Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 4272

  vic matcham , Dovor

Told some years go ,vic you are not fit to work any more and to old. so we spend our time going to the hos/or in the garden and looking at this great page on the forum showing all the work going on and the big ships coming and going. Now the good weather is with us and we go out more ,we head for the port to see for our self. But we never miss a morning looking at your great page,please keep it going.

Thursday, 11 May 2017 - 09:37

 

Post 4271

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Great photos of the Dungeness Lifeboat Paul, Mike & Ben, I'm loving them

Thursday, 11 May 2017 - 06:55

 

Post 4270

  Sea News, Dover

The Dungeness Lifeboat above there just after arriving in port a couple of evenings ago having assisted fishing boat KS One .
ALL PICTURES ABOVE BY BEN PAYNE.
Ben is a Lifeboatman here in Dover and doing sterling work as they all do. Many thanks Ben, good to see your pictures.

....and now here is an extra one from our famed roving correspondent. I came across this stunner in the files while doing this feature.. The Dungeness Lifeboat again in thrilling action.
PICTURE BY SARAH HEWES
That's a cracking shot above Sarah.
See also Mike's pictures of the Dungeness Lifeboat in 3780.
See also 3788.


Ah yes, as Patrick said below, we sadly saw the MP40 being towed away yesterday evening and there she is above in a recent shot with Wadden 1. See Patricks pictures below 3791, might be able to add to that sequence in due course when I catch up with myself. Never thought I'd be missing a dredger...what can ye doooo. yours truly needs to get out more...


Great pictures of the Brexit Banksy George. Love those.....such excitement re Banksy.
and Vics comment had us laughing out loud
as did Dels too. Good to hear from you Del as ever.

Lifeboat Special
PaulB

Thursday, 11 May 2017 - 05:59

 

Post 4269

  Del Styan, Norwich

What I want to know is- how did Banksy do it without you spotting it!

Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - 23:17

 

Post 4268

  George, Dover

A few more snaps of Dover's latest artistic attraction taken just now in the gorgeous evening sunshine. A poignant or celebratory image depending on which side of the Brexit argument you are on?





Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - 18:28

 

Post 4267

  Patrick, Marine Parade

This afternoon saw the departure of the Backhoe dredger 'MP40' that has been working in the outer and inner harbour over the past few weeks as part of the DWD Revival program.
Towed by support tug 'Lingestroom' it is heading for Peterhead.








Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - 18:15

 

Post 4266

  vic matcham , Dovor

My eyes must be bad ,I tryed to get up that ladder to talk to the painter.

Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - 16:19

 

Post 4265

  Sea News, Dover

Much excitement has been caused by this immense surprise...a Banksy picture right here in Dover...
Man up ladder chips star off EU flag.


It appeared out of the blue a few days ago. Yes indeed much excitement. TV crews from all over the place, including the EU, have been filming and I understand we have just had a mention in the New York Times...we are global!

Well done Banksy ! You gave us all a lift. I pin this in excitement for the moment. PB.


Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - 11:18

 

Post 4264

  Sea News, Dover

Our familiar friend AIDAsol arriving with us yesterday morning early under a big sky, always great to see such glamourous ships arriving here at the Port of Dover. The picture below shows her turning having come across the harbour with one of the great dredgers MP40 in the foreground ...with added small boat, presumably Smit Stour, completing the picture.



Following on from Mike's pictures of the Dungeness Lifeboat ( 3780 ) towing in a disabled fishing boat, here are a few extra pictures of the same situation as she entered harbour. They are not terribly good, possibly overzoomed, but at least they further show the situation at arrival.



Ah..I see I have had more new pictures of this Lifeboat situation just sent in...watch for those extra ones in due course.

Well done Mike with the latest Hengist info below. Also noted what you say re Saga Pearl funnel...in the current mode you might say...very Banksy

PaulB



Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - 06:51

 

Post 4263

  Mike J., Dover

Smart yacht !

