Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 4027

  Sea News, Dover

There we have the Braemar above at Cruise Terminal Two yesterday about 3.30pm. Its an insurance picture taken in case she didn't depart during daylight hours...and she didn't, she was still here in a blaze of dazzling light until late last night saturday.

The unusual situation with the Duzgits goes on...the following shot is the Duzgit Venture servicing the Braemar yesterday afternoon and the final shot below, taken a couple of days earlier, it was the turn of the Duzgit Harmony to do her thing. That's Smit Stour again in the foreground. We had another shot previously of Smit Stour doing her surveying as the Saga Pearl left....further down page.

Catching the late harmonious colours of the evening below now..as mentioned..The Duzgit Harmony....   
In the midst of all the Cruise action we still had cargo ships calling, well one anyway over the past couple of days. Elsebeth...but she was lost to us in the fog. 
Interestingly, neither Duzgit is in Port as we speak.

Sunday, 19 March 2017 - 06:48

 

Post 4026

  Sea News, Dover

 
The second cruise ship of the season..Braemar under a big sky a few minutes ago as I write.

Thanks guys below...yes great time, having a slow start this morning

Saturday, 18 March 2017 - 10:29

 

Post 4025

  Sarah, Ramsgate

Thank you for inviting me Paul, sadly I couldn't come as I was busy on RNLI business all evening. Hope you had a great time.

Saturday, 18 March 2017 - 08:59

 

Post 4024

  vic matcham , dovor

Thank yu for asking us along on Friday night ,but we have only just got back today as you know we both have not been well of late so we went away for a few days to help get over it,it did help but still not feel like going out yet. We hope you have a good time,And again thank you for the photos of the port which we turn into each day. Vic

Friday, 17 March 2017 - 15:50

 

Post 4023

  Sea News, Dover

As promised here we are with a further collection of pictures of the first cruise ship of the season...the Saga Pearl II...off on that famous Irish trip. The St Patricks Day special to the Emerald Isle.
  
   
All pictures above there are by Patrick Simmons. Patrick shot right onto the decks there and you can see a well packed ship with passengers breathless in anticipation at the great trip before them. Huge thanks Patrick, your pictures are very welcome.
Nice work Patrick  

And now a couple from yours truly below...
Some pictures of a triple whammy nature where Alert, Duzgit Harmony and Saga Pearl are all seen together. These 'triple whammy' pictures were taken earlier in the day but are/were plagued a bit by haze. We had heavy harbour congestion for a minute or two as Duzgit moved in to supply bunkering services. Alert was just pausing in the inner harbour... More pictures further down page in post.... 3548.
   
 

Enjoy your night out Del with your colleagues from Norwich Museum. Sounds like a great plan!
Yes indeed Mark the couple Peter and Kathryn used to run that pub in Barfrestone and then ran Blakes in Castle St for many years where we held many of our wider Doverforum parties. Now they have the Mash Tun micropub. You have great memories there from the Yew Tree...yes now sadly gone.
Have a great day!

PaulB.

Friday, 17 March 2017 - 06:09

 

Post 4022

  Del Styan, Norwich

Would love to come to St Patrick's do at the Mash Tun - alas I will be drinking with work colleagues from Norwich Museums at the White Lion in Norwich at about the same time. Have a good night!

Thursday, 16 March 2017 - 23:30

 

Post 4021

  Mark Rushton, Northants

Sadly a bit too far to travel for me to the Mash Tun these days. I note from the web site that the owners used to run the Yew Tree in Barfrestone, which closed some time ago and was shamefully converted to a private residence. Anyone else remember the legendary live folk nights there in the mid 90's when Angie ran the place ? The bar was really rocking and ram packed full. My mum lived two doors down and it was far too noise to go to bed before midnight when a band was on, so the obvious choice was to join the party. I seem to recall getting through an awful lot of Abbott and Black Sheep. Happy Days !

Thursday, 16 March 2017 - 17:00

 

Post 4020

  Sea News, Dover

 Here I am with some more info re St Patricks Day as now have spoken to Colette B
...a drinks gathering, not a party as such, at the Mash Tun micropub on Friday March 17 for St Patricks Day, which is situated just the townside of the seafront underpass, carpark across the road. Its roughly opposite the Funky Munkey and next door to Il Rusticana italian restaurant. I think thats how you spell those...
in there from about 7pm...ColetteB and several friends will be there..

I know much of the contributors to Sea News are further afield but it would be great to see
the main teamsters if it was possible to get here..
Sarah H
Mike J
Ed C
although Ed might have to swim in from mid-channel
Chris T
Patrick
Howard
Barry
Vic
Brian
George H
Connor B
Jeremy W
The Lifeboat guys.
The Port guys who all give great help.
DFDS and P&O guys
All would be welcome.

I know Del and Mark are further afield as are a number of other guys.
Thanks for all the help and indeed the contributions from all.
Not a party as such - we used to do parties in the old days.

I now have to figure out a way to get the cobwebs off my wallet..there are soooo many !!

