Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 5637

  Mike J., Dover

As well as HMS DIAMOND another unexpected arrival was the MAERSK CONNECTOR who paid a brief visit on Saturday.





After being laid-up in the Wellington Dock & then ashore in the boatyard since late May the CITY OF LONDON 2 was back in the water in Granville Dock on Saturday afteroon.



Sunday, 5 August 2018 - 23:43

 

Post 5636

  Patrick, Marine Parade

Paul, thank you for forwarding the email from Colin Lewis MBE. Always glad to provide a little bit of pleasure to those that follow our forum and some very kind sentiment from Mr Lewis. The pleasure is mine.

I have put a short 20sec video on YOUTUBE of the arrival of HMS Diamond through Dover Eastern entrance on 3rd August. It was on a hand held camera so a little jerky but shows off the vessel well.

https://youtu.be/5Yt6r9m1ai4

Here are a few additional shots I took which may add to Mr Lewis' collection












Sunday, 5 August 2018 - 11:50

 

Post 5635

  Sea News, Dover

Had this nice email through from Colin Lewis MBE. Many thanks Colin - great to hear from you...

"
Hi Paul,

I would be grateful if you could pass on my thanks to your contributor Patrick who took the photos of HMS Diamond.
My son is on the Diamond and I try to collect photos from his travels so that he can enjoy them in the future. They are lovely pictures and as I say I'm grateful.

Best wishes.

Colin

Colin Lewis MBE

"

* *

Yes Patrick's pix were great for sure. Well done once again Patrick.
Also Mike's pictures in the new post below from Sandwich. Great stuff Mike ! great info too.
Also a huge well done to Colette for the latest cruise list. Great info there Colette. Busy time coming up.

PaulB

Sunday, 5 August 2018 - 06:38

 

Post 5633

  Mike J., Dover

Excellent 'catch' by Patrick of HMS DIAMOND - unexpected for sure, as was the MAERSK CONNECTOR who sailed early Saturday evening for Blyth.
Also from Colette another of her most useful lists with timings for the cruise ships - many thanks - Monday should be interesting.

The former Port of London Authority pilot boat X-PILOT spent a week at Sandwich & was caught coming downriver on Wednesday, heading for an overnight at Ramsgate before returning to her usual moorings at Queenborough.


Unusual to see such a large vessel in the Stour although the American Rhine Patrol boat P22 remains at Sandwich - in the 'olden days' Sandwich was a busy coaster port with regular cargoes being timber for the local sawmill, coal for the gasworks with tankers regularly going upriver beyond the toll bridge & grain was often exported.

The X-PILOT was built in 1967 & in her PLA days worked mostly at Gravesend.
Now in private hands she is available for charter in the Thames & Medway area & was one of the ‘Committee Boats’ at the recent Thames Sailing Barge match which was a bit of a disappointment this year due to lack of wind.

Here she is passing the ‘White Bridge’ just below Sandwich, looking like a scene from the 'African Queen' [all that is lacking is Katherine Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart !]



An hour or so later she passes the sluices at Stonar Cut in the last mile or so before the river mouth passing [off-camera] the derelict Richborough wharves & in the distance the remains of the WW1 train ferry dock.




Sunday, 5 August 2018 - 00:54

 

Post 5632

  Colette B, Dover

CRUISE VISITS
_____________

We have been treated to some amazing happenings over the past couple of days, a surprise visit by HMS Diamond (Well Done, Patrick), a mixture of interesting vessels in the Tidal Basin (Thanks Mike)
TV Personalities in Market Square and to cap it all a Phenomenal shot of the Moon.
The photo of the threatening skies over Dover Castle is eerie … telling of the tempest en route.
Also an interesting shot of ‘Percy Pigeon’ taken by ‘Cruise Virgin’ Ian J Handley with the forever graceful lady Boudicca in the background.
And Wowser! The Jardins de la Ballue close to Mont-Saint-Michel with the chateau in the background is so beautiful

Here we go chaps with an interesting week of cruise calls including ‘a brace’ of ‘Double Whammy’s’

Firstly on Monday 6th August, we have another ‘Newby’ with the inaugural visit from Viking Sky, Welcome! She sails into CT1, 08.00 hours on her 13 night One Way Tilbury to Bergen cruise. Her ports of call are Dublin, Holyhead, Liverpool, Belfast, Ullapool, Kirkwall, Edinburgh, Invergordon, Lerwick before dropping anchor in Norway on Friday 17th August. She leaves us at 18.00 hours, PoC.

