Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 5615

  Jeremy Ward, Whitfield, Dover

Disney Magic and Crystal Serenity today in gloomy wet and windy conditions.

Sunday, 29 July 2018 - 15:37

 

Post 5614

  brian dixon, dover

yes paul b, every year the same. time to have a couple of large lorry parks with customs checks and booking in booths, so when ferry enters they can send down the right amount of lorrys.

Sunday, 29 July 2018 - 09:08

 

Post 5613

  Sea News, Dover

The picture above there shows the Saga Pearl II arriving with us yesterday morning early under much fresher conditions. There were quite strong winds at times yesterday and some heat.. but.. no searing heat. Some relief for sure for the passengers aboard Saga Pearl.
Two brilliant cruise ships in today at the Port of Dover.. the legendary Disney Magic and the very stylish Crystal Serenity. They came in very early. Well done the Port of Dover

Brilliant post yesterday from Mike showing great pictures from Ramsgate. Excellent info too..great stuff indeed Mike!

Brian yes the traffic was awful. I mean we have had this before but was it ever this bad? For two solid days we have had misery. Residents cant get off the seafront. Of course most of all its miserable for those travelling...something must be done to ease this. We can see it coming everytime. On a personal note yours truly was scheduled to go out last night but those picking me up couldn't get here. The town always grinds to a halt...someone mentioned that unmentionable word last night...
"is this what its going to be like after Brexit."
However we can rest assured on that one. The politicians know what they're doing!!!

Vic yes indeed...glad you always enjoy the pictures both from Dover and Ramsgate.

ADDED: the traffic chaos appears to have eased this morning..touch wood! but I speak with nervous tongue.

PaulB

Sunday, 29 July 2018 - 06:19

 

Post 5612

  vic matcham, dovor

Must say this weather is turning out some great photos of both the royal ports of Ramsgate and Dover thank you

Sunday, 29 July 2018 - 05:16

 

Post 5611

  brian dixon, dover

its bad for sure traffic that is, its become a yearly event,this is the third year in a row its happened.

Saturday, 28 July 2018 - 14:21

 

Post 5610

  Mike J., Dover

Ramsgate on Friday & the CIUDAD DE CADIZ makes her second call to Ramsgate in recent days with new vehicles from Zeebrugge.



Plenty of yachting activity on the last day of ‘Ramsgate Week’ the annual regatta of the Royal Temple Yacht Club that had attracted many overseas yachts.

The starter sends off the final race of the week using his little portable cannon which produced extremely loud bangs.
10-bore shotgun blanks if interested !


The starting gun might have caused a little concern aboard P197 EXPLOIT & P279 BLAZER of the RN Cabin Cruiser Inshore Squadron who were sailing at the same time & may have thought that they were under attack.


The bridge of the BLAZER seems a little over-manned [or perhaps over-womanned].


For the first time for a long time I didn't drive round Ramsgate's Inner Harbour to the Commercial Quay [where the lifeboats live] & was unaware that that there had been a fire in the Inner Harbour on Thursday night with one yacht sunk & a second badly damaged.
A tragedy for the boat-owners but very lucky that no other craft became involved, or that anyone had been hurt.



Saturday, 28 July 2018 - 12:05

 

Post 5609

  Sea News, Dover

Port of Dover : The Charge to the Continent. The situation was like this all through the night last night...a huge amount of traffic heading across and its still like this at 06.35 this morning as I write... this is the scene about 10pm last night. There must be an easier way, and it stretched back beyond Aycliffe etc etc. You can see it stretching back along Jubilee Way too..


There was one story yesterday on BBC News 24 of one particular family. Stuck at Eurotunnel they were, in the sweltering 35 degree heat for 6/7 hours. They had small tiny kids in the car too ages 1,3, and 5. Now that must have been very tough indeed. The chap spoke to the cameras from Saarbrucken, very happy to have made it through. Gosh !!


A couple of extra pictures now of the Splittnes arrival a few days back, we have had pictures previously...as we know she was delivering more sand/stone for the DWDR.