PS: will get those extra pictures up re the Saga Pearl departure in the morning..with some pictures from Patrick S there..
Running behind schedule a tad.
PaulB



Thursday, 16 March 2017 - 16:08

 

Post 4018

  Sea News, Dover

  
Another successful cruise season ahead for Dover Cruise Port.
___________________________________________________

As the sun rose over Dover yesterday morning, the majestic Saga Pearl II cruise ship glided into the historic Port of Dover Cruise Terminal One marking the commencement of the 2017 cruise season.

This year is set to be another great success for Destination Dover with 96 cruise calls at Dover Cruise Port. These include the return of Holland America Line and V Ships Leisure S.A.M ships the ‘Artania’ and the ‘Albatros’. Silversea Cruises ‘Silver Explorer’ makes her inaugural call at Dover on 1 June and the welcome return of Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines who last called at Dover in 2010 and 2013 respectively.

This year also sees the welcome return of the enchanting Disney Magic to Dover. On 24 May this amazing ship will be in Port for the day offering her discerning passengers the opportunity explore Dover’s historic shores. She will then revisit for turnaround calls on 28 June and 9 July. Dover Cruise Port can also proudly announce that the Disney Magic will feature more prominently at the Port during the 2018 season, with four calls from her already secured for the year.
Sonia Limbrick.   

Port of Dover Head of Business Development (Cruise), Sonia Limbrick said: "It’s wonderful that the cruise season is underway again here at Dover Cruise Port and fantastic to be able to announce that Destination Dover has secured so many cruise calls for the 2017 season. The history and inspiring regeneration of Dover Western Docks and town has created a buzz of excitement within the industry and placed Dover firmly on the map as a destination of choice for both local and international cruise passengers."

The Dover Cruise Team is currently exhibiting at Seatrade Cruise Global until 16 March.
 
Ends

Great stuff! Looking forward to all those great cruise visits here at the Port of Dover.

The pictures show the Saga Pearl II departing yesterday evening about 5pm. She moved off in blazing sunlight but with considerable haze unfortunately. About 15 minutes into the trip the usual Spitfire display took place . It was awesome..as the kids would say. The stresses on the Spitfire frame as it pulled those breathtaking climbs was...well awesome. Unfortunately spoiled from my angle by too much haze and distance to get a picture. The small boat in the foreground of one shot is the Smit Stour...she is carrying out survey work.

They were off on the Saga Pearl for the St Patricks Day trip to Dublin, Cork, etc etc for a week . Bet that's quite a party. More info in Colette's post further down page no 3450. 

And speaking of all things St Patrick...we will be having a gathering at the Mash Tun on Friday evening. Will have more details later as soon as I check those details with 'my PA'


Del

We will have a further supplementary post re the Saga Pearl departure to follow soon.
The eerie bell tolls as I write...we have thick fog.





Thursday, 16 March 2017 - 06:09

 

Post 4017

  Del Styan, Norwich

Lovely sunny day up here in far off Norfolk - as you say, spring is here. ( I hope )

Wednesday, 15 March 2017 - 23:20

 

Post 4016

  Sea News, Dover

A couple of shots from yesterday essentially of tugboat Dauntless but rather conveniently the pilot boat powered by in the background just as the pictures were being taken...it all adds a little extra pizzazz. It was unfortunately a wee bit grey and murky again at the time of pictures, a return to gloom...well perhaps not quite all that bad. Dauntless appears to have been helping one of the Spirits to dock for the past couple of days...there may be a small problem there..  
  

Of course the bigger news today is that we have in Port the first cruise ship of the season in the delicious dolphin-like shape of the Saga Pearl II... I'm going to cheat here and show a picture from last season as its a bit murky at the moment and haven't got any worthy pic as yet, but it appears to be brightening up. Always great to see the first cruise ship...its definitely spring now - that's official, you heard it here first.


Welcome Saga Pearl.
Thanks Del - will do. Hope all good up there in Norwich this morning.. PB.

Wednesday, 15 March 2017 - 07:09

 

Post 4015

  Del Styan, Norwich

Lovely pics - keep up the good work.

Tuesday, 14 March 2017 - 23:19

 

Post 4014

  Sea News, Dover

Following along from the ultra red sunrise a day or two ago, here we are with some shots from the next day. The great sunrises continue, well it makes a welcome change after that extended run of grey mist fog and gloom. Is spring finally here... could be, could be...in these pictures the exhaust fumes rising from the funnel causes the sun to shimmer ... 
 

Unfortunately this below is the only picture I have of the Afon Cefni helping out with the Luzon Strait...but here we are anyway. As we said before Doughty seems to be out of service at the moment so Afon Cefni stepped into the breach. No doubt its a short term thing.  
 
And finally a picture of our old friend Alert arriving at 5pm or 1700 hrs last evening. Just catching the dying rays of the sun as she arrived. I took several pictures all of them blurred except this one. It might have been the low light...sez he with a wistful ponder...
  
 
PaulB.

