A near- coincidence...

Both Karen and I seperately and independently did a double-take when we saw the news story photos of the supply boat Bourbon Dolphin that was involved in a tragic accident yesterday.

This is because whilst we were travelling from Haugesund to Bergen on our Mini-Cruise last week, we thought we had seen the very same ship pass surprisingly close to us in the Fjord. We were sitting on the Port side near the windows and Karen pointed it out (as she was facing the Bows, myself the Stern). It was very distinctive looking and brightly lit in the dusk. I grabbed my camera and took a couple of snaps, but they came out very dark, grainy & blurry.

Here is a library picture of the Bourbon Dolphin, followed by my snapshot. Is it the same ship?



(I've not attempted to manipulate or enhance my image at all, it is native from the Camera.)

On closer examination, it is the same Class of ship, but not the Bourbon Dolphin. Note the white strips and name aft of the lifeboat to the rear of the superstructure on the ship we saw.

These supply vessels are the tugboats of the Ocean, big powerful engines, very resistant to bad weather and a lifeline for the rigs. (They circle the rigs all day and night for any eventuality). I can vividly remember seeing supplies being unloaded for the Statfjord B Flotel on my one trip offshore, it was like a bucking bronco for the crane operator and very dodgy for the crew trying to get the hooks onto the crates).

It is strange how some level of tenuous personal involvement focusses attention on the reality of any significant incident. Suddenly it becomes personal and you pay more attention...