A tender boat traveling to Australia’s Kangaroo Island ran aground, forcing around 30 cruise ship passengers to wade through rough waters until they could reach the shore.
The group had come from Crown Princess’ December 14 roundtrip sailing from Sydney. They were looking forward to touring the South Australian island, famous for its wildlife, beautiful beaches, and breathtaking scenery. As they headed out on December 18, the tender boat they were on experienced engine trouble, causing the vessel to run aground and become stranded.
Despite the mishap, the guests readily wore life jackets and walked through choppy thigh-high water, remaining fully clothed. They eventually made it to dry land and proceeded to the Penneshaw Ferry Terminal where they began their shore excursions.
The curious sight was caught on camera, uploaded on social media, and shared by a local news network.
One passenger commented that the rough water dissuaded them from joining the island tour, “…we looked at the tender boats bobbing up and down in the water and decided it was a bit too rough for us, so decided to stay on board.”
Another netizen pointed out that the short trek would have been made harder by the water, “Given that most would be dressed for excursions then the waves and I guess, possible shock, would have made the trek difficult and for some, almost impossible. KI is shark territory as well.”
The entire group made it to land safely and put the incident behind them.
Ocean Safari, a local company offering snorkeling tours, later towed the stranded tender boat back to Crown Princess.
Tender boats or tender vessels are smaller craft that support larger ships, usually by transporting passengers, crew, supplies, or equipment to and from shore or other locations. They are versatile, maneuverable, and capable of operating in shallow or confined waters where larger vessels cannot go.
In 2018, Carnival Cruise Line dropped the term “tender vessel” and replaced it with “water shuttle.” The cruise line learned that the original nautical term caused confusion among guests who didn’t know what a tender vessel was.
