Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 4109

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Atlantic Klipper berthing at the DTC today.


Sunday, 9 April 2017 - 12:56

 

Post 4108

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Great balloon photos folks, sadly I couldn't see them from Ramsgate have to make do with a selection of work boats.

Ex. Lifeboat ON-886 was brought into Ramsgate by our ILB early in the morning, we were the third Lifeboat Station to be called out to her since she left North Shields for Penzance.





TMS Bittern with Estuary Elan in the background



Advancer leaving Ramsgate



Estuary Elite returning to base



Sunday, 9 April 2017 - 08:06

 

Post 4107

  Sea News, Dover

The last of my balloons..
Yes although we had been tipped off by Mike I still went into Corporal Jones panic mode when I saw the beginning of the arrivals in the pic above...that was my first glimpse as the balloon shown passed over Dover Grammar School for Boys. These pix here were taken on a little camera as despite all the preparation yours truly still wasn't ready for action...
"Don't panic, Don't panic! " - thus spake Cpl Jones from the wings...
   
  
Anyway there we are with the balloons - I'm all ballooned out.
Aida Vita was somewhat overshadowed in all the balloonistic kerfuffle but here we are below....
First shot above shows her resting at Cruise Terminal 2 mid afternoon, while the pictures below show her early arrival..
   
 

Oh dear ...not supposed to do six pictures.
Yes indeed great to see those pictures from Dunkerque...great work Ed, only the second visiting LNG tanker...

Well done with the Cruise Visits Colette...will watch out for those for sure..

Nice pix there below Mike..well done with those.

Thanks Jeremy, yes great team members contributing on here and you are one yourself.

PaulB.

Sunday, 9 April 2017 - 06:58

 

Post 4106

  Mike J., Dover

Excellent balloons pix from Paul & Andy Wood. - thanks.
Quite a sight, here's a few views from the 'other side'

Interesting pix from Ed of the Dunkirk gas tanker, with a very nice night view.








Sunday, 9 April 2017 - 00:13

 

Post 4104

  Colette B, Dover

CRUISE VISITS
____________

Firstly, a terrific week yet again from the Sea News team, brilliant photos all round....... Cruise Ships, Ferries, Lifeboats, Hot Air Balloons & even a delightful little Sailing Vessel 'Blue Clipper' from Ed ... and Mr B the photos of the Balloons were just FAB

The AIDAVita looked splendid as she set off at 21:30 last night.....like diamonds, a girl's best friend, sparkling on the water


Two more Cruise ships in this coming week, on Monday 10th April, the Braemar arrives back AT CT2 after her French River Sojourn. She is due in at 05:00 hrs for Debark only & will leave us at 09:00 hrs.

The following day Tuesday 11th The Saga Pearl 11 is back with us again at CT1 after her Azores & Canaries in Spring cruise. She is scheduled to arrive at 08:00 hrs for Debark only & will leave us at 12:00 hrs

We will have no cruises until Tuesday 18th, after the Easter weekend, some exciting cruise ships scheduled so I will be back then


Saturday, 8 April 2017 - 21:14

 

Post 4103

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

LNG carrier Fraiha discharging at the Dunkerque West terminal. This is only the second cargo to be delivered since construction of the terminal.





Tug VB Cyclone stood by throughout the time the vessel was on the berth.


Saturday, 8 April 2017 - 19:06

 

Post 4102

  Jeremy Ward, Whitfield, Dover

Great pictures of the balloon race, there are some talented photographers on here.

Saturday, 8 April 2017 - 08:29

 

Post 4101

  Sea News, Dover

Picture by Andrew Wood

A very nice picture above there from Andrew Wood.. Many thanks Andrew for sending it over. Great stuff indeed! That's the Spirit of Britain departing. Picture taken from the famous White Cliffs close to the Coastguard Station.

You can also see a video from Andrew at Kentphotopics on YouTube
We cant do live links so please copy and paste...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIgDjiCboVM&feature=youtu.be

You will remember the chat yesterday about the balloon that came so low in pics 3 and 4 yesterday...so low that yours truly was actually looking down on it from the 'observation tower'. Well here we are again with two more images of same balloon. It was scaring the seagulls for sure and had me worried because yours truly thought it was going to ditch...then it looked as if it wouldn't make it over the breakwater, there were some moments of consternation as the last thing anyone wanted was an accident. As you can see in picture 2 below here it came close to that breakwater wall. But all was okay in the end as it made it and began to slowly gain height.
  


Thanks Del - there's a few more to enjoy now above.

Sorry to hear you weren't too good Vic and as you dropped off and missed the spectacle you can now enjoy the pictures on here.

PaulB.
PS: the AIDAvita was in with us yesterday and looking good...will have a pic to follow in due course.

Saturday, 8 April 2017 - 07:03

 

Post 4100

  Del Styan, Norwich

What lovely pics of the balloons. Well done!

