Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 4749

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Discovery Bay at the DCT Wednesday.


Thursday, 21 September 2017 - 00:35

 

Post 4748

  vic matcham , Dovor

Great photos coming up now thank you and love seeing the big ships and the war ships lets hope we do not have to see them in action.

Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 11:30

 

Post 4747

  Mark rushton, Northants

Interesting news on Messina and Magellan Strait. As you say, they were both beached at Alang in India 4 weeks ago, but did you realise that these two vessels were only 13 years old ? Quite remarkable that such young ships should be heading for the knackers yard ! Anyway, keep up the good work chaps...

Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 11:08

 

Post 4746

  Patrick, Marine Parade

Another view of the Chinese heavy lift ship Xiang He Kou in the Channel yesterday


THV 'Patricia' arriving at Cruise 2 on a rather dull morning after a brighter early start.


and the departure of Boskalis' backhoe dredger 'Manu Pekka' last monday towed by 'Sea Scout' assisted out of the port by 'Morag'. It had been dredging in both the inner and outer harbours for several weeks. Going back to Rotterdam.


Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 10:34

 

Post 4745

  Sea News, Dover

IN TRIBUTE TO THE MESSINA STRAIT AND THE MAGELLAN STRAIT
Yes we have heard the news that both ships are being dismantled. They were both very welcome visitors here at the Port of Dover so its sad to see them go.
FIRST we have the MESSINA STRAIT..first picture taken in May 2016, the second pic taken in December 2015.


Those two shots above are of the Messina Strait while below the two shots are of the Magellan Strait in September 2015. See also Mike's pictures in post 4244.





Following along from Ed's picture....here we are again with the Chinese heavy lift ship Xiang He Kou moving slowly south to Las Palmas yesterday around 5pm...all these giants on the move lately...


Great sets of pictures below there Ed from 'our man on the spot' himself. Its great to be able to feature Dunkerque West plus....
Thanks lads all round for the info as ever.
PaulB.

Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 06:45

 

Post 4744

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

LNG tanker Arctic Lady in Dunkerque West today.



Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 00:08

 

Post 4743

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Heavy lift ship Xiang He Kou passing Dover this afternoon.


Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 00:06

 

Post 4742

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

As noted, four warships of Standing NATO Maritime Group One passing Dover this afternoon.









Wednesday, 20 September 2017 - 00:03

 

Post 4741

  Mike J., Dover

Full details of today's warships on Nigel Scutts 'Dover Marina' Facebook page, courtesy of warship enthusiasts in Gibraltar !

Tuesday, 19 September 2017 - 22:57

 

Post 4740

  Sea News, Dover

Yes indeed Brian 4 navy ships went down the channel around midday.
The visibility was poor and yours truly had several stabs at getting some pictures but with the prevailing atmospherics it didn't work on the long range for me today at all.
But here is one ship anyway, not a great pic by any means.
It appears to me that the four ships were of the Royal Netherlands Navy...as far as I can tell anyway. That info may not be entirely accurate but I am suggesting this one is....
HNLMS Evertsen (F805)


Here is another image of the Transocean Prospect platform ( see also 4245).
Very long range and hampered by visibility once again.



Tuesday, 19 September 2017 - 16:28

 

Post 4739

  brian, dover

there seems to be 4 frigates/destroers heading down the channel at the moment.

Tuesday, 19 September 2017 - 13:05

 

Post 4738

  Sea News, Dover

Bit of a nasty accident on the main road about 700/800 metres from the port entrance yesterday mid-morning. It's always fairly awful to see a motorcycle lying on the ground. However in this case the rider is up and chatting which is great to see. We have had a number of the other kind of accident in recent and former times where the participants were not so lucky. The police were in attendance ( their car is just out of shot). The rear bumper of the car in front is 'hanging loose'
...but good to see everybody more or less okay.


That's HMS Argyle moving on down the channel at the weekend. Not a great picture as the Navy guys will paint everything grey!


But its passing co-incided with an article in the Daily Telegraph at the weekend. Now, the Telegraph is an organ fully in support of the Conservative Government so that's why the following is more than a bit of a shock...

_____________

Con Coughlin, Defence Editor Daily Telegraph
14 September 2017 • 9:30pm


The Royal Navy can only send a quarter of its warships to sea due to spending cuts which have left the armed forces "struggling to protect Britain's citizens", the Telegraph has learned.

Currently 13 of the Navy's 19-strong fleet of Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers are unable to go to sea due to a lack of manpower, fuel and supplies, senior military sources have revealed.

The cuts to defence spending have also severely hampered Britain’s response to Hurricane Irma.

HMS Ocean, the amphibious assault ship that currently serves as the Royal Navy’s flagship, was sent to provide support to the British overseas territories in the Caribbean but suffered engine problems and has now been delayed by a week.

