |
We can ask the race committee to put back the starts, | 0:25:50 | 0:25:53 | |
because we're not just getting the yachts out of the way of the ships, | 0:25:53 | 0:25:58 | |
we're timing the ships so they don't conflict with the yachts as well. | 0:25:58 | 0:26:01 | |
But in 2011, the worst happened. | 0:26:01 | 0:26:05 | |
Two people were injured when a yacht sailed too close to a tanker during a race. | 0:26:05 | 0:26:10 | |
There's been a collision at sea! Look at the front of that ship! | 0:26:10 | 0:26:14 | |
Unfortunately, his mast got caught in the anchor and two of his crew were injured as the rigging came down. | 0:26:14 | 0:26:20 | |
If you look at where the ships are operating against the yachts, | 0:26:20 | 0:26:24 | |
it's almost as if there are near misses every few seconds, | 0:26:24 | 0:26:26 | |
because they're passing within metres of each other. | 0:26:26 | 0:26:29 | |
The spinnaker is on the front of that orange ship! | 0:26:29 | 0:26:32 | |
This is my support RIB here. I'm just going to liaise with him. | 0:26:32 | 0:26:37 | |
This year, to help avoid another crash, John has the help of a fast-response crew | 0:26:37 | 0:26:43 | |
provided by the race organisers. | 0:26:43 | 0:26:45 | |
RADIO CRACKLES | 0:26:45 | 0:26:46 | |
The RIB is called into action when a line of racing yachts strays into the path of a tanker leaving port. | 0:26:46 | 0:26:53 | |
So everything else now has got to stop. | 0:26:55 | 0:26:57 | |
So these two blue guys are not going to be happy at all about that cos they're going to miss out on a place. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:04 | |
So hopefully this RIB here is going to tell them to turn. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:08 | |
If he is, then he's done a good job. | 0:27:08 | 0:27:10 | |
Come on, turn 'em. | 0:27:13 | 0:27:15 | |
Yeah, excellent. | 0:27:15 | 0:27:17 | |
And the other one. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:19 | |
Well done, mate. Excellent. | 0:27:21 | 0:27:23 | |
The new RIBs have been a success. | 0:27:25 | 0:27:28 | |
A potential crash has been avoided. | 0:27:28 | 0:27:30 | |
A big improvement on last year. | 0:27:30 | 0:27:33 | |
This is working out all right. I like this. I like the RIB idea. | 0:27:33 | 0:27:36 | |
So, a quiet Cowes Week, but the risk is always there | 0:27:36 | 0:27:43 | |
and it's the port's marine staff who help keep these busy waters safe. | 0:27:43 | 0:27:47 | |
You can never know what's going to happen. It's always an adventure. | 0:27:47 | 0:27:50 | |
You never know and you can never say it's exactly the same, cos it isn't. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:57 | |
Next time on Sea City. | 0:28:10 | 0:28:12 | |
-Rock'n'roll! -At the container terminal, C Team's cranes | 0:28:12 | 0:28:15 | |
swing into action for a record-breaking attempt. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:19 | |
He looks like he's under a bit of pressure up there, don't he? | 0:28:19 | 0:28:22 | |
-Fine dining, Southampton style. -It smells like chicken. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:26 | |
And how the wheels come off for stolen car smugglers. | 0:28:26 | 0:28:30 | |
If they all come out like that, I'll be very happy. | 0:28:30 | 0:28:33 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:28:33 | 0:28:36 |