Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 2608

  Mike J., Dover

The SAGA PEARL 2 came in during the night & is expected to sail after dark Tuesday.
Probably the last chance to photograph a Dover cruise ship from the Prince of Wales.

During Tuesday morning British brig PHOENIX came into Dover & was rolling well at anchor in the bay.

She was built in 1929 as a Danish ‘Evangelical Mission Schooner’ & after commercial use & many name changes is now operated as a brigantine by the ‘Square Sail’ organisation & is normally based at Charlestown, on the south Cornish Coast.
She has appeared in many films & TV productions.

AIS shows her leaving the Thames Monday morning & getting as far as Dungeness before turning back & entering Dover through the Western Entrance around 0930.








Wednesday, 2 December 2015 - 14:26

 

Post 2607

  Sea News, Dover

More pictures now from our ace 'Rovng Contributor' SARAH HEWES. Sarah had to leave the house at 6.30am last week to be in place to capture the departure from Ramsgate of the Relief Tamar Class Lifeboat 16-06..seen here leaving harbour bound for Peterhead. She is called the Frank and Anne Wilkinson and away she goes in the early morning light. Great work once again by supersnapper Sarah. Bottom shot shows her alongside the Esme Anderson.





The cruise ship Saga Pearl Ii is surprisingly back in Port today.. Both Pat and Mike sent through info - very grateful. It seems she is here following a refit in Germany. Will aim to get a pic if possible. Mike also tells me that our friend from the pictures below, the Arklow Racer, wasn't heading back to the Emerald Isle after all but was off to Leixoes in Portugal.

Wednesday, 2 December 2015 - 07:53

 

Post 2606

  Sea News, Dover

An extra pic - following along from the post below....bon voyage Arklow Racer.

Tuesday, 1 December 2015 - 15:40

 

Post 2605

  Sea News, Dover

Long range pic of the Arklow Racer underway this morning about 10.00. She was here in the Port of Dover for a lengthy stay due to mechanical problems as we understand it. We didn't catch where she was heading to but perhaps she is away back to the old country...perhaps back to Arklow. A nice town is Arklow to be sure.

Tuesday, 1 December 2015 - 15:30

 

Post 2604

  Sea News, Dover

Pictures below show the Hellas Reefer departing yesterday for Hamburg in very rough conditions. As you can see she is leaving us through the western exit. She was helped by both tugs. We did have some of the usual pix with the tugs but we have opted to show if we can, just how difficult the conditions were as she left harbour. She dipped and bucked horrendously...made a chap feel good to be on dry land, but these guys know what they are doing so all was well. But if you look for example at pic 4...the stern of the ship is never visible to yours trulys observation tower from there. Nosirree bob!






Nice bit of calculating below there Mark. Good to hear from you again. Sadly we could never accommodate such monsters.
What we can aim for though is increased cargo flow from the likes of Hellas Reefer above. PB.

Tuesday, 1 December 2015 - 08:12

 

Post 2603

  Mark Rushton, Northants

Re Vic's post 2144 on the whimsy that he'd like to see the containers offloaded from the YM Warmth and taken out by rail from Dover, a quick calculation shows that the train would be over 50 miles long, assuming the ship was full on arrival. As Vic rightly says, that I'd like to see ! Alternatively, you're talking about over 200 quarter-mile length trains. These days Felixstowe container port handles roughly 30 trains a day in and out. Oh, and the last time I checked, the trackwork into Western Docks had all been ripped up in favour of the cruise business car park. Ah well......

Monday, 30 November 2015 - 12:32

 

Post 2602

  vic matcham, dover

Its all good news with one winner Dover.

Monday, 30 November 2015 - 09:48

 

Post 2601

  Sea News, Dover

Picturing the future - it’s time to deliver for Dover!
_________________________________________

Burlington House is coming down and from its remains will be created the foundations for the Port’s Dover Western Docks Revival scheme. The Prince of Wales Pier has been given the green light to temporarily close for redevelopment by Dover District Council (DDC) so that DWDR can move ahead. Everywhere you turn, previous chapters are finally being closed and a new chapter is now being opened and embraced, heralding a new era of progress for Dover not seen for many years.

The St James Development and DWDR are increasing the level of interest in Dover as together with our district council partners we look to fundamentally change perceptions for the better. The Port of Dover has worked positively alongside DDC as part of the InvestinDover initiative and is keen to continue playing its part in promoting and delivering some of the key opportunities that are being created.

The Port is firmly committed to working together on the issue of connectivity and is already engaged in discussions regarding connectivity between the waterfront and the town centre. It is supporting DDC’s Dover Transportation Study as we look to deliver the approved A20 junction improvements in support of Dover’s collective regeneration projects and to ensure they deliver maximum benefit to the local economy. We are also continuing to work with partners to advocate the wider strategic needs for transport improvements to Dover.

