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Sea Pictures from Dover.

Sailing Ships just off Dover: Europa above and De Gallant below...


We have 340 plus pages below now...use our own SEARCH ENGINE just below to help you trawl through. All pictures are the copyright of the owners.
Editor: Paul Boland - dover7@msn.com
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Post 2668
  Sea News, Dover
Yours truly is taking a couple of days off now but will be on the beach on Boxing Day to hopefully get some good pictures of the mad Boxing Day dippers. That kicks off at 12 midday...that's when it happens usually anyway...I haven't heard anything to the contrary. After that its across the road to the Dover Marina Hotel for a drink...so if anyone is about say hello. I will be wearing the red scarf!

In the meantime I want to wish one and all a very ..

MERRY CHRISTMAS
________________

Special thanks and good wishes go to the teams at
The Port of Dover, P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways...for sending all the info through to us here on Doverforum SEA NEWS.

A special Merry Christmas and thanks goes to our ace team...
Ed Connell, Mike Jackson, Sarah Hewes...who along with myself contribute all or almost all the pictures.

And last but not least a very Merry Christmas to everyone who contributes and a special Merry Christmas to all our readers everywhere.

Paul Boland.


SmileySmileySmiley



Thursday, 24 December 2015 - 06:53
 
Post 2667
  Sea News, Dover
Good capture there Ed of the Hansa Bremen - I think that's a first visit for that one. She left yesterday around 3pm heading for Port Turbo in Columbia. Long trip.
Thanks for that Del - best wishes to you too. Lots more to come.
Paul



Thursday, 24 December 2015 - 06:37
 
Post 2666
  Del Styan, Norwich (delsandra@btinternet.com)
Thanks for all the photos and news during the last year. Happy Christmas, and a photogenic New Year.

Wednesday, 23 December 2015 - 23:30
 
Post 2665
  Ed Connell, Dover
Hansa Bremen on the DCT early this morning.



Wednesday, 23 December 2015 - 12:57
 
Post 2664
  Sea News, Dover

Gosh yesterday was a rough ol day for sure. Yes indeed it was... and re the pictures above - that's what a Severe Gale 9 looks like in the English Channel. Our much loved old friend, the Pride of Burgundy, which we featured recently doing her evacuation safety drill at the cruise terminals..is seen here taking a solid pounding. In the second picture above, taken as she approached the Port...a wave hit the ship with a mighty thump..twas enough to rattle the fillings on a chaps teeth so it was. Pictures were take at 11am approx.

Below we have the Pride of Canterbury leaving the Port a tad earlier. Quite an eventful and action packed day for all the crews, the tugboats, the port workers...a tough day. It looks a tad easier today.


Wednesday, 23 December 2015 - 07:51
 
Post 2663
  Sea News, Dover

The pictures here were taken around lunchtime yesterday...about 1300 hours or 1pm if you prefer...and show the conditions as they began to deteriorate badly...and it looks like we are getting more of the same today tuesday. It is very blustery as I write. Top shot shows the Dover Seaways driving through to the Port in pretty dismal seas but all was well.

Below we have more images of the tugboats in tough action - this time Doughty in close harmony with the Malo Seaways....guiding her to the berth. All the crews and all the port workers do a brilliant job on days like that.

You can see the crews coping manfully above. Brilliant.


Just thought I would add these extra pictures below, this time from the relatively recent archives. They show once again the Malo Seaways just after departing the Port in very rough conditions. The pictures are not great by any means and are just as rough as the seas but sort of capture just how rough tough it all was. These pix as a tribute to the Malo Seaways which we understand will be replaced on the route before too long. PB.



Many thanks Mike for the excellent pictures below.Smiley

Tuesday, 22 December 2015 - 05:20
 
Post 2662
  Mike J., Dover

The Belgian tug ADELE B arrived from Portsmouth & docked in the old Jetfoil terminal on Sunday morning.
Perhaps she's here to tow away the crane barge.







She was still there on Monday morning when diving operations were being carried out by Sealift Diving’s workboat SEALIFT 2.