Tuesday, 14 March 2017 - 06:15

 

Post 4013

  Sea News, Dover

Wide view of the Port above there on an gorgeous early morn, picture from this weekend. And below we have another couple of shots of the Luzon Strait following along from Ed's earlier picture below page. First shot shows her approaching with the help of the tug Dauntless, tug Afon Cefni was also in action but out of shot. Tug Doughty must be away for a refit or something...with the Afon Cefni of Holyhead Towing stepping into her shoes as it were. Never a dull moment around here .... The second pic shows her (Luzon) entering Port. Pix from sunday morning 8am.
Luzon left us in the dead of Sunday/Monday night..its a 24 hour a day Port for sure.
  
   
 
Thanks Mark for that ace info there re the Regina Baltica...great info. Never knew any of it.
Very nice pictures indeed below there Ed. Great stuff once again. Keep them coming
Gosh Cruise Liner time again. Thanks for that info Colette. Didn't realise they were almost upon us. Charge the cameras....

PaulB.

Monday, 13 March 2017 - 06:57

 

Post 4012

  Mark Rushton, Northants

Interesting shot of the Regina Baltica there. Before she got converted to an offshore accommodation vessel she was a long standing member of the Tallink car ferry fleet, operating, as you surmise, in the Baltic. A year or two back it was mooted in some quarters that she was in line to operate a new start-up service between Harwich and Esbjerg to replace the DFDS service closed down a couple of years ago, but it came to nothing as the backers clearly didn't have the cash. Whereas the windfarm people clearly DO have the cash...

Sunday, 12 March 2017 - 20:55

 

Post 4011

  Ed Connell, Dover Strait

Luzon Strait at the DCT at lunchtime with the lifeboat entering via Eastern.



Sunday, 12 March 2017 - 12:38

 

Post 4010

  Colette B, Dover

CRUISE VISITS
____________

Yes it's that time again........Cruise time

On Wednesday 15th March the first cruise of 2017 is the Saga Pearl ll. She will arrive at CT1 at 08:00 hrs on a T/R so she will leave us at 16:00 hrs.

She is on a 7 night 'Getaway St Patrick's Day Cruise' so her first stop when she leaves Dover will be a couple of days in Dublin to enjoy the St Patrick's Day celebrations. Take it from me as a Dublin girl, that will be one hell of a party

With the Ireland v England Rugby match on too...... Dublin will be Buzzing

She will then move on to Liverpool, Cobh (Cork) & back to us in Dover.


Then on Saturday 18th March, Fred Olsen's 'Braemar' arrives at CT2, T/R. Her arrival time is scheduled for 06.30 hrs. She will leave Dover to embark on her 14 nights 'Norway Winter' cruise at approximately 17.30 hrs. Among her many wonderful stops are Tromso 'The Gateway to the Arctic' and Beautiful Bergen 'The Gateway to the Fjords' Truly Awesome

Be back soon with more cruises

So MR B, you will see a real cruise liner in the background from your window real soon. Also, as Mark has already said, that was a cracking sunrise photo





Sunday, 12 March 2017 - 11:53

 

Post 4009

  Sea News, Dover

Trying to catch up now with the busy goings on earlier in the week...here we have some pictures of the Duzgit Venture arriving back in Port a few days ago. It was a fresh blustery but beautifully sunny day as she arrived. Both the Duzgit Venture and the Duzgit Harmony seem to currently share bunkering duties on the ferries...then they seem alternately to pop back to Dunkerque or Calais. All quite exciting if a tad bewildering as they look almost identical.
   
In the background of the picture above you can see what looks like a passing cruise liner...well there she is below. But no, not a cruise liner at all but an offshore accommodation ship called Regina Baltica...Queen of the Baltics I guess in the mother tongue. There she goes below.. making her way through the choppy waters of the English Channel.  


Thanks Mark, very enjoyable posts below and no worries I fully understood what you meant re the passing grebe. Glad you liked the pictures and of course lots more to come. The poem about the photographers and their lenses is absolutely great and spot on...wow that sounds like some great trip to the Antartic.
PaulB.


Sunday, 12 March 2017 - 05:05

 

Post 4008

  Mark Rushton, Northants

Post script. When I wrote "shabby representation of the species" I wasn't referring to the photo, but the individual bird itself, which is undoubtedly shabby compared to a well turned out one. Hope that's clear !

Saturday, 11 March 2017 - 21:16

 

Post 4007

  Mark Rushton, Northants

Evening chaps. A couple of points. Firstly, the sunrise photo is wonderfully evocative - absolutely loved it. Secondly, our unidentified birdie is without doubt a Grebe, albeit a fairly shabby representation of the species. Never mind about the lack of a super lens - there'll always be someone with a better one. I recently won a limerick competition on a One Ocean cruise to Antarctica, on which there was a party of hard-core birders with HUUUUUGE lenses. So I came up with :

My New Nikon Lens is just ace
It handles long distance with grace
But on board with One Ocean
I'm stuck with the notion
That I'm losing the camera arms race

Keep up the good work !


Saturday, 11 March 2017 - 18:25