Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#Flooding - Seaside residents in the popular surfing spot of Lahinch in Co Clare were evacuated yesterday (3 January) after massive swells driven by strong storm-force winds encroached half a kilometre inland. According to The Irish Times, the emergency came…

Sailing round Ireland, whether cruising or racing, is a fascinating and uniquely satisfying experience for any Irish sailing enthusiast. Who did it first from an Irish port? W M Nixon introduces a possible candidate from 1860. We try to tell…

In its first marine notice of 2014 Waterways Ireland has moved to advise of the dangers posed at at harbours, jetties and moorings during thew current stormy weather.  Masters and Owners of vessels berthed in public harbours, at jetties or…

#rnli – Both Newcastle RNLI's inshore and all weather lifeboats were launched in rough weather at 9am this morning following reports that a man had entered the sea after his dog and had got into difficulty. However the search was…

#clipperroundtheworldrace – Two crew members on Mission Performance who were transferred to hospital in Hobart last night following an accident below decks have left hospital following medical assessment.  Katherine Camilleri (50) from Sydney, Australia, suffered bruised ribs and got back…

#CancelledSailings – Only days into the New Year sees the return of bad weather as storm force winds and gales batter the coast, forcing fast-ferry operated sailings to be cancelled today.  On the Dublin Port-Holyhead route, Irish Ferries fast-ferry Jonathan…

#Lecture - "Seascapes, Wind Turbines and marine Planning- The Future of our Marine Environment" is a lecture to be presented by David Bagnall next Thursday 9 December at 20.00hrs. The lecture is to be held in Poolbeg Yacht and Boat…

SCORA handicap bands for 2014 are on the agenda for the January 17th agm and prizegiving at Kinsale Yacht club but no changes from 2013 are proposed. The details for the meeting are as follows.   AGENDA SCORA AGM and…

#MarineWildlife - The dolphin death toll on America's Atlantic coast caused by a measels-like virus now exceeds 1,000 - and marine scientists have warned the Guardian that the epidemic shows now signs of slowing down. As reported in August on…

#marinesafety – Irish Water Safety is warning the public that to stay safe they must stay away from the edges of waterways during storm conditions that are even more dangerous due to heavy rain, strong gale force winds and high tides.…

#Diving - A new series of 'free water trails' on the Galway-Mayo coastline where diving novices can get into snorkelling is set to be launched early this year. TheJournal.ie reported recently on plans for the Blueway, a network of five…

#Weather - RTÉ News says flood alerts have been issued for Galway and Cork as more stormy weather sweeps in from the Atlantic this evening (2 January). Western and southern areas will be worst affected, with Met Éireann declaring Status…

#AntarcticIce - The Guardian reports that a helicopter mission to rescue stranded passengers - including two of the paper's journalists - from a research vessel stranded by ice in Antarctica has been successful. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Akademik…

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's lifeboat crew held their annual Service of Remembrance on New Year’s Day yesterday. The ceremony remembers past deceased lifeboat volunteers and all associated with the sea from Wicklow, and began with a short religious prayer conducted…

#sailor of the month – With a cut-off date at midnight on Christmas Eve, the lineup for Afloat.ie's "Sailor of the Month" title for December provides only three weeks of peformance time, but it allows the adjudicators to spread their…

A kitesurfer has been rescued by the Dun Laoghaire RNLI Inshore lifeboat operating at extreme weather limits. The incident occurred around 10.40am when the man was kitesurfing with friends about 150 metres from the shore in breaking surf off Sandymount…

#Coastguard - The Irish Times reports that the body of a man who was reported missing off Ballybunion on Co Kerry at the weekend has been found this afternoon (31 December). The remains of the 64-year-old were recovered by the…

#AbukLion - Following the dramatic rescue of the stricken bulk carrier Abuk Lion, the Port of Cork took over the final leg of the rescue at port limits this morning, bringing the vessel inside the harbour today 31 December at…

#RNLI - Kilmore Quay RNLI volunteers had a Christmas Day call-out last week when a surfer got into difficulties just before 4pm. The man had been surfing at the Burrow Shore off the Memorial Garden to the west of the…

#FerryRefit- Stena Adventurer, one of two Stena Line ferries operating the Dublin Port-Holyhead route has completed an extensive refurbishment which includes increased passenger capacity. The refit, which sees enhanced and additional passenger facilities, has enabled the Stena Adventurer to increase…