Monday, 21 December 2015 - 21:18
 
Post 2661
  PaulB, Dover
Our old friend the Cornelis Vrolijk passing by the Port at 1300 hours today. She didn't come in this time but kept right on going in the very rough seas and fairly dreadful conditions. She was heading east with the wind in her sails as it were. More on the Cornelis in our SEARCH ENGINE above.
Not a day out there for the rubber legged landlubber!



Great group of pictures from Dunkerque West below Ed...looks like they are doing some serious work there to take the big ships. Also that's a cracking news picture of the helicopter and dangling airman below the famed White Cliffs.

See also the post below 2206 from the Port of Dover and the Highways Agency on the latest TAP situation/information.

Monday, 21 December 2015 - 16:25
 
Post 2660
  Ed Connell, Dover
Coastguard helicopter hovering at the foot of the cliffs at dusk yesterday.


Monday, 21 December 2015 - 09:47
 
Post 2659
  Ed Connell, Dover
Major dredging works taking place in the outer port in Dunkerque West to make life easier for the big boxboats. Dredgers Bartolomeu Dias and Francis Beaufort.







Monday, 21 December 2015 - 09:44
 
Post 2658
  Sea News, Dover


Dover TAP goes multi-lingual
________________________


Highways England and the Port of Dover have gone multi-lingual to ensure Europe’s lorry drivers comply with a project that reduces freight congestion in the centre of Dover.

The two transport authorities have joined forces to produce a leaflet in 10 languages to explain the traffic management measures on the A20 approach to the town – known as Dover TAP. The guide highlights the new lane configuration, routes into the port, signage and the penalties for failure to follow directions.

Dover TAP, which has been used successfully over 100 times since April 2015, is being refined to ensure freight drivers who do not speak English understand what they need to do when coming to Dover.

Both Highways England and the Port of Dover will now work with ferry companies, police and popular truck stops to distribute the leaflets.

Tim Waggott, the Port of Dover’s Chief Executive, said: "Dover TAP balances the needs of our customers and community by efficiently managing traffic flows through the town and into the port.

"However, we’re aware the system may still be confusing to some drivers who don’t speak the language. That’s why Highways England is now producing leaflets in German, French, Polish, Italian and Spanish as well as English to further improve the performance of TAP."

The move comes as the new road layout has been given public backing from the Dover Business Forum.

In a letter to Highways England, Matthew Jaenicke from the forum said Dover TAP was "crucial for Dover".

He added: "We welcome the combined efforts of Highways England and the Port of Dover to develop a transport management system that works for everybody concerned and we are confident that this will be achieved."

He went on to say that, collectively, his members have invested nearly £400m into the district’s economy. As a result, the effectiveness of the local road network is fundamental to the efficient running of their businesses, including their employee travel in and out of the district every day.

Highways England Asset Manager for Kent, Kevin Bown, said: "We welcome the positive feedback from the Dover Business Forum on the current assessment on the A20 approach to Dover. We continue to assess the impact of TAP and, subject to the final evidence gathering and funding, we hope to be able to improve the temporary version with a permanent solution that introduces enhancements such as variable speed limits."

The leaflets are available to view or download online: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dover-traffic-assessment-project-tap


ENDS


This TAP idea seems to be working fairly well...it is certainly freeing up central Dover most of the time. The multi-lingual message is the right way to go.

A quick turnaround for the Nederland Reefer, see pictures below. She arrived with us Saturday night about 8pm and was off again yesterday around 12 noon bound for Hamburg. Conditions alas were forty shades of grey....the photographer did the best he could in the grey conditions but his camera let him down. You know what they say about a bad workman blaming his tools...well its not the case here..
Smiley PB.




Monday, 21 December 2015 - 06:54
 
Post 2657
  Sea News, Dover
The Nederland Reefer came in to Port last night about 8pm or 20.00 hours. I noticed one of the P&O Spirits drifting slowly outside my 'observation tower' so dragged myself away from the TV to have a look and spotted the reefer arriving...hence the short delay for the Spirit. Obviously it was pitch dark...it was one of those nights, so there we are above with a picture from a previous visit.