Four hours later we welcome back an old friend not seen here since August 2015, Hebridean Princess glides into CT2 at 12.00 noon, close to the end of her 9 night One Way Portland to Greenwich cruise. She has called at the following ports Caen, Dieppe, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Dunkirk, and Zeebrugge. After leaving us she then sails up ‘Old Father Thames’ arriving in Greenwich Thursday 9th August. This former Scottish ferry holds the esteemed Royal Patronage of being chartered twice by her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll including once for her 80th Birthday celebrations. She departs at the same time as the Viking Sky above 18.00 hours, so watch for the two going out in tandem, PoC

The following day Tuesday 7th August the awesome Brilliance of the Seas arrives at CT2, 07.00 hours whilst on her 12 night British Isles Round Trip from Amsterdam. Having visited Edinburgh, Invergordon, Greenock, Dublin, Holyhead, Cork, Guernsey, St Peter Port, before finally arriving back in Amsterdam tomorrow morning. She will be leaving us at 16.00 hours, PoC.

One hour later Saga Sapphire sails into CT1, 08.00 hours to start her 15 night ‘Baltic Adventures’ Round Trip. Her ports of call are Karlskrona (Sweden), Helsinki, St Petersburg, Riga, Liepaja (Latvia), Gdyania (Poland) through the Kiel Canal before returning to Dover Wednesday 22nd August.

She will also leave us at 16.00 hours, so watch for both of them cameras at the ready, T/R.

Then on Wednesday 8th August the graceful ‘Old Lady’ Boudicca arrives at CT2, 06.00 hours to begin her 16 night ‘Icelandic Adventure with Greenland’ Round Trip. Now here are some interesting ports of call, Reykjavik, Isafjordur, now a few to try and get your tongue around the Greenlandic ports of Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq and Qaqortoq then on to Scrabster in Scotland before returning to our shores Friday 24th August.

She departs at 17.00 hours, T/R.

Two hours later at 08.00 hours, Saga Pearl ll sails into CT1 to start her 13 night very poetic sounding ‘Western Skies and Scottish Isles’ Round Trip. Her ports of call are Jersey, St Helier, Bristol, Campbeltown (just across from Turnberry Golf course, owned by a certain President Trump ), Scrabster and Edinburgh before returning to Dover Tuesday 21st August.

She will be leaving us at 16.00 hours, T/R.

On Friday 10th August Pacific Princess arrives at CT2, 06.00 hours to start her 8 night ‘Ireland & Scotland with optional Military Tattoo’ Round Trip. Her ports of call are Jersey, St Helier, Dublin, Londonderry and Edinburgh before returning to our shores on Saturday 18th August.

She leaves us 17.00 hours, T/R.

The following day Saturday 11th August, Hebridean Princess graces us with her presence once more. She arrives at CT1, 08.00 hours whilst on her 9 night One Way ‘Greenwich to Portland Island’ cruise. Having left Greenwich, London & Chatham Docks she heads for Dover. She leaves at 14.00 hours to visit the French ports of beautiful Honfleur and Cherbourg. Her next ports of call are the Channel Islands of Sark and Alderney, St Anne before cruising down the English Channel to Portland arriving there on Saturday 18th August.

She departs at 14.00 hours, PoC.

That should be enough to be getting on with, back real soon folks!


Saturday, 4 August 2018 - 21:09

 

Post 5631

  Sea News, Dover

Wow Patrick! Absolutely cracking pictures below there of HMS Diamond - you got a real scoop there!
Enjoyable collection further below too from Mike from the tidal basin. Great work all round!