The RAF flew a small number of Royal Marines, Royal Engineers and police to the Caribbean after Irma.
Tonight the source said that Britain's response has turned the Navy into a "laughing stock".
The source said: "The Armed Forces have now been reduced to a level where they struggle to protect...

Ends

__________________


Following on from Ed's stunning collection re the Blue Marlin
here we are with another ginormous beast moving down the channel yesterday evening around 5PM
....Its a drilling platform called Transocean Prospect and it looked an impressive monster as it slowly made its way south...it was being towed by two large red/white tugs. Maybe one was doing the actual towing with one in attendance ahead of the pack. The tugs out of shot.




Bit of heat shimmer in the second pic when a chap zooms in. That's the coast of France looming large in the background.


Gobsmacked and stunned by that news Mike re the Magellan Strait and the Messina Strait. Cant quite believe it...I have a disposable razor older than 13 years !! That's a great pity...always enjoyed their visits. Nice pictures. I must dig out a picture or two as well in tribute.
Thanks for the info once again

Brilliant coverage Ed on the Blue Marlin. Great to see that giant in all round action

PaulB.

Tuesday, 19 September 2017 - 06:40

 

Post 4737

  mIKE j., Dover

Interesting pix of the BLUE MARLIN from Ed - was that low-flying cloud obscuring the upper part of the rig's legs ?
Would have been interesting photos taken from the top of the legs !

No sign of any movement of the DOCKWISE VANGUARD AT 2330 on Monday night.
I Reckon that she'll pass Dover about ten hours after leaving Maasvlakte.

Remember the unusual-looking reefers MAGELLAN STRAIT & MESSINA STRAIT that used to be regular Dover visitors ?
Both 13-year old ships were beached at Alang, India in late August for breaking-up.

A pity to see them go, they made an interesting change from the modern reefers which all look pretty much the same & neither the STRAITs or the modern reefers look as attractive as the 'classic' reefers which were [for me anyway] much more elegant vessels.
But that's progress . . . . .





Tuesday, 19 September 2017 - 00:11

 

Post 4736

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Heavy lift ship Blue Marlin seen at distance in the Northeast lane today bound for Norway carrying an oil rig.


Blue Marlin transporting the damaged destroyer USS Cole back from Yemen.


Blue Marlin delivering BP platform Thunder Horse to Corpus Christi in Texas from South Korea via the Cape of Good Hope.


Blue Marlin arriving at Pearl Harbour with sea-based X band radar destined for Adak Island in Alaska.


Monday, 18 September 2017 - 12:54

 

Post 4735

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Baltic Klipper at the DCT today.


Monday, 18 September 2017 - 12:04

 

Post 4734

  Sea News, Dover

The Artania's Lifeboats


Yes the Artania lowered her lifeboats into the immediate waters on...ermm which morning...yes on Saturday morning and you can see them pictured above there. They appeared at one point to be transferring 'victims' from one boat to the other, no doubt all part of a vital procedure. It was of course just an exercise. Unexpectedly some of the boats were similar to rather nice white cabin cruisers...which I thought was unusual but..if they get the job done then that's the main thing. It all looked very efficient.
See other Artania pix in 4237.

Below we leap forward to Sunday morning and its Dover's very own RNLI lifeboat returning to harbour in scintillating style as she blasts through the shimmering water. The guys were out on their usual sunday morning exercise routine.

PaulB.

Monday, 18 September 2017 - 06:11

 

Post 4733

  brian, dover

your welcome paul,all is fine hear.

Sunday, 17 September 2017 - 15:59

 

Post 4732

  Sea News, Dover

That's the giant car-carrier Cygnus Leader of the NYK Line moving on down the channel yesterday saturday around midday. She was on her way to Turkey and possibly further on to the FarEast afterwards. These are great long distance beasts...not everyone's cup of tea designwise but still an impressive sight.

Thanks re info below Brian. Hope all good with you. Yes indeed you may well be right re the filming but no doubt we will find out for sure in the coming days.



Sunday, 17 September 2017 - 15:43

 

Post 4731

  brian, dover

probably another run of the " tunnel" they have used it on the last run of the program.

Sunday, 17 September 2017 - 07:31

 

Post 4730

  Sea News, Dover

As promised there we are above with pictures of Artania arriving with us in super bright conditions yesterday morning saturday The great autumn spell of cruise arrivals goes on apace.. so we are delighted to see Artania back with us once more. Weatherwise...well it makes a change above re how the weather looks today...quite foggy and dismal as I write. More than a touch of the autumnals these days. Didn't summer end very fast...

Well done Mike with the post below. Sorry to hear you froze your assets down Admiralty Pier but it was worth it. I understand its Disney filming down the pier, so I heard anyway, but how accurate the info is I don't know.
Nice pictures.


Good to hear from you Dave over there in Broadstairs.
Great to see those pictures of the former Lifeboat. Well done with that post...enjoyable for sure.


PaulB.

Sunday, 17 September 2017 - 06:06