As yet another sign of the Port’s commitment to delivering a fantastic future for Dover, Tim Waggott, Chief Executive, Port of Dover said:

"I am delighted to announce that we will commit £50,000 in funding towards the joint research of a future planning and regeneration environment that we can all support for the ultimate benefit of Dovorians and port users.

"These are truly exciting as well as pivotal times and I trust that we can continue working together in the spirit of mutual trust and cooperation as we herald in a new era for Dover and continue to deliver our shared vision. I can picture the future and I can’t wait for it to be here. We start now."

Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader, Dover District Council, said:

"With the Port of Dover moving ahead with the Dover Western Docks Revival project, another major catalyst for Dover’s regeneration is being delivered.

"We are working positively together with our Port partners, including on ways to improve access to Dover’s key regeneration sites. Such wide-ranging commitment to Dover is a reflection of the massive momentum there now is to take Dover forward."

Dover Western Docks Revival will deliver more jobs, a more vibrant waterfront, more port capacity and help to attract more investment into Dover. We can’t wait for it to be here!


ENDS


Further info....

· The ‘Can’t Wait to be Here’ head in the hole photo features Tim Waggott, Chief Executive of Port of Dover on the right and Tim Ingleton, Head of Inward Investment from Dover District Council in the centre.
· The ‘head in the hole’ will be at various local venues in the run up to Christmas as part of a caption competition - "I can picture myself here because……", with prizes to win for best captions.


* *

Busy official Port vessels yesterday below.. picture taken earlier in the day.
The Harbour Patrol Boat zaps past the waiting tug on its was back to base. A very grey sunday once again but lots of seafront excitement with lots of kids trying to dodge the waves bursting over the sea-bashed promenade.




Many thanks to Steve, Vic, and Jan for the interesting comments and info below. It was definitely a strange thing to see out there ( post 2145 ). Will see if I can access facebook later. Thanks guys. PaulB





Monday, 30 November 2015 - 08:00

 

Post 2600

  Steve-N, Whitfield (sgn@f2s.com)

This topic is discussed on
Dover for Dovorians Facebook page. Answer would seem to be kids.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10207837040589232&set=gm.571270556353652&type=3&theater

Monday, 30 November 2015 - 07:45

 

Post 2599

  vic matcham, dover

I think it might have been washed over from a side of a ship .

Monday, 30 November 2015 - 04:47

 

Post 2598

  JanT, Dover

Strange things happen at sea it's said, but that is a strange one for sure the 24 dollar question is where did it come and how did it get there, does anyone out there know

The past few days we've had some good pictures chaps.

Sunday, 29 November 2015 - 21:57

 

Post 2597

  Sea News, Dover

Well what can we say here at the Port of Dover...we have seen everything that can float out there floating at one time or another, but this was a first for me.... a floating Audi. About 200 yards off shore in the rough seas today...and there she was. How she got there I don't know. It looks like a rather well-to-do expensive paddle toy or electric toy but who can tell for sure...but I don't think its the real roadgoing variety. Where it came from I don't know and where it went to I know not. Might have eventually gone to Davy Jones' Locker.
But there ye have it... never a dull moment. PB.


Nice notion Vic re the huge ship...if only

Sunday, 29 November 2015 - 15:46

 

Post 2596

  vic matcham, dover

I would like to see a container ship of that size calling in at Dover with a train waiting to take containers away.

Sunday, 29 November 2015 - 09:05

 

Post 2595

  Sea News, Dover

Above another pic of the YM Warmth see also post 2140 below...it was great to see it in so close. Wot a whopper! ( that's a technical term! )



RHA launches Calais Incident Reporting Line

As part of the Road Haulage Association’s (RHA) continuing engagement with government to achieve a solution to the problems hauliers are experiencing as a result of the migrant activity at Calais, the RHA (@RHANews) has launched a 24/7 Calais Incident Reporting Line - (+44) 1274 863111.

Thousands of wallet-sized cards have been printed with the reporting line number, together with the telephone numbers for the emergency services in France and the UK. The Port of Dover is supporting the initiative and the cards will be issued to drivers by ferry operators, P&O and DFDS and it is hoped that other cross-Channel operators will also participate. The scheme is also being promoted by Truck & Driver magazine.

The reporting line will give hauliers and their drivers the opportunity to call in and officially log incidents of intimidation or incursion by migrants. Callers will be asked for their name, the nature of the incident, the exact location where the incident occurred and whether there was damage to their load or vehicle. The information gathered will be passed to the Home Office and Border Force teams.