Post 3749 showed the former HENGIST shortly after beaching at Aliaga.
By 3rd.May demolition was well advanced & soon the old girl will be gone.
Sad but inevitable.


Photo by courtesy & copyright of Selim San.

After the ship is stripped of useful equipment the steel goes to nearby steelworks which were set up to ‘process’ steel from ships scrapped at the many Aliaga shipbreaking yards.

Ref post 3774 & the SAGA PEARL II - I see that she still has a different paintjob on each side of the funnel.
Unusual.

Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 23:56

 

Post 4262

  Sea News, Dover

This fabulously super superyacht came idling by the Port at about 11 am this morning. She is called Alfa Nero and she was on her magnificent way to the almost equally fabulous Antibes in the South of France. She came close to shore hoping to catch yours trulys attention, as they clearly wanted me to come along...
but alas one had to decline as one had to stay indoors and await a grocery delivery from Tesco Direct.
...Well you have to get your priorities in order... yikes

From Edmiston.com
"
ALFA NERO was launched to universal acclaim in 2007. She sailed off with every important award including Boat International's interior and exterior yacht of the year, Showboats' best yacht over 75 metres and Yachts International's most innovative yacht over 40 metres. In simple terms she was the finest new yacht in the world.

"

So there you have it. We understand its owned by a Russian billionaire.



Thanks to Dave and Vic for the info and comments below.

PaulB



Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 14:43

 

Post 4261

  vic matcham , Dovor

you are right sir but it is the ground at times..

Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 11:45

 

Post 4260

  Dave, Broadstairs

Re post 3780:
I think 'thumping' posts in is a thing of the past now-a-days. They tend to vibrate them in. The weight of the unit and fast vibration is enough to do the job, especially around our chalky shores.

Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 10:38

 

Post 4259

  vic matcham , Dovor

You can see the round piles being put in now,well some years ago we was putting them down in Chatham docks about 3oo of them our job was to put them down then put a cage inside each one then I had to cut off the tops off that was about 8ft then the Concrete lads would fill the part in the ground with concrete we would with a crane take the offcut away to our part of the site put the off cuts on rollers and reweld them back up to use again,well we put down about 4to six in one day,but one day it was a Friday we had just done last one for the day and was getting dark we never done it in the dark that would be very unsafe,Well we was just packing up and the site foreman came over ,"Sorry to tell you lads they have got a ex lot of Concrete and we need you to do one more cutoff ,must say I was not happy about this no site lights and it was getting very dark, anyway we went back up on site I cut the holes in the side of the pile then they done a pour before I cut the top off so that made it very hard to cut it off ,the crane droped his chains and I fixed them to the pile and cut round it well wet concrete poured out of it and I got burned ,anyway by now it was dark. After each pile is done and cut off they put tape around each one so you can see where they are,well this night after I had done the last one we could not see across the site all we had was the light of the crane we was walking long side it holding a rope on the off cut which the crane was holding and then it happen there was a pile done and no tape round in, I did not see in and in I went ,but has luck would have it I put my arms out and they rested on the side of the pile the wet concrete was slowly taking me down but they drop off the pile they were carrying and put the chains around me and pulled me up out of it At one point I was thinking it was the end of me.

Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 09:22

 

Post 4258

  vic matcham , Dovor

Two very good looking girls there with lips like that ship just going out of the port

Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 08:51

 

Post 4257

  Sea News, Dover

SUNDAY EVENING DEPARTURES: yes indeed it has been a busy period for cruise liners here at the Port of Dover. Long may it continue. The top shot there shows the Balmoral heading off on Sunday evening, going south to enjoy a tour of Spain with Le Coruna the first stop.

Below we have the departure of AIDAvita, by now its beyond 8pm and getting dark as she heads off on her round Britain and Ireland tour....as indicated by ColetteB in her Cruise Visit listing below page. Always type in Cruise Visits in the Search Engine to keep up to speed, as I do myself.