Friday, 7 April 2017 - 23:31

 

Post 4099

  vic matcham , dovor

Thank you for that I had been up most of the night with pains in my legs so had to take pain killers so I was sitting in my chair with the cat on my lap waiting to view them coming over but fell a sleep and missed it

Friday, 7 April 2017 - 15:57

 

Post 4098

  Sea News, Dover

And now...the famed and awesome Balloons over Dover. What a spectacular sight this morning.
Let's let the balloons do the talking..
   
   
   
   
  


Wow! One of the guys there in pics 3 and 4 got so low I thought he was going to ditch. Yours truly in the observation tower was actually looking down on him as you can see in the pictures....but he made it over the breakwater wall and was up and airborne again in no time. If he had of ditched it would have been big news...one for the tv peeps who like that sort of thing.

The balloons truly were quite a sight. Pictures never really do the spectacle justice somehow.

Thanks to Mike once again for tipping us off

Also don't miss todays earlier post below with info from Charlie Elphicke MP.

Friday, 7 April 2017 - 11:48

 

Post 4097

  Sea News, Dover

Following along from yesterdays stunning performance from P&O Ferries see post 3623..
Charlie Elphicke suggests we best be ready for Brexit...


We must be ready on Day One at the Dover & Deal frontline...says Charlie Elphicke MP
______________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr Boland,

Article 50 has been triggered and we’re off. In two years we will leave the European Union. And on Day One of Brexit the sun shone brightly on our White Cliffs – a sign of brighter days ahead.
 
The White Cliffs are a symbol of freedom across the world – of our island’s resilience and independence. For centuries, Dover has been the gateway and guardian of the kingdom. The front line that repelled Julius Caesar and saw off Napoleon. The skies in which the Battle of Britain was fought. Dover has always stood firm.

Once again Dover and Deal are at the frontline. A great proportion of Britain's trade with Europe comes through the port. Dover handles £120 billion of imports and exports every year as well as huge numbers of people. Deal or no deal, we need to be ready on day one.

Europe is only part of the problem. In many ways our greatest problems are those we create for ourselves. It takes years to build even the simplest road. Because there are always so many vested interests seeking to stop any work being done. Ask any driver and they’ll tell you our roads are simply not up to the job.

It’s little surprise that Michel Barnier, Europe’s chief Brexit negotiator, claims there will be queues on the roads to Dover and Deal if there is ‘no deal’. The entire system is so finely balanced there are already tailbacks every summer. Port chief Tim Waggott has also warned of repeats if we are not prepared at the Dover and Deal frontline. This simple truth is that gridlock at Dover means gridlock for the UK economy too.

Over the past few months I’ve been working with the port as well as business and industry experts on both sides of the Channel. We’ve been looking at how to keep trade moving through Dover and Calais.

Key roads need to be upgraded right now. The M20 lorry park which we need to prevent the entire road system breaking down in the event of port problems is under threat. Vested interests – greenies and grumblers who don’t care what’s best for Dover and Deal – are seeking to stop it. Meanwhile the essential Lower Thames Crossing linking Kent and Essex is entering its third decade of planning. And the dualling of the A2 – axed by the last Labour government – must be back on the table.

We are going through a major change – one which will be written about in the history books. Yet the next two years can’t just be about Brussels. Vital work needs doing here too.

So we won’t just be ready on day one – Dover and Deal will be more successful and stronger than ever before.

End

We need to keep this terrific amount of trade moving through Dover as shown in the released performance by P&O yesterday. (3623)
Thanks to Charlie for the above.

Back to the DWDR....
Sospan Dau below there...yours truly thought she was leaving us in this picture yesterday, but no of course not...just redistributing 'spoil' from the development I understand..

Below we have a selection of vessels all clubbed together, a bit congested...but the main focus centrally is on dredging platform MP40 working very hard right from the getgo. The small red craft in the foreground has the name Sea Lift III written on it, however not entirely sure of the name, to the left you can just see MoragM, a vessel we featured a number of times already, and creeping into shot on the right...the familiar David Church. All hands to the pump...   
 

We have had more info through from the guys at the Port and will follow with that in due course. Thanks to them as ever.
Just catching up with developments as usual...hard to keep up...so much to do, so little time...


Thanks for that vital info once again Mike
...camera poised at the ready..


PB.

Friday, 7 April 2017 - 06:12

 

Post 4096

  Mike J., Dover

Cross-Channel Balloon race update -

GREEN – 06/04/2017
We are officially on GREEN for Friday morning, April 7th.

In 2011 the first balloons appeared over Dover at dawn, the wind that day taking most of them out over the Channel between Langdon Cliffs & St.Margarets Bay.
They had all gone by 0730.


Thursday, 6 April 2017 - 19:25

 

Post 4095

  Sea News, Dover

P&O FERRIES REPORTS HIGHEST EVER Q1 FREIGHT VOLUMES ON THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
_________________________________________________________________________

Release time: immediate

P&O FERRIES carried more freight across the English Channel in the first three months of the year than in any first quarter in its modern history.

The ferry and logistics company's six ships on the Dover-Calais route transported 361,100 lorries during January, February and March. This figure was almost 11 per cent higher than the corresponding period in 2016 and nine per cent higher than the previous best ever Q1 in 2012.