The RHA’s International department, which provides advice and frequent updates of value to hauliers travelling abroad, is already receiving valuable and worrying feedback as to the extent of the problems. The 24/7 telephone line will supplement that information and the service will be available to all drivers, regardless of nationality.

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett (@RHARichardB) commented: "We are very concerned about the amount and scale of the reports we are receiving. They include instances of hauliers being threatened with baseball bats, while others have been subject to migrants throwing bricks off motorway bridges. We have also had several eye-witness accounts of migrants deliberately putting obstacles in the road with the sole aim of slowing vehicles down to make them more ‘accessible’.

"This is a situation that is both out of control and totally unacceptable for those who are, quite simply, doing their job. The reporting line will provide the evidence and understanding needed to ensure we get the protection that the haulage industry is entitled to expect."

Ends


Good to hear from you again below Ray. Lol re the Western Dock dry run !
Sadly no it isn't possible to make changes once the post goes up. The interim stage before you press the upload button, where it says 'make changes' .. is the last chance at re-edit. However if ever anyone needs to make changes after that just let me know and all will be fixed. Hope that helps.

Paul - my details at the top of page.

Sunday, 29 November 2015 - 08:03

 

Post 2594

  Ray H, Dover

Please ignore my ramblings about the Knuckle Light, if I had looked properly I would have seen that it is the West end of the Breakwater.

Out of interest is it possible to edit a post on here after you have pressed the send button?

Saturday, 28 November 2015 - 22:47

 

Post 2593

  Ray H, Dover

Excellent shot of the Doughty making waves near the Knuckle Light (I think).

Not wishing to alarm some among us but do you think that the container ship might have been doing a dry run for the new Western Dock Terminal?

Saturday, 28 November 2015 - 22:42

 

Post 2592

  Sea News, Dover

This huge monster came right in close to shore this morning - what a beast! I have never seen one of this proportion in so close to harbour before...she weighs in at something around 150,000 tons and I guess that's before she is loaded up. She is called the Yang Ming Warmth. Presumably she was letting off a pilot or similar as we have stated before. I think we have generally ascertained that that's usually the reason they come in so close. She is en route to Piraeus.
As I understand it this ship is brand spanking knew dating from 2015. As you can see the Chinese have arrived in more ways than one. PB.



Saturday, 28 November 2015 - 15:09

 

Post 2591

  Sea News, Dover

Wow! we are having some rough ol days and more importantly so are the tugboats and the ferries of course. Here we have Tug Doughty again, this time almost totally awash as she battles her way back to base across the harbour. If its this rough inside the harbour just acknowledge what its like ..out there!! That was yesterday...but

...all seems to be considerably more tranquil as we write today..brings me in mind of the following two pictures from Thursday. First of all we have that great sky, exactly as was, with nature doing all the work, no trickery with camera needed. Then finally we have a special visit to the immediate area below the observation tower from our seal again... pinching all my fish once again - doesn't he know yours truly has an exclusive contract to supply the UK supermarkets en masse....with mackerel and ermm more mackerel.. PaulB.




Thanks once again to Sarah for the post below. Great to see the Priscilla MacBean.

Saturday, 28 November 2015 - 06:53

 

Post 2590

  Sea News, Dover

The following pictures just in are from our ace 'roving contributor' SARAH HEWES once again. Sarah finds us interesting gems from near and far. Remember that Russian Sub recently? While the whole world was looking for it off Scotland we had pictures of it on the River Medway !

Now here we are with more lovely pictures once again and hugely enjoyable. Sarah says
"the photos I took yesterday are of ON655 the
old Eastbourne Lifeboat "Priscilla MacBean" now fully restored,
location... Old London Road in Hastings Old Town."
So there you have it.


All pictures by SARAH HEWES

Well done Mike with the post below - a good collecton there of all the goings on. Was wondering why the Arklow Racer was still there.
Also - meet the Port's new Cruise Specialist in post 2136


Friday, 27 November 2015 - 04:39

 

Post 2589

  Mike J., Dover

Admiralty Pier - Thursday morning.

ARKLOW RACER still undergoing repairs [waiting for parts perhaps ?] being passed by Weymouth-registered f/v ALDANA.



SWIFT waiting for grain lorries, loading for Antwerp - she sailed Thursday evening.



DIANA passing DAUNTLESS who is taking bunkers from a road tanker [when the harbour launches need fuel they take their diesel from one of the tugs]



CORAL WATER waiting for her next date with a ferry while someone is dangling from a crane, looks like repairs to the passenger gangway on Cruise-2.




Wish I could get my pix as sharp as Mr.B's . . . . . .


Thursday, 26 November 2015 - 23:16