Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 3049

  Jeremy Ward, Whitfield, Dover

A very sunny Dover Port this afternoon.

Tuesday, 12 April 2016 - 18:18

 

Post 3048

  brian, dover

tonight sky 1 for those people who have sky tv, 2100 the tunnel, look out for scenes in dover, folkestone and surrounding areas...

Tuesday, 12 April 2016 - 13:45

 

Post 3047

  vic matcham, Dover

And I missed being filmed again but I am on the radio in June so cannot win them all.

Tuesday, 12 April 2016 - 08:58

 

Post 3046

  Mike J., Dover

A couple more views of the COASTALWATER after she went on the Eastern Arm.

I do hope that Bollywood had finished their filming before the tide came in, they seem to be well below high water mark . . . . .







Tuesday, 12 April 2016 - 07:31

 

Post 3045

  Sea News, Dover

They were shooting a Bollywood movie on the famed Dover Beach on sunday morning, so there were lots of exciting things going on. They had erected some Deauville or Cherbourg style umbrellas so it all looked rather exotic...in a small area...and the railed cameras rolled in the blazing near tropical sunshine.
However there was a breeze that would whip the skin off a rice pudding...







Yes the movies had come to town. Yours truly was ambling by so I took the opportunity to majestically stroll about close to the set...hoping they would spot my Scandinavian good looks, my classical profile, my cosmopolitan demeanour, my natural etc etc...but no they moved away again without so much as offering me even a whiff of a contract...
What does a guy have to do to be a star around here... sheeeesh!??
PaulB

Tuesday, 12 April 2016 - 07:06

 

Post 3044

  Sea News, Dover

The new bunker barge Coastal Water arriving today as a replacement for the long serving Coral Water. Time of picture 1300 hours. We are not sure if this represents a permanent replacement for Coral or if its just a temporary situation. Thanks to Mike once again for the heads up. The picture isn't great because as soon as she arrived she turned immediately to her right and is now at the eastern arm....out of the reach of yours trulys zoom lens.

Interesting comment Jan...yes indeed. I think most will be with Charlie on this one.

Monday, 11 April 2016 - 16:14

 

Post 3043

  JanT, Dover.

For once I totally agree with the above statement, why should Dover suffer for those who only come to disrupt the working's of the town and the port.
Everyone has the right to their say but not to use these protests for violence and disruption.

Really lovely to see our cute little friend the seal enjoying the sun shine


Monday, 11 April 2016 - 13:13

 

Post 3042

  Sea News, Dover

The Braemar was with us once again yesterday, here to enjoy Dover's blistering sunday sunshine. It would almost be like summer if it wasn't for that biting easterly wind There were lots of people strolling about but for much of the day heavily anoraked. The hotels were full with passengers waiting to join the Braemar and off she sailed at 16.45...heading northwards on a fairly rough sea. Hope all felt sturdy legged after being out there on the briny for a time.

The top shot shows her heading north with the Pride of Canterbury in the foreground. The second picture was taken earlier in the day with elegant yacht Falcon skipping over the waves in the foreground.

Also with us yesterday was Schweiz Reefer and here she is below approaching from the east with tug giving her a helping hand.




These protests are too high a price to pay says CHARLIE ELPHICKE MP for DOVER and DEAL.
__________________________________________________________________________



At the (previous) weekend fascists and anti fascists again assembled in Dover. Last time it ended in clashes and violence. This time the Police planned for every eventuality. Over 600 Police Officers were present. They were fully equipped with helmets, body armour and batons. They brought dogs and horses to ensure they had all necessary back up and support. They kept the peace. Last time I was very critical of the Police planning. This time I think they did a great job. The policing was appropriate, proportionate and effective.



Yet at what cost? Policing on this scale is massively expensive. The bill is picked up by the Kent taxpayer for policing people who are from London and beyond who have come seeking a day of violence by the seaside. This is before you get to the disruption to the town and the local economy. The national economy is also harmed as so much freight is delayed when the roads are closed off for these demonstrations.

