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A Harbour Seal photographed at Dun Laoghaire Marina on Dublin Bay, Ireland. Also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinnipeds, they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Baltic and North seas. Photo: AfloatA photograph of a Harbour Seal taken at Dun Laoghaire Marina on Dublin Bay, Ireland. Also known as the common seal, this species can be found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are the most widely distributed species of pinnipeds and can be found in the coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as the Baltic and North Seas. Photo: Afloat

Displaying items by tag: Cape 31

Anthony O’Leary’s Antix will seek to defend his Cape 31 national title when the championship is run in conjunction with the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta this week on Dublin Bay.

Racing will run from Thursday to Sunday, but competitors have already begun to arrive at the Royal Irish Yacht Club, which is hosting the fleet of six.

Confirmed entries include the following boats. Tokoloshe (RSA), Shotgun (Isle of Man), Katabatic (GBR), Antix (IRL), Aja (IRL) and Valkyrie (IRL).

Last year, Royal Cork Yacht Club hosted the event in conjunction with Cork Week Regatta, with more travelling from the UK this year to compete in Dublin Bay.

The fleet will have a mix of professional and amateur sailors, with several Olympian and World Champions declared as crew. The only fully Corinthian crews will be Aja and Valkyrie from Howth Yacht Club.

All teams have been competing in the Solent this season with fleets of more than 25 boats on the start lines. While starts are expected to be less crowded, there will be no lack of close encounters on the racetrack in Dublin Bay as punchy winds are expected to see the fleet achieve speeds over 20 knots.

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Winning four out of seven races at the Cape 31 UK National Championships, Tony Dickin's Jubilee crew lifted the trophy in style at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club on the Solent.

Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary in Antix won the top Corinthian prize.

It was a completely different podium from the Cape 31s Round One at the RORC’s Vice Admiral’s Cup three weeks ago.

Tony Dickin's Jubilee crew celebrate the Cape 31 Uk National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian Roman(Above and below) Tony Dickin's Jubilee crew celebrate the Cape 31 UK National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian Roman

Tony Dickin's Jubilee crew celebrate the Cape 31 UK National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian Roman

Despite a poor opening result of 13th place in race one on Christchurch Bay, the Jubilee crew ended up on 16 points overall, giving them a two-point margin over Mike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe in second, with third-placed Flying Jenny (Sandy Askew) on 30 points in the 26-boat fleet.

 Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary in Antix won the top Corinthian at the Cape 31 UK Nationals prize Photo: Ian RomanRoyal Cork's Anthony O'Leary in Antix won the top Corinthian at the Cape 31 UK Nationals prize Photo: Ian Roman

Royal Irish's Niall Dowling is Top Irish

As Afloat reported, five Irish boats competed with Royal Irish's Arabella (Niall Dowling) in tenth place in the biggest outing yet for the high-performance keelboat class. O'Leary's Antix from Royal Cork finished 12th. Dan O'Grady's Howth Yacht Club crew on Aja were 14th. O'Grady's clubmates Darren Wright in Adrenaline were 24th, and David Maguire's all-amateur lineup on Valkyrie, 25th.

Racing on day one of the Cape 31 Nationals at Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian RomanRacing on day one of the Cape 31 Nationals at Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian Roman

The burgeoning fleet dealt with conditions throughout the wind range in the three-day event under Race Officer Peter Saxton, opening on Friday in a perfect 15 to 20 knots before lighter races on Saturday and Sunday.

Day One brought amazing conditions in Christchurch Bay, and the teams were excited to get out there. Three action-packed races with gusts up to 22 knots made for a perfect playground for the Cape 31s. The first race of the event was taken by Nick Phillip’s Chaotic, with the next two being picked up by Jubilee. The day was won by the Bartholomew’s Tokoloshe with a fairly consistent 6, 3, 3.

Mike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe were second overall at the Cape 31 UK National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian RomanMike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe were second overall at the Cape 31 UK National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian Roman

There were some top results for Corinthian teams Motions and Bodfather on Day One. Round 1 winners Shotgunn started the day off well with a third, but a black flag in race three made the start of their regatta difficult.

Day Two was as challenging for the Race Team as it was for the competitors. There were two races, one with a moderate breeze from the southeast and one in light conditions from the south. Jubilee continued their streak with a bullet in the first race, and Gelert took the second bullet of the day. Sandy Askew’s Flying Jenny continued their consistent performance to hold onto third place going into the final day. Lance Adams' second place in the final race wasn’t enough to get him onto the podium but he was pleased to take fourth in a fleet of this size. Other notable performances came from Guy Gillon’s Khumbu, who podiumed in race five after leading race four for three legs of the race.