PaulB

Saturday, 4 August 2018 - 05:37

 

Post 5630

  Patrick, Marine Parade

An unexpected but very welcome visitor berthed at CT1 today. HMS Diamond Type 45 air-defence Destroyer.














Friday, 3 August 2018 - 17:27

 

Post 5629

  Mike J., Dover

More from the Tidal Basin, Thursday afternoon.

Another Cross-Channel swimming support vessel, the Dover-based GALLIVANT.


The Maritime Volunteer Service training vessel EAST SUSSEX was in for an overnight stay.
Further pix & details of her visit in August 2017 in post 4091 [or search for her name].


Sealift Diving’s SEA-LIFT III - hardly a thing of beauty, but perfectly designed for her work as a workboat & salvage vessel.



The rarely photographed Border Agency NIMROD - her only previous mention on ‘Sea News’ was when she was in Ramsgate was in March when she was ‘captured’ by Sarah
- post 4725.



Friday, 3 August 2018 - 13:31

 

Post 5628

  Sea News, Dover

DOUBLE NEWS item now from P&O FERRIES
_______________________________________


P&O FERRIES HIRES 130 NEW EMPLOYEES TO WORK ON THE ENGLISH CHANNEL DURING PEAK SUMMER SEASON
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

ONE of Kent's leading employers has taken on more than 130 new members of staff this summer to help serve the millions of tourists expected to sail between Britain and France.

P&O Ferries, the integrated ferry and logistics company, runs six ships on the Dover-Calais route including the 47,000-ton flagships Spirit of Britain and Spirit of France. With the hot weather making the ferry experience an even more attractive way of starting a summer holiday, the company expects to carry more than one million passengers between Britain and the Continent in the month of August alone.

It has taken on more short-term employees to cope with the expected number of tourists and the majority of positions are being filled by local people from Kent, some of whom will be starting their first jobs.

More than 80 people have been recruited to work on board the ships themselves in positions such as chefs and assistant stewards. Another 27 new recruits will help with the company's operations at the Port of Dover, with roles including port drivers and mooring operatives.

P&O Ferries' warehouse at Whitfield, which supplies its fleet of more than 20 ships sailing around the British Isles, has taken on 5 new people to cope with the summer rush. And the company's call centre at Channel House in Dover has recruited 15 new faces for the duration of peak season.

Lesley Cotton, Divisional HR Director at P&O Ferries, said: "We have been one of Kent's leading employers for many years and this summer we are delighted to have taken on 130 new people to help make the P&O Ferries experience even more special for more than a million tourists travelling to and from their holidays."

"We recruit from a wide range of backgrounds including students who have just graduated, people entering the workforce for the first time and others who simply wanted to try something different for part of the year."

"Everyone at P&O Ferries will be doing their utmost to ensure that our customers' holiday begins as soon as they set foot on our ships. And anyone who might be interested in working for us should log on to www.poferries.com/careers to register for job alerts."

ENDS

The Spirit of Britain

also ....DONT MISS THIS DEAL >>>>

YOU CAN SAVE 20 PER CENT ON A P&O FERRIES SHIP TO THE CONTINENT BY SAILING AT NIGHT
______________________________________________________________________________________

Release time: immediate

ANYONE who wants to beat traffic on the roads and hot weather during the day this summer has the option of sailing to France for 20 per cent less thanks to a new offer from P&O Ferries.

Britain's favourite ferry company is offering to cut a fifth off the price of a crossing between Dover and Calais so long as you sail between 10pm at night and 6am in the morning.

The offer applies to all sailings between now and mid-December, with the exception of weekends during the school holidays. You have to be driving a car or a motorcycle and book before 13th August to qualify.

Sarah Rosier, Director of Passenger Sales at P&O Ferries, said: "The big advantage of sailing at night is that you don't have to worry about the traffic, either on your way to Dover or once you reach the other side and head to your final destination on the Continent."

"There is also more space on the ship, which is often ideal for families with children, who want to be able to take a break in the middle of their journey."

"Our promise to our customers is that their holiday begins as soon as they set foot on our ship. The advantage of sailing at night is that their holiday will get off to an even better start as they drive across the Continent's roads when they are at their least busy."

