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Post 7303

  Sea News, Dover

To follow along immediately from the post below..now we see HMS Mersey arriving at the Port ...

Friday, 16 September 2022 - 21:22

 

Post 7302

  Sea News, Dover

HMS Mersey approaching the Port of Dover

It has been a frantic few days in the Channel with a great surge once again in migrant crossings. Both the Royal Navy and indeed Border Force have been hugely busy...we particularly notice the Border Force boats dashing in to Port then dashing outwards again as yet more people need rescuing. The numbers are record breaking. The picture shows HMS Mersey earlier in the week coming for a short stay in Port, perhaps for a crew change and then away again...

Friday, 16 September 2022 - 07:40

 

Post 7301

  Sea News, Dover

A couple of shots now of the dredger DC Vlaanderen 3000 leaving the Port on Monday evening. The pictures might look a little odd as we discovered afterwards the camera settings were monumentally askew, and as a consequence so were the pictures when we looked later .....but...but.. the computer brought them back....ermmm somewhat! The evening was grey here in Dover at the time, but as you can see the French coast was ablaze with warm evening sun. DC Vlaanderen 3000 didnt stay with us long but delivered another load of sand/gravel to the working pier WD4.
The pilot boat moves alongside DC Vlaanderen 3000 as they exit the Port of Dover ...

Thursday, 15 September 2022 - 07:44

 

Post 7300

  Sea News, Dover

The striking Costa Fortuna relaxing here in Dover on Monday before moving south to continue her tour to Spain and Portugal ... a magnificent ship for sure...

More pix below...

Wednesday, 14 September 2022 - 07:16

 

Post 7299

  Sea News, Dover

There's a shot of the cable layer Responder coming into the Port again about a week ago or just over a week ago...as you can see we're a bit behind!! We have featured the vessel previously and we were hoping for more pix. She went straight to the Eastern Arm though and if the Isle of Inishmore hadn't pulled away from her berth at the opportune moment we would have been stuck for a shot. But...we quite like this one after all...it has a rough n ready appeal. That's our story and we're sticking to it! Also in shot you can see a local workboat...it may be Dover Grafter but were not entirely sure on that one.

Tuesday, 13 September 2022 - 18:42

 

Post 7298

  Sea News, Dover

The English Channel and the direct route to Calais

Turbulence.... the weather was somewhat fierce during nightfall late last week, endless flashing skies over the channel for several nights. Flash flash more flash...but in the daytime a sort of dramatic calm took over, yet with more than a hint of menace .....

That's the Pride of Kent coming into Port bottom left....


Tuesday, 13 September 2022 - 07:12

 

Post 7297

  Sea News, Dover

Disney Magic
Hugely busy day on Dover Seafront yesterday Sunday, lots of people buzzing, and three fab cruise ships....Disney Magic, Viking Mars and Mein Schiff 3. Top shot there shows Disney Magic approaching the Port of Dover. This pic was taken during a previous visit but not used before, and below we see the arriving Viking Mars which is a first visit we understand, and to the right the impressive Mein Schiff 3.
Early morn pic of Viking Mars and Mein Schiff 3 ...'twas a soft mornin' ...

All left last night, off on various cruise itineraries....
Today we have Costa Fortuna in again on the new cruise as mentioned yesterday...
.....see also below the pictures of Costa Fortuna which were uploaded yesterday.

Monday, 12 September 2022 - 06:28

 

Post 7296

  Sea News, Dover

Some extra pix now while we regroup of the arrival of the magnificent Costa Fortuna from a few days ago .... to follow along from the earlier arrival pic seen further below...

Costa Fortuna



Fortuna currently just starting on a new 16 day cruise from Bremerhaven...
essentially to Spain and Portugal but will also call here to Dover..
In port today Sunday yet more glamourous cruise ships...Disney Magic and Mein Schiff 3....and just arriving as we speak...Viking Mars.

Sunday, 11 September 2022 - 07:09

 

Post 7295

  Sea News, Dover

 

Post 7294

  Sea News, Dover

We are immensely sorry to hear The Queen has died.



Thursday, 8 September 2022 - 19:28

 

Post 7293

  Sea News, Dover

Just an additional picture now of the excitingly glamourous Le Champlain taken at the moment of her departure from the Port of Dover. See also the post below....
Le Champlain

Thursday, 8 September 2022 - 18:32

 

Post 7292

  Sea News, Dover

Cruising with Le Champlain
The stunning Superyacht-style Cruise Ship Le Champlain paid us something of an inaugural but flying visit on Tuesday this week. She stayed just a few hours and was off again...perhaps to beat the weather. You can see the approaching gloom in the pic above. Yes...it was a first visit here and she was greeted early morning by the spraying tugboat...we've had a busy tug-spray period. We understand that Le Champlain is on a 7-day detailed cruise of Britanny...

We haven't had a Costa ship for a while, so it was great to see Costa Fortuna again...which also arrived on Tuesday this week.
Costa Fortuna entering the Port of Dover.
Fortuna is almost finished a 12 day round trip of the British Isles from Bremerhaven...a bit wet 'n' windy this time....

