Cruise Ship Hit by Rogue Wave – Could That Happen in The Gulf?

For the tens of thousands of passengers that set sail from the Port of New Orleans in Louisiana every year, there is always the expectation of smooth sailing. Not only "smooth" as in getting through security and getting on board, but smooth as in no rough seas that create nausea while sailing. For most Louisiana guests from Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, or Monroe, the most difficult part of the trip will be crossing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge on I-10 and then surviving the traffic in Baton Rouge.

But for most trips across the Gulf of Mexico, cruise ship captains will tell you it's smooth as glass. The only time the Gulf gets really rowdy is when there are tropical weather systems such as the recently dissipated  Hurricane Rafael. 

Unfortunately, those "smooth as glass" sailing seldom make headlines which means when things get bumpy there is usually a video to show and the incident we're about to share with you comes complete with a harrowing video of what can happen when a rogue wave strikes a massive cruise ship.

What Is a Rogue Wave?

It's what you think it might be, it's a wave that is out of the ordinary when compared to its surroundings. Rogue waves are usually very large and unpredictable and can appear suddenly even in relatively calm seas. It's not uncommon for a rogue wave to be double in size when compared to the waves around it. Some rogue waves can reach a height of 50 feet or more.

It was just such a wave that Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas was struck with while on a Trans-Atlantic Crossing last week. The ship had sailed from Barcelona Spain on November 2nd and was en route to Florida when a huge wave, believed to be generated from an unexpected wind gust near Tenerife, Spain caused the vehicle to experience what was described by Royal Caribbean as a "sudden movement".

The incident was chronicled on YouTube by Charles Leeds who shared the video from November 7th on the platform.

In the video, you can see guests struggling to remain on their feet as chairs and tables slide across the deck floor. You can also hear the sound of crashes in the background, we can only assume that might be dishes or drink glasses being upended because of the unique movement caused by the wave.

Based on reports one passenger was injured severely enough to require additional medical treatment. Therefore the vessel turned around and instead of sailing to Florida returned to Europe.

Incidentally, the largest rogue wave ever reported in the Gulf of Mexico happened in 2004. The wave was spurred on by winds from Hurricane Ivan. It is estimated the wave's height was 91 feet and it was 660 feet long. The wave was measured by detectors placed on the ocean floor.