Is it cooler, let's hope so.

PaulB

Saturday, 28 July 2018 - 06:45

 

Post 5607

  Sea News, Dover

ICE 200: Port of Dover - one of top 200 influential projects that shaped the world





The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has announced the Port of Dover as one of the top 200 influential projects, past and present, which illustrate how civil engineering has shaped the world and transformed people's lives for the better.


To mark the ICE’s 200th anniversary, and to support Government's Year of Engineering, the Institution is highlighting 200 inspirational and world-changing projects from around the world throughout 2018. Nominated by the ICE’s members and selected by an expert panel, the chosen projects illustrate the breadth and depth of civil engineering’s impact.

The Port of Dover has played a significant role in British history. Dover’s existence as a harbour of refuge contributed to Britain’s strength as a trading nation. The port was also an essential base for the Royal Navy during both world wars and played a major role in the evacuation of British forces from Dunkirk in 1940.

This was made possible in part due an enduring connection between the ICE and the Port. Thomas Telford, ICE’s 1st President, was approached by the Duke of Wellington, then Chairman of Dover Harbour Board, in 1834 to be involved in the development of Wellington Dock - the first enclosed dock in Dover – which now forms a key feature in the port’s current development.

Sir John Hawshaw, another past President of the ICE, designed the Admiralty Pier, which still forms the western arm of the harbour. Completed in 1909, the 800ft (244m) long stone structure curving out from the shore into the English Channel was named as one of the great British engineering feats of the 19th and early 20th century. Built of large concrete blocks weighing from 30 to 40 tons, it has an outward granite facing on those blocks that are above water level.

Today, thanks to the building blocks of the past two centuries, Dover remains a leading commercial port and is currently undergoing a new phase of development. The Port of Dover’s flagship £250m Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) development is the single biggest investment it has ever undertaken and represents the next exciting stage of its evolution, delivering long-term capacity for a key international gateway handling trade to the value of £122bn and representing up to 17% of UK trade in goods.

Jonathan Baggs, Director ICE South East England, said:
"The development of the Port is recognition of its importance locally and internationally as Europe’s busiest roll-on roll-off ferry port.
The investment of this scale in the region shows how infrastructure can be a catalyst for economic growth and improving the lives of local people - and civil engineers are at the heart of delivering this"

With UK Government approval DWDR will deliver two deep-water berths and a new refrigerated cargo terminal, with 13 hectares of reclaimed land for future port-centric development – thereby releasing space to enhance the capacity and efficiency of the ferry terminal in the Eastern Docks. With DWDR plans also including a new marina in the outer harbour and a transformed waterfront, the project will protect jobs and create long-term economic benefit both locally and nationally.

Dave Herrod, DWDR Programme Director at the Port of Dover, said:
"The Port’s flagship Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) is a one-off opportunity for the regeneration of Dover, bringing new investment into the area and ultimately ensuring the long-term resilience of this vital cross-Channel trade link.

"The revival of the western part of the Port estate supports the developing destination agenda for Dover, being identified as the key catalyst for the wider regeneration of the area. It has delivered valuable employment opportunities during construction and will continue to do so on completion of the new cargo facility."

The Port of Dover is one of 200 projects that will be published throughout the year on the What Is Civil Engineering? pages of the ICE website. What is Civil Engineering? will not only host these projects but can also be used as a career guidance tool for those hoping to pursue a career in civil engineering. Once inspired by the projects being produced each month, there is comprehensive advice and guidance on how to become a civil engineer no matter what level of education someone has, or what stage in their career they have reached.

This platform has been designed to help promote the career of civil engineering after it was revealed that only 45% of adults know what the career entails and only 35% of young people could tell you what a civil engineer does.

ENDS

Many thanks to the team at the Port for all the info pictures and helpful support....
And speaking of drones like we were...hopefully all can see those pictures above okay. Big pictures with wide coverage...so yours truly is squeezing a quart into a pint pot there but hopefully all can see okay.