By the end of April there will have been three demonstrations this year. That's almost one every month. The last one was violent. The one late last year was violent. Last weekend was only not violent because the roads were flooded with Police. There will be another on April 23rd - which may again be violent. And so it goes on. The far right and far left come here to use our town as a battleground. Each claims a moral superiority over the other. Yet the truth is they are both as bad as each other. They are simply opposite sides of the same coin of hatred and extremism. These demonstrators' lust for violence knows no bounds and was only checked at the weekend by the powerful Police presence.

The balance is all wrong. People are rightly concerned about our "democratic right to protest". Yet we don't hear about our "democratic right to go about our daily lives." We should. For when we look at the right to protest it ought to be balanced against the disruption people suffer. I do not think people in Dover would mind a demonstration every so often. Yet to go at the clip of a demonstration nearly every month is too much. Particularly given the violence that so often comes with it. To have the town disrupted so often is disproportionate and too high a price to pay.

It's time for reform to enable Dovorians to go about their daily lives without being harassed by extremists. Without the high street having to lose another busy shopping day. Without ferries standing idle at the port and lorries at a standstill chuffing up pollution and dumping yet more rubbish on our already littered roads. This is why the law needs to be reformed and the right to protest must be balanced against the right of people to go about their daily lives.


Charlie Elphicke MP


Many thanks to Chaarlie for the above. It is extraordinary that access to the nations Port can be blocked for hours at a time. PB.
(Pictures from the most recent demo 2572 and 2575...there are posts too from the previous marches. see Search Engine )





Monday, 11 April 2016 - 08:09

 

Post 3041

  Sea News, Dover

Ahhhhhh - that's a nice bit of sunshine....
Our friendly seal came in close to shore again a few days ago. He hasn't made it onto the beach yet but one lives in hope, the oul camera will be whirring if that happens...but here he was swimming in jolly fashion once again pinching all my mackerel. I hope he has clearance from the European Fisheries Commision to fish in these waters!
See also the post below page no 2578.

Just offshore on Friday afternoon ..the buoy-laying Trinity House vessel Patricia arrived with us here. Hazy conditions...and right on cue the local fishing boat Portia came into view. You can just see the guys returning after a pleasant days fishing out there in the channel.


The Braemar cruise ship is back in with us today.
Well done with those pics below once again Sarah. Nice work for sure.
Mike was the spotter on this occasion.



Sunday, 10 April 2016 - 06:35

 

Post 3040

  Mike J., Dover

Sarah - Thanks & well done - nothing in Ramsgate escapes you !



Saturday, 9 April 2016 - 06:35

 

Post 3039

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Not wishing to disappoint our Mike, here are the two survey boats to which he recently referred.

Titan Discovery



Titan Endeavour



Friday, 8 April 2016 - 19:33

 

Post 3038

  Sea News, Dover

And now as promised some pictures of the departing Elvira - she was off to Rotterdam on Wednesday early evening. It was a bit blustery and rough on Wednesday as you can see, the tugs were most definitely needed. The weather changing enormously at the moment from hour to hour.
The top shot shows her after moving away from the Cargo Terminal...moving out into the outer harbour to turn around, as you can see happening in the pix below.




Nice pictures all round below Mike...nice shots of the Dunkerque Seaways and good one from Ramsgate for sure. "I think we have had that vessel before" thought I..sharp as the proverbial tack when I saw your pic, and yes indeed in post 2526.
Well done Mike.

Thanks to Sarah and Colette as ever.

Friday, 8 April 2016 - 08:26

 

Post 3037

  Mike J., Dover

A quick call into Ramsgate whilst ‘otherwise engaged’ found the smart Dutch-built Brixham-registered f/v SEIONT-A with a brisk wind blowing her off the Commercial Quay during a very high tide.

No time for the couple of yellow survey craft on the pontoon, but no doubt Sarah will have them in the bag shortly.