Below we have a Pride under a heavily clouded sky yesterday morning early, just after leaving through the western exit. It may be the Pride of Burgundy once again...much featured here lately, but couldn't swear to it. PaulB.


Ace pictures below Mike...shows how difficult the traffic situation was yesterday. Touch wood....all seems okay today...so far.
And you know what they say...so far so good.
Nice story below from your past working exploits Vic.

Sunday, 20 December 2015 - 08:09
 
Post 2656
  Mike J., Dover
Spot on Paul ! Interesting photo caught at just the right moment.
The customers slide down onto the circular raft & embark into the ‘igloo’ rafts which are then towed away by the ship’s small but powerful rescue boats [they all have at least two]. The ship’s conventional lifeboats would also probably help out as well [if they have any, the SPIRITs don’t].

Busy, busy, busy in the docks this morning with the new ‘buffer parking’ for freight in use.
Jubilee Way very slow-moving - keep away !









Saturday, 19 December 2015 - 10:43
 
Post 2655
  vic matcham, dover
Some years ago I was called out at 0200hrs on a sunday morning told to report to the Hammonds who had a boat standing by to take me out to ROCK BARGE one like the one in your photo might even be that one. So down I went put my tools down on the deck of the boat taking me out and a big welding plant.The mate said Vic tie your tool box down and the plant as the sea is not that good ,so I tied down the welding plant but not the tools , as we went out the west end of the port a wave hit us and over the side went my tool box.

After about 1 hour we got to the barge it was moving up and down with the sea ,some how we had to get the welding plant onto the barge, I put a rope round it and the crew of the boat and crew on the barge +myself was lifting and trying to get the plant onto the barge but it was not my day the rope did not hold it and we lost it dropping it into the sea. Not my day, they had to send back to get more tools and a welding plant and wait some hrs before I could get the job done and it cost me about £150 for new tools.SmileySmileySmiley

Saturday, 19 December 2015 - 09:33
 
Post 2654
  Sea News, Dover
Above and below we have the now familiar tugboat from Holyhead Towing the Afon Goch towing another one of those huge barges out of the western exit Port of Dover yesterday afternoon. She was bound for Lowestoft. The pilot boat is just out of shot in the pic above but here we are below with a zoomed close up.
Following on from the earlier posts of the Pride of Burgundy 'resting' ...here are another couple of pictures to add to the mix. The first picture shows her negotiating a turnaround just inside the western exit to return to the Admiralty Pier for further safety procedure testing.

The high flying 'obelisk' caught my eye below...looking directly into the blinding sunlight bouncing off the sea from yours trulys high position ... I couldn't actually tell what it was, but following along from Mike's earlier posts one can now guess that its the evacuation chute held aloft. PB.


The Port is very busy and was even extra busy late into the wee small hours of the morning...allow extra time for your journey if heading continental.
See also post 2193.


EXTRA: Christmas Opening Hours : The Port of Dover is open 364 days a year; the only day that it closes is Christmas Day (25th December). The Port will close at 14:25hrs on the 24th December and reopen on the 26th December at 06:30hrs.



Saturday, 19 December 2015 - 08:41
 
Post 2653
  Sea News, Dover




Dover Bluebird Heritage Trail secures Heritage Lottery Fund support
_______________________________________________________


The Dover Bluebird Heritage Trail, designed to make the local community and visitors much more aware of Dover’s abundant heritage, has received £59,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Together with £15,000 contributed to equally by the Port of Dover, Dover Town Council and Dover District Council, this provides the funding required to deliver the project and will cover ongoing costs.

The trail will bring together a number of Dover’s heritage gems including the wonderfully preserved Dover Bronze Age Boat, extensive Roman town remains, Saxon, Norman and medieval religious institutions, Tudor, Georgian and Victorian fortifications, Jacobean domestic building as well as the Victorian and Edwardian harbour. The trail will connect these assets plus other little known buildings, sites and monuments in both the town centre and Port areas.

