Sea News...
- 29 October 2012 16:35198394Meant to put this one up in the last post but here we are better late than never...proof that the seasons have changed when we see these guys...
taken earlier today..dont know if he is eyeing the young seagull up as an early lunch.
ps: its a cormorant.email: dover7@msn.com - 29 October 2012 18:35198411some brilliant photos on this thread, ed and paul serving up a treat.
- 29 October 2012 20:05198427As you said howard some cracking pictures,
crumbs Ed you sure do need those sea legs with those pictures of yours,
The cormorant must be thinking my its goner be a long winter better stock up,dare say he was licking his chops.
- Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
30 October 2012 00:54198459Great photos Paul and Ed. You must have a good zoom on your camera Paul if you took it from you flat. - 30 October 2012 13:43198515This thread is certainly amazing, amass with brilliant photos and an abundance of super topical information and it only started on October 19th with MrB at the helm, great work all round guys
There have been terrific half term ferry offers for families this week but i daresay the weather conditions have had a knock on affect and many might have stayed at home instead.
Brian, I'm expecting some comprehensive traffic reports from you, our on the spot traffic 'look-out' reporter
That new Nikon of yours looks like the business, love those first few photos above
Have just got to say that I'm taking the romantic view of the Cormorant, I think he quite fancies the young seagull but not on his dinner plate - 31 October 2012 00:14198630Berlioz in Dover. As you can see, she left her damaged port lifeboats in Dunkerque. Will be operating on a reduced PC (Passenger Certificate) until they are reinstated. Not that this will make much difference at the moment whilst they are still carrying next to nothing. The MES liferafts will suffice until then.
Meanwhile, the Office of Fair Trading has referred the question of Eurotunnel buying up the remnants of SeaFrance to the Competition Commission who will report back next April. Rather a curious business where the main competitor (railway tunnel) is permitted to buy up the competing alternative form of transport (ferries). Shades of the American motor manufacturers buying up and closing down the tramway systems in the States in the thirties so that everybody had no recourse other than to buy their cars!
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 October 2012 07:28198639ed,as i understand it at the moment,eurotunnel brought 3 ships of seafrances.now being LEASED back to the exseafrance workers WHO ARE OPERATING the service and not eurotunnel.so wheres the problem - 31 October 2012 08:50198644Cos Eurotunnel could lease them to MFL at a loss to drive down the prices and take the competetors out of business...... but then again they need to actually take customers - has it picked up for them yet?Been nice knowing you :)
- 31 October 2012 10:29198671P&O Ferries has uncorked a cracking deal....
... to kick-start cross Channel shopping trips in the run up to Christmas.
Book a Dover - Calais day trip for a car and passengers, with fares from just £25 return, and collect six FREE bottles of red, white or rose JP Chenet wine on board.
The offer applies to bookings for travel from 7 November until 14 December. For more information or to book go to www.poferries.com or call 08716 646464.(ends)
* *
Thats quite a deal if you are going over. Quite extraordinary offer. How do they do it??
Here's one i finished earlier...
I've been on MFL twice Scotchie..first time was almost completely empty. The second time it had picked up a fair bit...but still had bags of room. Was on The Rodin both times. Lovely ships, totally immaculate both inside and out. So shame to hear of the collision the other day but no doubt they will get it back shipshape in no time. Fascinating picture Ed as ever. Im sure they wont be breaking any rules re the lifeboat/public ratio.
email: dover7@msn.com - 31 October 2012 18:07198726Seismic survey vessel Western Monarch, operated by WesternGeco, stooging around off Dover this afternoon before departing for Las Palmas.
- 31 October 2012 20:50198765It is indeed ironic that 'Pride of Dover' is going for scrap...in the meantime negotiations continue on Teesside to try and create a future for 'Dover'
TSS 'Dover' in happier times-photo coutesy of AG Jones EsqNever give up... - 31 October 2012 21:00198767to be quite honest richard looking at that pic of "tss dover" i wouldn't fancy her chances of crossing the channel in the weather we have been getting recently.
- 31 October 2012 22:18198786Well our draft business plan precludes a great deal of cross channel activity-when restored she is to become mainly a coastal cruiser. However these older vessels were solidly built to the high BR spec featuring a low centre of gravity- they required great skill to handle but you would arrive safely in port. In her days operating on the Irish Sea crossing from Holyhead, force 10 was surmounted on several occasions. OK you probably wouldn't set out in those conditions but maritime weather all around the UK is notoriously unpredictable.Never give up...
- Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,865
1 November 2012 08:38198825I am still trying to raise the money for you Richard but sadly my European Lottery numbers refuse to pay out.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 1 November 2012 19:28198948Yet more really good pictures on this thread, its certainly keeping us up to date with all things maritime,and also keeping us up with all the cross channel offers happening from our very own seafront corrspondent.
Keep the imfo coming guys. - 2 November 2012 05:21198995Nightmare Halloween crossing from Poole to Jersey on a Condor fast ferry:
http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2012-11-01/rough-crossing-damages-cars/ - 2 November 2012 08:01199017Great pictures again guys...I saw that seismic vessel lurking offshore...the sea was being rough again as the pictures show.
But with regard to the fastferry in Ed's link in the post above. These seacat type ferries are not hugely successful in the English Channel. As we can see in the link, they essentially dont cope too well with rough weather ( only a force 6 and all the cars damaged! ), and as we all know we get a lot of rough weather in the Channel. When people try to run a service using these vessels they basically come unstuck. The schedule goes all to hell as these vessels cant run to schedule and then passengers essentially go elsewhere. This gives me an excuse to trawl back to some of the fast craft that operated from Dover in recent times...
Have to admit I did love the things though, but only on a flat calm day. Here we go with the Norman Arrow running to and from Boulogne. This picture shows it in its very final approach to Dover Harbour, year was 2009 as i remember..sadly the game was over...
It was a good looking thing and a very exciting ride as it powered back and forth to Boulogne.
More to follow shortly...and here we are..
Who remembers Speed One from Speedferries.
Here it is towards its final days on the English Channel in 2007. It looks weatherbeaten and forlorn. Its owner Curt whatwashisname took a cantankerous PR position towards everyone else as i remember...even yours truly had several cantankerous emails from him telling me what i could do with myself as he didnt like what i was writing...but all water under the bridge
email: dover7@msn.com - 2 November 2012 11:22199061Could be worse. This is a fast missile patrol boat just completed for the Indonesian navy. It is a stealth trimaran constructed from infused vinylester carbon-fibre composite. Remind me never to sign on a ship constructed from infused vinylester carbon-fibre composite.
It was about to start sea trials when this happened:
- Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,865
2 November 2012 11:37199067If the fire did not kill you the smoke surely would it looks lethal.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 2 November 2012 11:59199073talking of speedferries i used their service on the first day that they took foot passengers. they purchased a brand new minibus designed for people with no luggage. if the first person that got on didn't go to the furthest seat then nobody else could board.
the seacat was 45 minutes late setting off and had engine trouble on the way back, speaking to a crew member i discovered this was par for the course.
i had a few e mails from the danish bloke about stuff i had written, his whole attitude was wrong - getting aggressive with the major ferry companies was always going to backfire on him.