Thursday, 7 April 2016 - 20:02

 

Post 3036

  ColetteB, Dover

Once again 'Brilliant Photos' all round everyone

Yes I saw 'Secret Britain' too, great programme but agree, shame they didn't have up to date footage of the new DFDS livery.

CRUISE VISITS

Look out for the Braemar this Sunday 10th April at CT2, TR and again the following Saturday 16th April on her return.

Not many cruise calls in April but I will update you towards the end of the month with a few more including some interesting visits. Watch this space

There are cruise ships aplenty in May including the Magic of Disney

Thursday, 7 April 2016 - 13:39

 

Post 3035

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Yes Mike I saw "Secret Britain" great programme but I too noticed the age of some of the footage. I have never seen the Norfolk Line livery since I moved down here. Shame they didn't take up to date footage.

Thursday, 7 April 2016 - 12:28

 

Post 3034

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Superb photos of Dover Lifeboat Paul
Much appreciated.

Thursday, 7 April 2016 - 12:23

 

Post 3033

  Mike J., Dover

The last gasps of Wednesday’s evening sunlight as the DUNKERQUE SEAWAYS enters & starts her swing after the departure of the the SPIRIT OF BRITAIN.

The belting along the hull of the the DUNKERQUE SEAWAYS shows up well in the head-on view & puzzled me before I realized what it was - first time that I’d noticed it, despite the ships having been here for years !











Did you see the programme 'SECRET BRITAIN' on the box last night ?
Some good shipping views & footage of the harbour & the cliffs, but the BBC used some pretty ancient footage - the DFDS ships were in their light blue NORFOLK LINE paint-job & I think I caught a glimpse of the STENA CHALLENGER who left Dover in 1996 . . . . .


Thursday, 7 April 2016 - 06:51

 

Post 3032

  Sea News, Dover

On Tuesday evening as the light was fading fast over Dover harbour..the Dover lifeboat came into majestic view. Time was around 7.15PM or 19.15 if you prefer. One wondered what was afoot as the lifeboat turned into the outer harbour rather than head off out to sea as you might expect. Then it became obvious that it had come to rescue the boat shown which was obviously disabled. The boat with the problem looked like a tourist boat or a fishing charter boat of some sort. The Lifeboat attached a line and after some time managed to tow the vessel into the inner harbour and out of view. The pictures are a bit wishy-washy as the light was poor but here we are....





As the crow flies the Lifeboat must have travelled just a quarter of a mile to rescue the boat with the problem, so they were all geared up to not go very far .... but it looked like another job well done.

And speaking of crows...this bruiser below was hovering around yours trulys window at the same time and was giving me a slightly menaced feeling. He looked bigger than your average crow, perhaps a raven, and he looked spooky with that evil eye, but I guess as long as it wasn't the wailing banshee one was alright!
PaulB.


Got some nice pictures of the departing Elvira last evening. Still in camera.. will process through.
Don't miss that offer from P&O Ferries below



Thursday, 7 April 2016 - 05:12

 

Post 3031

  Sea News, Dover

This guy came in close to shore yesterday...I asked him to hold still while rushing off to grab the camera, but would he do it....No! he was tooo busy chasing mackeral or whatever. And we pay him a fortune in modelling fees too...I dunno..


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Prices between Dover and Calais for a long break (ie. a minimum of five nights away) start from £39 each way. Anyone who wants to take advantage of the 25 per cent discount per journey must book before 15th June and travel between 1st May and 30th June. Terms and conditions apply as certain vehicle types and durations may be exempt.

Visit www.poferries.com or call 0800 130 0030 to book a ticket using the promotional code NIGHT.

ENDS



Many thanks to the team at P&O Ferries for the info above

Great collection of pictures in the posts below from Sarah H...capturing all the local windfarm and lifeboat activity. Ace work Sarah




Wednesday, 6 April 2016 - 07:13

 

Post 3030

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Finally

Vettanfall Tempest



Both Ramsgate Lifeboats went out on exercise.

Esme Anderson



Claire & David Delves



Tuesday, 5 April 2016 - 22:55