P&O Ferries has been voted Britain's Favourite Ferry Company by the travelling public for ten consecutive years at the British Travel Awards.

P&O Ferries is a leading pan-European ferry and logistics company, sailing 27,000 times a year on eight major routes between Britain, France, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Holland and Belgium. It operates more than 20 vessels which carry 8.4 million passengers and 2.3 million freight units annually.

ENDS

Huge thanks to the team at P&O Ferries once again. Great to have all the info coming through.

* *

Well known TV personality Professor Alice Roberts was in Dover over the past couple of days and nice to see her it was too. She has been on TV in various scientific/nature programmes for quite some time and here she is in Dover's Market Square on Wednesday interviewing local journalistic legend Terry Sutton.

They are making a programme for C4 on Dover's History. No doubt Terry was giving them a real insight into Dover's recent past. It is scheduled to be shown in 2019 - if and when we hear more in due course we will let everyone know.

Picture by Jan Tranter

Many thanks to Jan T for the nice shot above there.

Thanks Mike all round.
Great set of pictures below there from our 'inshore correspondent'.
Great stuff indeed - keeping us all up to speed on all the inshore goings on.


Thanks Del. I did the very same thing last night re the Space Station..saw it going over at 10.45pm. Got the details from colleague Chris Tutthill's page ...see dover.uk.com on menu left. Ah yes I remember those moon landings too.



ENDS




Friday, 3 August 2018 - 07:17

 

Post 5627

  Del Styan, Norwich

Thanks for the Goodwin sands info - I'll have a look at the forum. On another tack - great moon shot. It reminds me - last week my wife and I went into our garden around 10.30 ish and watched the Space Station pass overhead. It reminded me of being a youngster and going into my parents garden to look at the moon when the first moon landings took place. I think you will have no problem guessing my age!

Thursday, 2 August 2018 - 23:15

 

Post 5626

  Mike J., Dover

A cracking moon shot & a very nice view of BOUDICCA 'by dawn's early light' [as the Yankees sing].
Damned lighting poles . . . .

DWDR Tuesday - every day something different.



The capping of the 'promenade pier' looks to be approaching completion.
The multi-jointed vehicle on the Marina Curve is a concrete pump.



The AFON CEFNI has come up from Ramsgaste to join her two Holyhead Towing fleetmates.


The odd-looking Channel swimming support vessel JOHN MARY ROSE, thought to have been converted from a Mediterranean fishing boat & normally based in Ramsgate, came in Wednesday afternoon with engine trouble.




Thursday, 2 August 2018 - 12:24

 

Post 5625

  Sea News, Dover

This picture of the moon was taken at 10 minutes to midnight on tuesday night as the great orb hung over the Port. It looked magnificent, so zooming in we caught the detail. Bog standard shot this...no artificial anything involved.
"There's no dark side of the moon really
matter of fact its all dark"
....so sayeth Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon.
Speaking of all things 'night sky'.. see my colleague Chris Tutthill's front page to enjoy the path of the International Space Station. Details of its travel and when to watch are there...
that's on Dover.uk.com see menu left.

Poor wider pic below of the moon at the same time as the top shot...I only use it to show context.


Tug Doughty and Tug Dauntless returning to base after assisting Esmeralda into slot at the Dover Cargo Terminal earlier the same day.




Del yes controversial - big and exhaustive debate on this in the Forum see menu left.

PaulB

Thursday, 2 August 2018 - 06:44

 

Post 5624

  Del Styan, Norwich

Is that Goodwin Sands announcement good news or bad? I'm not up to date with the controversy. Related to not dredging the sands I guess?

Wednesday, 1 August 2018 - 23:01

 

Post 5623

  Sea News, Dover

PORT of DOVER SPECIAL: Regatta plus ….
________________________________

Now in its sixth year and with a focus on our wonderful maritime heritage in Dover, this years' free family fun-packed, port of Dover Community Regatta on Sunday 26 August is going to be the best yet.

