Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
#MARINE WILDLIFE - US marine science experts have been baffled by a beluga whale whose speech-like vocalisations sound an awful lot like Donegal Irish! BBC News reports on research out of San Diego into the sounds made by a nine-year-old…
#shark – October 2012 marks an important milestone for the Marine Institute and Irish Elasmobranch Group's porbeagle shark tagging project as five more porbeagles have been tagged off the Donegal coast by the project's expert shark angler, Peter McAuley. The…
#islandnation – NUI Galway have awarded Afloat correspondent Tom MacSweeney an honorary Degree of Master of Science, honoris causa at the Autumn Conferrings today in the Bailey Allen Hall at the University. Almost 4,000 students will graduate from NUI Galway…
# ROWING: Rowing Ireland have chosen Morten Espersen to be their new High Performance Director. The 61-year-old served as HPD in Denmark from 1993 to 2001 and went on to chair Denmark’s executive board for elite rowing. Denmark has had…
#middlesearace – Dun Laoghaire yacht Dinah sailed by Barry Hurley and Andrew Boyle are maintaining second overall in the double-handed class inspite of a massive thunderstorm and torrential rain engulfing Malta overnight in the latest update from the Rolex Middle…
#MARINE WILDLIFE - The carcass of the fin whale that died after being trapped in Baltimore Harbour two months ago has been towed out to sea after its presence in a conservation area attracted complaints. According to the Irish Examiner,…
#pirates – This morning while conducting routine surveillance off the Somali coast, HNMLS ROTTERDAM the flagship for the NATO 'OCEAN SHIELD' counter piracy mission, came under sustained fire from groups of suspected pirates. A boarding team from Rotterdam was making…
Irish Marine Scientists Discover 'Smoking Vents' on Mid-Atlantic Ridge
24th October 2012 Marine Science
#UCC – Irish research which led to the discovery of smoking vents on the mid Atlantic Ridge will feature in a National Geographic programme to be broadcast next Sunday, 28 October. National Geographic has produced a five part series, The…
#fishing – Irish fishermen may get additional fishing opportunities in 2013 according to am EU Commission proposal this afternoon. The Commission has proposed increased levels of total allowable catch (TAC) for certain fish stocks in the Atlantic and the North…
#CELTIC LINK - The Celtic Horizon, the 27,522 tonnes ro-pax ferry this week celebrates her first year in service on Celtic Link Ferries Rosslare-Cherbourg route, writes Jehan Ashmore. According to the Celtic Link they have had a 'resoundingly successful inaugural…
Fifteen RS 400s, from as far South as Glandore and as far North as Cushendall formed the main appetiser for the latest RS Ireland traveller series event. A smaller group of RS200s and RS Fevas also battled it out over…
Agreement on how a fisheries fund of approximately €6 billion will be allocated among EU Member States was reached in Luxembourg today following two days of negotiations at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the…
#middlesearace – Royal Irish Yacht Dinah from Dun Laoghaire is approaching the half way stage of the Rolex sponsored Middle Sea race this morning and is lying second in class in the 83-boat fleet. The yacht is heading west across…
#MARKETPLACE - "Dog eat dog" competition on the high street prompted Dubarry's managing director to reposition the shoe company as a supplier of premium boating clothing and footwear, as The Irish Times reports. Eamonn Fagan explains how he saw an…
#LECTURES – "Below the Surface" is a new series of six monthly held maritime lectures which are aptly to take place on board the replica barque Jeanie Johnston. The tallship built in Blennerville a decade ago, is now a floating…
#coastguard – Two fishermen have been rescued after the fishing vessel Snowdonia sank approximately 12 miles east of Kilkeel Harbour on the County Down coast. Belfast Coastguard received a call from the fishing vessel Tribute reporting that they had recovered…
Irish Coast Guard Chief to Face Oireachtas as Bosses Criticise Govt Report
23rd October 2012 Coastguard
#COASTGUARD - The Irish Examiner reports today that the Irish Coast Guard has severely criticised the first draft of the 'value for money' report on the coastguard service commissioned by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar. Senior IRCG management berated the work…
#youthsailing – Although funding issues have already forced the withdrawal of two international teams for the 2012 Student Yachting World Cup, Team Ireland from UCD is celebrating a title sponsor in the nick of time for next week's event in…
#SURFING - Surfing website MagicSeaweed captured French surf pro Justine Dupont in top form at Aileens off the West of Ireland on Sunday 21 October. The 21-year-old paddled out to the secret big wave surfing spot with 2011 Billabong XXL…
#COASTAL NOTES - The remains of a leatherback turtle were among the finds reported by 'citizen scientists' taking part in the Coastwatch survey of Ireland's coastline, according to The Irish Times. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the 'eco audit' marked…