* *

While we are on a mad roll about seafront cyclists...another huge group below there at the Marine Court/Premier Inn on Wednesday. These following along from the earlier group powering through as we saw. These guys look the more sporty advanced types. Good luck to them all... alas I wont be joining in as I prefer my two wheels with an engine!!
Great to see them all .. and...the hotels are doing good business.


The heat goes on... sheesh yesterday was hot. Yours truly was frying at the top of the 'observation tower'.
Sizzle ..sizzle... no more drizzle ...
This was the distant scene on Wednesday evening as the sun began to sink across the rooftops looking inland.


PaulB

Pinned item Yours truly is behind schedule on all fronts but catching up...says he bravely/hopefully..
Well done with that list below Colette. A lot of info there. Well I'm an early riser but 4am for Disney might be stretching it. It would probably be dark anyway at that time. But we will see how it all pans out.
Now unpinned.



Friday, 27 July 2018 - 07:32

 

Post 5606

  ColetteB, Dover

CRUISE VISITS
_____________


The activity in our harbour is awesome to watch, Drones overhead monitoring the berthing operation (Big Brother is everywhere, well spotted Mike). A visit from HMS Exploit & HMS Blazer, wonderful photos of the Celebrity Eclipse, hundreds of cyclists and best of all, our ‘new’ sandy beach is expanding, buckets & spades at the ready ……

Here we go again, eyes down ladies and gentlemen for the final cruise visits for the month of July.

We begin on Saturday 28th July when Saga Pearl ll arrives at CT1, 08.00 hours to start her 11 night ‘Wine, Walking & Tapas’ Round Trip. Her ports of call are La Rochelle, the French Basque port of Bayonne, why not sample their famous Ham whilst strolling the medieval streets in the old Grand Bayonne district on your way to visit Basque & Bonnat museums

She sails on to Gijon where you can see the haunting statue of ‘Mother of Immigrants’ stretching out her hand to the lost sons who sailed to the Americas. She then drops anchor in the Northern Basque port of Pasajes which lies at the foot of Mount Ulia, then an overnight stay in Bordeaux before finally returning to Dover on Sunday 12th August.

She departs our shores at 16.00 hours, T/R.

The following day Sunday 29th July we have an ‘Awesome’ Double Whammy

Firstly at the very early time of 04.00 hours Disney Magic will silently arrive at CT1, having obviously left in such a rush to get back to Dover again, you will see ‘Pluto’ hanging from the stern trying to finish painting her name
You’ll need to get up really early Mr B to catch her arrival, so no late nights for you

She starts her 11 night ‘Northern European’ Round Trip, ports of call are Amsterdam, Warnemunde-Rostock, Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn & Copenhagen. I can just hear Danny Kaye singing ‘I’m Hans Christian Anderson, that’s me’ ….. trailing into the far distance. She will be using Dover as her home port up until 9th September

She was last seen here in July 2017. Leaving at 17.00 hours, T/R. ‘When you wish upon a star’ …..

Two hours later at the more reasonable time of 06.00 hours Crystal Serenity arrives at CT1 to begin her 13 night ‘Vineyard & Vistas’ cruise. Her ports of call are St Peter Port, Guernsey, Bordeaux, Porto, Lisbon, Barcelona, Cassis on the French Riviera and Monte Carlo. We say farewell to this wonderful ship this year as she will be based in the Mediterranean for the rest of 2018.

She leaves us at 18.00 hours, T/R.

On Monday 30th July the forever graceful lady Boudicca arrives at 06.30 hours to start a 9 night Round trip ‘Lochs, Islands & the Military Tattoo’ cruise. Her ports of call include Dublin, Fort William, Isle of Skye, Kirkwall in the Orkneys and Edinburgh for the Tattoo, returning to Dover Wednesday 8th August.

She leaves at 17.00, T/R.