In a sign of the rising importance of the cross-Channel transport of goods to the economies of both Britain and Europe, P&O Ferries set individual monthly freight records in January, February and March respectively.

Janette Bell, Managing Director of P&O Ferries, said: "We are committed to delivering a reliable, punctual service with the lowest possible waiting times to anyone transporting goods between Dover and Calais."

"Our performance during Q1 shows just how many businesses across Europe rely - either directly or indirectly - on the services we provide. Our ferries are a vital conduit for the transport of fresh fruit and vegetables, building materials, components for production lines and much else besides."

"We expect demand for cross-Channel transport to increase, driven by a rising population and the continuing strength of the British economy. It is essential for our customers from all parts of Europe that maintaining secure, safe and efficient passage through the ports of Dover and Calais is a priority for both sides negotiating Britain's departure from the European Union."

During the quarter, two of P&O Ferries' English Channel ships - the Pride of Canterbury and the Pride of Burgundy - spent several weeks each in Poland's Remontowa shipyard for major life extension work. Both vessels, which weigh up to 30,000 tons, have now been relaunched and are back in service.

P&O Ferries is a leading pan-European ferry and logistics company, sailing on eight major routes between Britain, France, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Holland and Belgium. It operates 20 vessels which carry more than 10 million passengers, 1.6 million cars and 2.2 million freight units every year.

Together with its logistics division, P&O Ferrymasters, the company also operates integrated road and rail links to countries across the continent including Italy, Poland and Romania. A P&O Ferrymasters-owned rail terminal in the northern Romanian city of Oradea, which will facilitate the onward movement of goods to Britain from the Silk Road, became operational last year.


ENDS

   
A stunning performance from P&O above there, Great to see that - many thanks to them for the info. Great stuff indeed!
Lets hope it all continues in the same way after Brexit. We need it to.
Someone in business said this to me last week when asked what Brexit means...
"Ah Brexit - chasing the trade deal we already have!"
So...there we are.

PICTURES: top shot shows P&O Ferries Pride of Canterbury in recent times, Now returned from a major refit as mentioned in the copy above.
Second pictrure shows one of the P&O Spirits yesterday on her way to Calais and in the distance the mighty Madison Maersk, all 195,000 tons of her.
Freight on the move.

* *

 

Heavy work has begun on the seafront beach to the west of the Seasports Centre..you can see it happening above there. Diggers moving giant boulders on a grand scale...pictured yesterday. We will have much more to come in due course.

Thanks Sarah - glad you like those Lifeboat pix below. The Lifeboat has had a busy few days.

Thanks for that info Mike - we will watch for those balloons.

Very nice pictures below Ed. Enjoyed those for sure. Didn't get a chance with the Discovery Bay myself and the sailing boat Blue Clipper is super.

PaulB.




Thursday, 6 April 2017 - 08:13

 

Post 4094

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Awesome photos of Dover Lifeboat returning after a call out. Well done Paul

Thursday, 6 April 2017 - 05:57

 

Post 4093

  Mike J., Dover

X-Channel Balloons - from the official website, some out-of-date items, but interesting -

Amber Alert – 05/04/2017

We are officially on AMBER ALERT for Friday morning, April 7th.


Update – 04/04/2017

We are now extending the official standby period through until Sunday April 30th.


Update – 02/04/2017

We are now officially standing down the cross channel flight for Tuesday April 4th and revert to STANDBY.


Update – 31/03/2017

We are now officially standing down the cross channel flight for Sunday April 2nd. This is due to the building high pressure and the upper winds which are now in the region of 5-6 knots and clearly not suitable for flying the Channel.

However, there is a growing chance of a slot on Tuesday and we remain on Amber Alert for Tuesday 4th April.


Wednesday, 5 April 2017 - 22:04

 

Post 4092

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Sailing vessel Blue Clipper passing Dover this afternoon.


Wednesday, 5 April 2017 - 18:17

 

Post 4091

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Discovery Bay at the DCT today.


Wednesday, 5 April 2017 - 12:43

 

Post 4090

  Sea News, Dover

The Dover Lifeboat in hi-powered action...
   
   
   
   
 

The pictures were taken Saturday afternoon and show the lifeboat in blistering hi-speed action as she returns to the Port of Dover. All pictures in sequence as ever. She may be returning from an actual emergency call-out this time...I don't have details but the timing is not on the usual schedule for a training session. Time was about 15.00 hours or 3pm if you prefer.

This item in dedication to the great Lifeboat crews everywhere, the fundraisers and the back up staff... all volunteers
Hopefully our Lifeboat aficionado Sarah H will enjoy those....



Well done Ed with those shots below...they capture the mood of the misty day for sure. The place is alive with workboats etc at the moment.
Very exciting.

Lol Del...know that one well, know the feeling too !

PaulB.



Wednesday, 5 April 2017 - 06:49

 

Post 4089

  Del Styan, Norwich

How about " Comfortably Numb " ?

Tuesday, 4 April 2017 - 23:15