Taking place in the magnificent Dover Harbour and along the award-winning esplanade, there’s a host of new nautical activities, demonstrations and performances throughout the day including Hovercraft, Port vessels, Dover Lifeboat, Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club yacht races and a Viking Maritime Skills Academy training display.

And now, everyone can join in the fun on the water and have a chance to win a trip to Nausicaa in Boulogne or Sea Safari Tickets with The Watersports Centre, by entering the Port of Dover Community Raft Race. Organised by the Port of Dover with the support of the Dover & Deal Sea Cadets, Dover Watersports Centre and the RNLI, it’s a fun new event for this year’s Regatta. Teams will go head-to-head in their homemade rafts and help to raise funds for our supported charity, the Dover Outreach Centre. The Raft Races will be held in the morning, within the Swim Zone area of Dover Harbour.

For more information and an application form to enter a raft and team of 6 adults please contact us at events@doverport.co.uk Team entry costs £36 including vat.

A wealth of new shore-side entertainment is also on offer this year. There’s a human football table, roundabouts, bungee trampoline, crazy golf, model boats and giant board games. Performances on the outdoor stage from a variety of fabulous musical acts will keep everyone on our impressive
seafront promenade entertained throughout the day and into the evening.

As usual, there will be plenty of stalls along the seafront offering food and drink, crafts and local produce as well as useful community and charity information.

All proceeds from this years’ event will be donated to the Dover Outreach Centre, a local charity supporting people out of homelessness - so come along for a wonderful time and help raise funds for this deserving cause.

Port of Dover Harbour Master, Steve Masters said: "Dover has a long and prestigious maritime heritage and I’m thrilled that this year’s Regatta will be celebrating this with a much stronger focus on the sea.

"I’m particularly looking forward to seeing all of the inventive entries in the new Community Raft Race which is sure to be enormous fun for both teams and spectators and will help us raise much needed funds for our chosen charity, Dover Outreach Centre.

"It’s going to be our best port of Dover Community Regatta yet and so please come along and have a wonderful time."


Port of Dover Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Jenny Beacon said: "This years’ Community Regatta, the ports’ flagship summer event, offers more exciting activities and entertainment for the community than ever before. Our maritime heritage is something that we can all be proud of and through this fabulous free event, it’s great that the port and community can come together to celebrate this."

ENDS


As all can see we have added some pictures of the Regatta there from times past. Very enjoyable those even if I say so myself..!

Also today we have the following recent announcement:

Decision on the Goodwin Sands Marine Licence Application (MLA/2016/00227)
The Port of Dover is pleased that the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has issued the marine licence necessary for it to obtain the reclamation material that it would need to complete the final reclamation stage for the Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) development.

The MMO is an independent, evidence-based decision maker and in order to make an informed decision has considered all the information made available through the application and the public consultation process. We welcome the decision which hopefully brings a conclusion to this matter.

This is excellent news for British trade; DWDR will create additional capacity and resilience in a port which already handles 17 per cent of the UK’s trade in goods and is important too for the future of Dover and East Kent region. It forms a key element of the town’s regeneration plan, bringing significant economic development to the region, and will act as a catalyst for the waterfront development.

ENDS


Yes Del glad we were able to get Ian's pigeon up and running.
And glad about John's long range pic too.
Thanks Dave

PaulB



Wednesday, 1 August 2018 - 05:59

 

Post 5622

  Del Styan, Norwich

Well done Ian, lovely shot of the wildlife of Dover.

Tuesday, 31 July 2018 - 23:01

 

Post 5621

  Sea News, Dover

There we are with John's image of Boudicca - it didn't upload in the post below. All fine now...

Tuesday, 31 July 2018 - 15:20

 

Post 5619

  John Hendy, St Mary's Bay (johnhendy479@btinternet.com)

Here's the very distant Boudicca passing St Mary's Bay at about 5.20 last evening at the start of her final Dover-based circumnavigation of the British Isles this season.