We will include our first visit for August, as the famous Irish author Edna O’Brien wrote ‘August is a Wicked Month’ and Boy! Have we got a very busy up and coming schedule for August

On Thursday 2nd August Pacific Princess arrives at CT2, 06.00 hours to start her 8 night ‘Ireland, Scotland & Wales’ cruise with an optional Military Tattoo. Her ports of call are St Helier, Jersey, Milford haven, Dublin and Edinburgh returning to Dover Friday 10th August.

She departs at 17.00, T/R.

I’ll be back with the beginning of a packed August with something to ‘Whet your Appetite’


Colette as this is such a comprehensive list, will pin it temporarily so all can take it onboard.(now unpinned)




Thursday, 26 July 2018 - 16:25

 

Post 5605

  Sea News, Dover

FOUR KENT STUDENTS ENJOY A WEEK OF WORK EXPERIENCE WITH P&O FERRIES
_________________________________________________________________________


FOUR local students from Kent have enjoyed work experience with P&O Ferries this month with the highlight being helping to sail a 47,000 ton ship across the English Channel.

The GCSE students experienced an action-packed programme which introduced them to the workings of the Dover-based international ferry and logistics company. The itinerary included company safety, port operations, on-board services and a lunch in the crew's mess.

Pictured on the Bridge of the Spirit of Britain are Rose Harrop and Kavaya Limbu, both 15-year-old students at the Duke of York Military School in Dover, where they were shown how to sail the ship by Deck Officer Cadet James Williams. He provided explanations on navigation, Bridge equipment and took them on a tour of the ship's helipad.

Rose said: "I have liked everything, there is nothing I have not liked and working at P&O Ferries seems incredibly exciting and interesting. I cannot believe how kind everyone has been to us."

The previous week two other Kent students, 17-year-old Callum Deadman from Dover Grammar School for Boys and 15-year-old Kiera Christie from St George's School in Broadstairs, had experienced the same programme.

The work experience course is run by Rachel Crepin, P&O Ferries' Fleet Procurement Manager. She said: "This is the seventh year that we have successfully introduced local students to P&O Ferries and we hope that their experience will inspire many more. Working for a company which sails the biggest ferries on the English Channel is very exciting and we know that the young people in the communities we serve will become our employees and customers of the future."

P&O Ferries' wider stakeholder programme offers visits to schools and colleges within the local community, a free initiative with the visit often tailored to school requirements and their current projects.

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

Many thanks to the team at P&O Ferries for the information once again.
As the students featured spent their time on the Spirit of Britain...
here we are below with a couple of new shots of the 'newly done' very same ship... the Sprit of Britain.




* *

A quick turnaround for the Eastern Bay, she came and went in one long hot day in a long hot summer (Tuesday). This picture below shows her arrival...its a bit rough as pic taken through the heat haze and the blinding early light, had to force an image and here we are...

Ahh a nice collection below again Mike. Well spotted re the drone. Heavens! we are being watched both near and far...Big Brother ( the George Orwell version! ) thrives...
Had some close encounters myself in recent times but say no more.....

Haven't dabbled my toes for a while Del...but if this heat continues I might throw all caution to the wind...

PaulB





Thursday, 26 July 2018 - 05:11

 

Post 5604

  Mike J., Dover

Nice evening view of rhe SPLITTNES discharging - the reflection from the floodlights 'makes ' the picture [for me anyway].

I was going thru Tuesday’s pix of the arriving SPLITTNES & noticed a mark on the screen.
Thinking that it was just a piece of muck [more fly droppings ?] I dabbed at it with a finger but it refused to shift.

Further investigation revealed that it was a drone keeping an eye on the berthing operation.



The SPLITTNES didn’t stay long, you can see the piles of stone that she deposited, sailing for Norway at about 1100 on Wednesday.


Tuesday with the CELIBRITY ECLIPSE on Cruise-2 the outer end of the Admiralty Pier beyond the turret was closed for security reasons & one of the the Harbour Patrol Launches [The DIRECTOR I think] had been transformed, as if by magic, into a Police Launch by the cunning use of a sign [magnetic ?] which concealed the word ‘HARBOUR’


Closure of the outer end of the Ad.Pier often happens when a visiting cruise ship on Cruise-2 is particularly paranoid [sorry, concerned] about security & the Police Launch provides a level of reassurance for the cruise ship passengers.