The trail route would be self-guided, marked by permanent, bronze pavement markers, supported by a free trail guide and map, website and interactive app, which will both market the trail and give further detailed historical information and images, details of heritage attractions and tourist facilities in the town and their opening hours.

The grant application was submitted by The Dover Society on behalf of the Port and Community Forum of which it is member – the PCF was established in 2013 by the Port as an independent forum to provide a focal point for engagement and debate on issues of mutual interest such as local regeneration. Some 20 key local organisations sit on the PCF and the funding was announced today at its latest meeting, aptly hosted at Cruise Terminal 1, the recently restored former Dover Marine Railway Station, a Grade II listed building which features in the trail.

The Forum adopted a Heritage Strategy to investigate ways to bring together the many heritage assets of the town and port to develop Dover as a tourist destination and to assist in the much needed regeneration of the area.

In January 2014, the PCF appointed a trail group including representatives from The Dover Society, Port of Dover, Dover Greeters, Dover Hoteliers, Big Local, English Heritage, White Cliffs Country Tourism Alliance, Dover District Council and Dover Town Council. The group has been working ever since on the development of a heritage trail and funding to support it.

After nearly two years of determined work, the group finally has the funding to deliver the trail.

Derek Leach, Chairman of the Port and Community Forum and the Dover Society, said:

"Whilst many know that Dover has a long and interesting history, few are aware of what and where much of that history is located and of its richness. This applies to both its local residents and the millions of people who pass through the town every year, either en route for a ferry crossing or as acruise passenger. The Port has also a large number of marina visitors during the summer months. The trail aims to increase the number of visitors to the town and spending in Dover."

Stuart McLeod, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South East, said: "Thanks to National Lottery players, today’s investment will bring together more of the little-known parts of Dover’s heritage for people to discover, increasing the understanding of the port town and the role it has played in history for residents and visitors alike."

Tim Waggott, Chief Executive, Port of Dover, said:

"These are truly exciting as well as pivotal times for Dover. Whilst we take bold steps into the future, we want to celebrate the past and use it as a way to bring our community together, bring port and town together, bring visitors to Dover and reveal the heritage which binds us and identifies us. This is a fantastic example of finding innovative way to improve connectivity through partnership working and what we can achieve by all working towards a shared vision.

Paul Watkins, Leader, Dover District Council, said:

"These are exciting times for Dover with many projects coming together to stimulate the local economy. The St James development is attracting new retail and leisure investment with site clearance works well advanced. Construction will start in the New Year. Improving the public realm and connections between our wealth of heritage assets is a key aim of the Council. I am delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting this exciting project to highlight the town’s heritage through a well-marked trail route which clearly guides people through the town’s fascinating history."

The Right Worshipful the Town Mayor, Cllr Chris Precious, said:

"Creating a town trail combined with a website will greatly raise the profile, awareness and knowledge of local historical sites. As we work to improve the appeal of Dover, such a trail will greatly support our collective work to change perceptions and reveal what Dover already has to offer as well as what it will have in future."

With funding now in place, the aim is to launch the trail by 31 July 2016.

ENDS


Top shot left to right :

Paul Watkins - Leader, Dover District Council; George Jenkins - Chairman, Dover Harbour Board; Chris Precious - Dover Mayor; & Derek Leach - Chairman of the Port and Community Forum and the Dover Society.

Great to see the whole town pulling forward together.

The picture below was taken early yesterday morning and you can hardly believe it is December..talk about mild and tranquil, well yesterday was almost balmy enough to be a summers day. Dover is always worth a visit ..especially with that camera.


Nice collection below Mike and from Ed too...might be able to have more Burgundy later..when I look through my pix that is...Smiley
Also don't miss the item about DFDS SEAWAYS at the WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS see 2198 below.


Smiley



Friday, 18 December 2015 - 08:19
 
Post 2652
  Mike J., Dover
While the PRIDE OF BURGUNDY was carrying out another Marine Escape System deployment she was passed by the LEANNE P who had left her crane barge in in the old Jetfoil terminal & was heading home to Maasluis, just downriver from Rotterdam.