Tuesday, 31 July 2018 - 14:24

 

Post 5618

  Dave, Sandwich

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dover-dredging-application-decision

https://www.doverport.co.uk/about/news/decision-on-the-goodwin-sands-marine-licence-appli/13380/

https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/new-lease-life-given-dovers-1840248

Seems this bit of news slipped through the net!
The port has approval to dredge the Goodwin Sands. The Kent News article is an interesting read with regard the timing. But, it is to be expected with the way our councils and the varying governments carry on!

Tuesday, 31 July 2018 - 10:24

 

Post 5617

  Sea News, Dover

Yesterday we had this following picture and email through from Ian J Handley , cruise passenger staying at the Dover Marina Hotel. He captured both Boudicca's arrival and Percy the friendly hi-flying pigeon in the one shot.. more below...

Email from Ian:

"
There weren't any.....

...’Blue Birds over the White Cliffs of Dover’ this morning as the Boudicca arrived for our nine night round Britain Cruise - but Percy the pigeon joined us to view the scene from our room at the Dover Marina Hotel (I wish it remained as the White Cliffs Hotel).

Never been cruising before - another adventure.

"
…..

Many thanks Ian - hope your first cruise goes very well indeed.

As the glamourous Disney Magic was leaving (5097), gently meandering across the harbour, in came the Lifeboat guys...normal life still goes on despite all the raazzamatazz. Both pictures are crops...the second pic being a further crop of the top crop..ermmm..


Look at that chap waving top left there.

A gloomy shot below of the departing Crystal Serenity which of course was in Port at the same time.

PaulB


Tuesday, 31 July 2018 - 07:06

 

Post 5616

  Sea News, Dover

FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO GREAT BRITTANY
______________________________________

DFDS & Brittany Tourism have partnered to provide customers with exclusive offers for Brittany this summer


Ferry operator DFDS has teamed up with Brittany Tourism to launch new offers and discounts to local Brittany attractions, exclusive to DFDS customers on its Newhaven to Dieppe route.

Just three hours from Dieppe, Brittany has plenty to offer both families and couples, with a lively city centre, beautiful scenery, and some of the world’s oldest standing architecture. It is an ideal base from which to explore the Emerald Coast and the many little hamlets in the countryside, as well as the cities of Dinan, Dinard, Cancale, Combourg, Fougères and Saint Malo.


Families can enjoy cruising the calm waters of the River Rance with Croisieres Chateaubrind, who are offering DFDS customers a 10% discount on river trips. Or, if a ‘voyage into space’ is more to your liking, how about taking a journey of discovery at Planetarium de Bretagne, with 10% off all tickets prices in July and August.

For couples seeking a romantic getaway, benefit from the reduced entry fee and stroll the Jardins de la Ballue close to the Mont-Saint-Michel, overlooking the Couesnon Valley. Local gem Jardin Bretagne B&B is offering a third night free when two are purchased, plus café and garden entry discounts to DFDS customers. With 24 themed gardens, it is certainly a place of tranquillity and inspiration.

More exclusive offers ranging from discounted entrance fees for museums, gardens and historical sites, to hotel stays, river trips, sporting activities, and food and drink, can be found at dfds.co.uk.

With three departures per day, Newhaven to Dieppe crossings start from just £49 for two people each way and £57 for four people each way.

For more information or to book a crossing, visit: www.dfds.co.uk.

-Ends-

Cote Des Flandres above there...
Many thanks once again to the team at DFDS for supplying the info.

* *

As we saw in Jeremy's pictures yesterday, it was a wet and windy day here in Dover for the visit of the magical Disney Magic. Rain, drizzle, and gloom... but most specifically we had strong winds. The Disney Magic as a consequence of the windy weather left through the eastern exit last evening...and here she goes.. onwards to Copenhagen, St Petersburg etc etc..fab!




Well done with those long range pictures below Jeremy.
They show the great ships yesterday and the conditions. I will also be able to add a departure shot of the Crystal Serenity in due course.

Yes indeed Brian - a good idea there. Something needs to be done as its a local nightmare. Its such a relief now to look out the window and see no traffic bottleneck. We are bottleneck free at the moment.


PaulB



Monday, 30 July 2018 - 06:56