Disney seem particularly security conscious & insist that the entire Admiralty Pier is closed, to the disgust of the anglers [& to a major loss of takings at "Mel’s Cabin" the excellent anglers’ caff out by the Turret].

So don’t bother thinking of taking a stroll up the Ad.Pier next Sunday when the DISNEY MAGIC visits Dover.

Hopefully helpful hint - always check that the gate onto the Ad.Pier is unlocked before feeding money into DHB’s hungry parking meters.

Incidentally for them as is that way inclined & in recognition of the large number of Muslim anglers Mel’s Cabin offers Halal burgers & similar items.

At one time the DHB Police used to produce their big rubber boat & zoom about in a very reassuring manner, but I’ve not seen the RIB for some time.



Wednesday, 25 July 2018 - 23:34

 

Post 5603

  Del Styan, Norwich

As you say - the heat goes on. Do you ever have a paddle in the sea?

Wednesday, 25 July 2018 - 23:17

 

Post 5602

  Sea News, Dover

An extra picture above there of Splittnes...this one shows her discharging her sand cargo last night... its not quite dark...but getting there, as the sand powers off into the frenetically developing area. Its all intense action over there now ...as you can see from the pictures below too. The final one showing the Lifeboat as she returned last night, through the heavy metal of DWDR.


Don't miss those posts below, great contributions from the team.

PB

Wednesday, 25 July 2018 - 15:24

 

Post 5601

  Sea News, Dover

Following along from Mike's cracking pic of the Celebrity Eclipse in the post below...a couple of extra images above there. Yours truly had a peculiar day yesterday on the picture-front, as missed 'the Celebrity' coming in and missed her leaving.
I blame all this heat...!!
Well you have to blame something...
A fabulous ship...great to see these ships here at the Port of Dover.

I was about to do a large press release but will hold back as don't want to push all those excellent posts below too far down the page at once.

Great work below Mike... great enjoyable all round inshore info and pictures. Don't miss those!
Great stuff Patrick..great info and pictures further below there too. Don't miss those either.

Del believe it or not they are all adults on the bicycles...a huge group there, almost makes a chap want to don the lycra
ermmm almost!!
Sampling the delights of all those restaurants in Calais, with all that wine...but got a library of general pictures too.

Nice stab at the Celebrity Eclipse from afar Jeremy...haze has been a blight in recent days but in that picture we can especially see the sheer size of the monster ship.

PaulB



Wednesday, 25 July 2018 - 06:34

 

Post 5599

  Mike J., Dover

Tuesday - Arrivals & Departures.
CELEBRITY ECLIPSE sails for Amsterdam & VIKING PRINCESS loads passengers.



Self-discharging bulker SPLITTNES arrives from Denmark via the Kiel Canal with stone for DWDR.


Return of elegant Baltic ketch WILLOW OF HARTY.
She normally lives in Faversham Creek, but wintered in the Wellington Dock last winter.


EMS VULCAN, often laid-up in the Wellington Dock, has been busy in & out of Dover recently, working with the MAERSK CONNECTOR & other vessels off the Belgian coast on the Nemo power cable project.




Wednesday, 25 July 2018 - 01:02

 

Post 5598

  Del Styan, Norwich

Good to see all the children cycling, but why, and where to? Perhaps just to get them out of the car habit?
By the way, did you fill up with goodies on your Calais trip?

Tuesday, 24 July 2018 - 23:09

 

Post 5597

  Patrick, Marine Parade

A pair of Naval coastal training craft came our way a couple of days ago.
Here HMS 'Exploit' was a caller in the outer harbour for a short while meeting up with the DHB Launch before heading off to foreign parts. Her sister - HMS 'Blazer' - carried on up to Ramsgate and from there also left for foreign parts.
Both were in the River Dart a week before seen in this Youtube video.
https://youtu.be/iy409zZlpyY




Meanwhile the second of the Self Discharging Bulk Carriers - the 'Splittnes' - docked this evening and commenced discharge on the new infill area of DWDR. This is the second visit from these SDBC's following the 'Sandnes' earler this month.