After the the MES exercise was completed the BURGUNDY turned around so that the equipment could be landed onto the quay at Cruise-2 & the swing would have looked most impressive close-up from the pierhead, but from the seafront the swing looked as though disaster was imminent . . . .





There are now three of Excel Marine Service’s offshore workboats laid-up in Wellington Dock.
VALKYRIE – VULCAN – VIKING.





Thursday, 17 December 2015 - 22:38
 
Post 2651
  Ed Connell, Dover
Pride of Burgundy berthed at the Admiralty Pier today.


Thursday, 17 December 2015 - 15:13
 
Post 2650
  Sea News, Dover


DFDS Named World’s Leading Ferry Operator for Fifth Year at World Travel Awards™
__________________________________________________________________


DFDS has been awarded the prestigious accolade of ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ at the 2015 World Travel Awards™ gala ceremony in Morocco last night (12 December), for the fifth year in a row.

The World Travel Awards™, hailed as the most prestigious and sought after awards programme for the travel and tourism industry, are designed to recognise companies who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in the global travel and tourism industry. The winners are decided by votes from travel industry professionals and consumers.

In addition to the World’s Leading Ferry Operator accolade, DFDS also received the title of Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator at the European leg of the World Travel Awards™ held in September 2015. Together, these titles underline DFDS’ continued commitment to excellence.

Max Foster, passenger director at DFDS comments:
"We feel immensely privileged to be awarded the title of World’s Leading Ferry Operator for the fifth time. Known affectionately in the travel industry as the ‘Travel Oscars’, I would like to thank all our staff for their hard work and commitment to delivering the best possible travel experience for our guests across all our ferry routes.

"We endeavour to put our customers at the heart of everything we do and are humbled to receive this accolade from our customers and industry peers again this year. Next year will be our 150th anniversary at DFDS and we are looking forward to involving our customers in our celebrations. We also hope to attract people who have not travelled by ferry for a while to try our services and see for themselves how easy, comfortable and affordable it really is."

DFDS operates a comprehensive passenger route network, which incorporates four routes from the UK to Europe, via Dover-Dunkirk, Dover-Calais, Newhaven-Dieppe and Newcastle-Amsterdam, offering passengers the perfect gateway to Europe. DFDS also operates a number of passenger ferry routes across the Baltic Sea, including a cruise ferry service between Copenhagen and Oslo.

For further information please visit www.dfds.co.uk or telephone 0871 521 5522.


-Ends-


Many thanks to the new team at DFDS Seaways for all the above.


The Magellan Strait arriving at Dover - wide view. See also the pics below.


Western Heights And Farthingloe
____________________________

Mr Justice Mitting has today ( Wednesday) dismissed the challenge by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) against the decision by Dover District Council (DDC) to grant planning permission for the comprehensive development at Western Heights and Farthingloe.

CPRE now have 21 days to seek leave to appeal.

Council Leader, Paul Watkins, said:
"This is a great day for democracy. The decision, coming on the back of the progress at the town centre and Port, will provide confidence and be of vital importance for the future of the area following the recent job losses at the Immigration Centre. It will bring a package of much needed, high quality housing, countryside access improvements and heritage works at Drop Redoubt alongside a new top quality hotel. I therefore hope that the scheme promoter, CGI, and investors can now catch-up following the delay caused by the CPRE challenge and make the long overdue progress on the eagerly awaited development."

Posted on 16 December 2015

Ends


* *


Dover seems to be moving forward in a wide sweep...slowly but surely.
Even Burlington House has very nearly disappeared.

Many thanks guys for the pictures below.
Great shots there from Mike of the Magellan Strait arriving....
and a further excellent one from Ed at the cargo terminal.
Really enjoyed those. Ace team.


Smiley


Thursday, 17 December 2015 - 07:46
 
Post 2649
  Ed Connell, Dover
Magellan Strait at dusk.


Wednesday, 16 December 2015 - 19:01
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