While going through the files right now yours truly spotted this one below of AIDAvita from last spring 2016...couldn't resist putting it up, taken on a bleak oul day but a striking picture. Makes you want to reach for your anorak just looking at it. Brrrrr.. shiver me timbers!

SEA NEWS SUPPORTERS: And speaking of ColetteB and her Cruise Lists...here she is below on the left with fellow enthusiast Alison on the right. You may remember these two were part of the charity fund raising efforts we featured a while back...here they are at a ladies lunch ( or was it afternoon tea .. ermmm ) a couple of days ago...all very nice at the Dover Marina Hotel. They were pictured by another one of the girls but not sure who it was for the moment.
Ah...info has since come through...
PICTURE BY LINDA HANNENT


Cracking pictures below there Sarah. I can feel the salt spray on my lips looking at those lifeboat shots...and what a grand picture of the tall ship.
Great stuff indeed!
Well done the roving correspondent.


Right on the pace below there Mike..spotting the lifeboat arriving. I saw it last evening towing and rounding the Admiralty Pier and entering the harbour...a bit long range but I had a go at a few shots, still in camera ... still catching up as ever... might have a follow up picture or two of it all later.

PaulB.
EDIT: 0730 and AIDAsol returns.

Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 06:02

 

Post 4256

  Mike J., Dover

A couple of views of the DWDR activity on Monday afternoon.

Four piles seem to have gone in so far without the expected thumping, or at least I’ve not heard any in my part of Dover - the tall white thingies [technical term] with the red bases seem to be the power behind the pile-driving & presumably have some sort of acoustic screening.

The Dunkirk jetty is being slowly nibbled away.

Whilst I was up at St.Martins Battery I noticed the Dungeness lifeboat bringing in a Rye-registered fishing vessel, the GS ONE.


After a quick chat alongside the Dover lifeboat with hardly time for a cuppa, 13-02 headed off back to Dungeness.




Tuesday, 9 May 2017 - 01:19

 

Post 4255

  Sarah, Ramsgate

When I came out of my meeting tonight at the Lifeboat Station, I spotted this beauty sitting in our harbour "Morgenster"



Monday, 8 May 2017 - 23:05

 

Post 4254

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Whitstable's Atlantic 85 Lifeboat going out on exercise yesterday.





Monday, 8 May 2017 - 06:37

 

Post 4253

  Sea News, Dover

And now ...an unmissable one for the diaries....

A free weekend of entertainment for all the family at the Port of Dover Regatta and the Dover Music Festival
________________________________________________________________________________________

On Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 August 2017 the Dover Music Festival working with the Port, will highlight a variety of musical acts during the day and evening. This year, the music festival has been generously sponsored by port contractors, Volker Stevin Boskalis Westminster (VSBW). 

Celebrating its fifth year, the Port of Dover Community Regatta will take place on Sunday 27 August 2017, along Dover’s award-winning esplanade. 

Tim Waggott, the Port’s Chief Executive, said: "We’re planning another fabulous free weekend for the Dover Festival again this year. Together with our partners from the Dover Music Festival, we are committed to putting Dover firmly on the map as a popular family entertainment destination. These events are a great opportunity for the Port and community to come together and celebrate music, our shared maritime history and what we hope will be a glorious summer." 

Roger Marsden, Dover Music Festival Director: "We’re delighted to be hosting the Dover Music Festival from Dover’s unique and historic Cruise Terminal One again this year. We want to build on the success of our first collaboration with the Port last year, and will be confirming this year’s acts soon." 

VSBW Project Director, Stuart Eckersley said: "VSBW is happy to support this significant local community initiative."

Further event details will be announced in due course but in the meantime please follow us on the @DoverPortEvents and @dovermusicfestival Facebook pages for regular updates.

Ends


Not quite a match for Ed's spraying tugboat in 3770 but here we are with dredger Kreeft getting in on the act on Saturday...

Yesterday Sunday saw the Nederland Reefer arrive with us once again.... and here she is...




Thanks for those Cruise details once again Colette



Monday, 8 May 2017 - 06:09