Tuesday, 24 July 2018 - 22:12

 

Post 5596

  Jeremy Ward, Whitfield, Dover

A long distance shot of the Celebrity Eclipse on a very warm muggy afternoon.

Tuesday, 24 July 2018 - 15:49

 

Post 5595

  Sea News, Dover

The 'small but beautifully packaged' Amadea was in with us yesterday. The shot above shows her arriving but the conditions were very misty...its all this heat isn't it .. so the pictures were limited. Yours truly decided to wait until departure time late in the day...but the thing was .. late in the day turned out to be just too late.
So here below we have a pic from a former visit.


The amount of people cycling has seemingly soared. The shot below shows a huge group of cyclists peddling by on the shimmering seafront two days ago. Believe me...there were many more, this picture just shows barely half the group. Its the proverbial 'army on wheels'. That Bradley Wiggins has a lot to answer for...
Not sure where they might be heading going thataway...the choices are .. over the cliffs or over the sea.

The totally stunning gorgeous monster Celebrity Eclipse is in Port today. What a ship...huge...how did she fit in... !!!

PB

Tuesday, 24 July 2018 - 06:58

 

Post 5594

  Sea News, Dover

DFDS AND MARINE CONSERVATION PARTNER ORCA INSPIRE LOCAL STUDENTS

Pupils at Dover Girls Grammar School participated in informative interactive presentation



As part of ferry operator DFDS’ ongoing partnership with ORCA, the charity were invited to address 120 Year 7 students at Dover Girls Grammar School, on Tuesday 10 July. ORCA is one of the UK’s leading marine conservation charities protecting whales and dolphins.

The students were presented with an engaging array of facts on these mammals and other marine species, forming part of an Enrichment Programme, during which students participated in a wide range of creative, sporting and educational extra-curricular activities.

UK and European waters are home to a third of the world’s whales, dolphin and porpoise species and many of the students were shocked at what resided in the waters around the UK. One year 7 student said, "It was amazing to hear just how many kinds of whale and dolphin species surround us in the UK". Mr Benson, Head Teacher at Dover Girls Grammar School said, "My thanks to ORCA and DFDS for providing this stimulating and fascinating experience for the year 7 students".

ORCA Education Co-ordinator, Anna Bunney presented a number of interesting exhibits for the students to study, ranging from baleen and sperm whale teeth to cetacean skulls, quizzing the students on what they could be, along with a discussion around the threats facing marine life today. "Inspiring the next generation is a crucial part of ORCA’s mission to create safer spaces for whales and dolphins around the UK. A huge thank you to Dover Grammar School for Girls and DFDS for giving us the opportunity to meet such an enthusiastic group of students and to talk about our work in the English Channel, North Sea and beyond."

ORCA’s community outreach programme aims to raise environmental awareness at a local level. The interactive presentation was intended to educate, inspire and encourage the students to be more environmentally and ecologically aware. Anna also hopes to have stimulated interest in her audience to consider a future career in marine biology.

Speaking of the event Stephen House, Head of UK Campaigns at DFDS said, "DFDS is very pleased to be able to support the Dover Girls Grammar Enrichment Fortnight by utilising our partnership with ORCA. The student engagement from the day was fantastic and it was great to see the girls getting enthused about the marine ecology that surrounds our shores."

-Ends-

The DFDS ferry Dover Seaways above...

Many thanks once again to the DFDS team for all the info...

* *

Now below.....The Holyhead Towing team coming across the Port for another hard day at the office. Part of the essential workforce, as the DWDR moves forward. Featured here.. Llanddwyn Island leading the charge with Afon Lligwy bringing up the rear. A very recent set of pictures...from three days ago.





PaulB



Monday, 23 July 2018 - 06:31