This was the picture I took, and also tweeted, of the SS Waverley attempting to come alongside at Llandudno Pier.
The Captain was trying to let the Pier manager (and sickening array of Civic dignitaries) know by telephone that he would not be able to dock. But, the Pier manager's phone had no signal at all.... like many watching, because the network was jammed and busy. That's why no one had the true information at the time.
The Captain later explained that the docking would be just about possible, but the gangplank for disembarking and embarking passengers would have been very unsafe, tossing up and down in the swell.