Thursday, 8 September 2022 - 06:01

 

Post 7291

  Sea News, Dover

While photographing the elegant departure of Seabourn Ovation from Dover on Saturday, this magnificent racing yacht powered into view. The yacht...as you can see...is drawing our attention to the big race facing us all, the race against time for a constructive rethink on our destructive climate journey. The yacht is called Malizia-Sea Explorer ....
"Climate Action Now - a race we must win"

Seabourn Ovation had its thunder stolen a wee bit but more pictures below to compensate.
Seabourn Ovation leaving the Port of Dover on Saturday ( we're trying to catch up!...) ...She is currently on a 14 day tour taking in gorgeous places like Cherbourg, Dover, Antwerp, Oslo, Gothenburg, Copenhagen plus more ...

You're getting a new Prime Minister today..Liz Truss. But dont get too excited, she's the Fourth one in Six years...how long will she last..!!

Tuesday, 6 September 2022 - 06:53

 

Post 7290

  Sea News, Dover

Some pictures below taken on Friday of the seafront ceremony for Merchant Navy Day. Always a really nice solemn and well-respected event, highlighting the role the Merchant Navy plays and has played in our lives both today and in the past...
Picture immediately above shows some of the dignitaries...we recognise just two in the group there, our MP Natalie Elphicke on the right and Gordon Cowan Mayor of Dover to her right... taken just after they had laid wreaths. A very good turnout today, there were many wreaths laid.

* *

The Spirit of Discovery leaving the Port on Wednesday evening.... also in the shot the familiar bunker tanker Duzgit Harmony. The Spirit ... off on a 7 day round trip to Beautiful Norway.

Below a different kind of light, very early morning for the arrival of the Spirit of Discovery, you can see the tug there lending a hand in the early light.... while the Varne Lightship sparkles in the distance.
The Spirit of Discovery arriving Port of Dover on Wednesday.
Two magnificent monsters in Port today Friday...Celebrity Apex and Carnival Pride.

Friday, 2 September 2022 - 15:27

 

Post 7289

  Sea News, Dover

Just adding an extra picture today to follow along from the sequence in the post below...it shows a fuller shot of the P&O ferry Pride of Kent in relation to the Royal Navy migrant situation just outside the Port of Dover .... it appears that the Pride of Kent changed direction to avoid... and came into Port via western entrance ( more in post below)....


Thursday, 1 September 2022 - 06:51

 

Post 7288

  Sea News, Dover

The Royal Navy's HMS Biter in action just outside the Port of Dover a few days ago...just outside the main eastern entrance in fact and you can see that 'the Biter' almost has too many dinghies to deal with. In the foreground of top shot you can also see more activity on the Port's breakwater. Huge amounts of migratory travellers continue to flood through, record numbers, and as we hear through various media outlets, the Royal Navy are frustrated with the task.

In picture 3 you can see also P&O's Pride of Kent. It appears that she may have had to change course...we have other pictures too... on account of the migrant activity. She came in eventually through the western entrance so all was okay.

Wednesday, 31 August 2022 - 06:57

 

Post 7287

  Sea News, Dover

Jewel of the Seas came in too early and left way too late yesterday Bank Holiday Monday so pictures didnt happen other than these top two shown here...lets call them...
Night and Day.
They show the ship in situ on Cruise Terminal Two as the day changed around her. You can see the pilling/drilling platforms and so on there... in the distant background in top shot as night falls is Arcadia heading for Southampton .....
Jewel of the Seas had just completed a Britain and Ireland cruise...

Pic below from a former visit..gives a better look.
Jewel of the Seas.

Tuesday, 30 August 2022 - 15:25

 

Post 7286

  Sea News, Dover

There we were, trying to create some photographic Magic as the one and only Disney Magic left the Port on Sunday evening, when a butterfly flew into the picture..."who does he think he is..." said my dour unsmiling assistant, "he's interfering with our creative magic.."
...although ... maybe the butterfly is the Magic !!

Earlier the Hotels were full of little children and indeed bigger children all with Mickey Mouse ears...
well I never... !!

Also... ( getting back to normal! )
Jewel of the Seas back in Port today Monday...

Monday, 29 August 2022 - 06:58

 

Post 7285

  Sea News, Dover

Fred Olsen's cruise ship Bolette leaving Dover yesterday evening saturday...you can see her there with the French cliffs in the distance as she sets out on a 5 day tour from Dover to Amsterdam, Antwerp etc ...

The Disney Magic back in Port again today Sunday.

Sunday, 28 August 2022 - 06:25

 

Post 7284

  Sea News, Dover

Looking back now to late Thursday evening at the Port with P&O ....the sun has already sunk behind the camera but the late rays nicely and sort of unusually light up the sky to the east. In the foreground you can see the Spirit of France having just arrived from Calais...and to the gloomier left the Pride of Canterbury... 'twas a gorgeous tranquil evening.... worth a snap!

Saturday, 27 August 2022 - 07:24