Flying Jenny (Sandy Askew) were third overall at the Cape 31 UK National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian RomanFlying Jenny (Sandy Askew) were third overall at the Cape 31 UK National Championships win at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club Photo: Ian Roman

It all came down to the last race for the regatta title. Jubilee were 8 points clear but needed a good race to seal the deal. With Tokoloshe taking their first bullet of the season in the last race, Jubilee sealed the National Championship by two points. Tony Dickin, owner of Jubilee, said, “Very nerve-wracking last race, Tokoloshe had a flyer leaving us to make sure we finished within 8 points of them.

We were worried off the line but it came good for us, and we got into the top 8/9 at the top mark.” Jubilee picked up the top prizes, including the Hamble Yacht Services Trophy, a painting commissioned by the Class by Sarah Hornby. Second place was claimed by Tokoloshe and third Sandy Askew's Flying Jenny.

The Corinthian prize came down to the last race, with Anthony O’Leary’s Antix coming out on top, followed by David Cummin’s Flurg and Dan O’Grady’s Aja in second and third place, respectively, with just 6 points between first and third.

The top travelling boat award was given to Christian Schwoerer’s La Pericolosa. The team from Italy and Germany put on an impressive performance considering it was the first time racing their new boat. 

Results here

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The UK Cape 31 National Championship at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club is set to begin on Friday, featuring the largest fleet to date. 

The Royal Lymington team is hosting the class for the first time, and with 26 teams on the starting line, the event promises three days of exhilarating racing.

The entry list includes the 25 teams that participated in the RORC Vice Admirals Cup in May, along with a new boat from Germany, La Pericolosa.

The five Irish boats competing are: 

  • Niall Dowling's Arabella from the Royal Irish with a mix of amateur and three pro crew: Victoria Akhurst, Poppy Daniel, Tom Dawson (Pro), Anthony Haines (Pro), Randal Jackson, Sam Pearson and Mark Lees (Pro).
  • Dan O'Grady's Aja from Howth with an all-amateur crew of Jon O'Dowd, Ross McDonald, Dylan Gannon, Rory O'Sullivan, Robbie English and Paddy Good.
  • Anthony O'Leary's Antix, the Irish champion with an amateur crew and one pro, Steven Milne, plus Cliodhna Connolly, Ben Field, Tommy Murphy, David Kelly and Derek Moynan.
  • Darren Wright's Adrenaline sailing with two pros in his Howth crew:  Michael Wright, Shane Hughes (Pro), Ewan O'Keeffe, Darren Wright, Sam O’Byrne, Chris Draper (Pro), and Dave Bailey.
  • David Maguire's all amateur line up on Valkyrie is: David Doherty, Gary Cullen, Johnny Durcan, Colin Kavanagh, Graham Curran, and Simon Rattigan

The upcoming weekend poses a real challenge for the Cape 31 teams and the Race Management, as mixed weather conditions are expected, and there's the option of racing in two race areas, the Solent and Christchurch Bay.

26 Cape 31 teams will be on the starting line at the UK Nationals at Royal Lymington26 Cape 31 teams will be on the starting line at the UK Nationals at Royal Lymington Photo: James Tomlinson

The National Championship dinner will be hosted at the Royal Lymington, featuring live music and a magician for entertainment. Additionally, live music will be performed at the club on Saturday from 2030. The prize-giving ceremony will conclude the weekend, followed by a Royal Lymington Carvery.

Heading into the event, the favourites are Round 1 winners Michael Wilson's Shotgunn as well as runners-up Nick Phillips' Chaotic, and third James Howells' Gelert. Gelert being the team to watch after an impressive performance in Round 1, winning three out of six races.

The trophy, generously donated by HYS, is awarded to the top high-performance class in the Solent for the year. Previous winners include Johnny Cooper’s FANATIC and Russell Peter's Squirt. The trophy also bears the names of other renowned sailors, such as Niklas Zenstrom's Ran. In addition to the trophy, prizes will be given to the top travelling boat. Seven teams are competing for this prize, including four Irish, one Dutch, one German, and one American team. Finally, there will be a prize for the top Corinthian team, with six teams eligible for this award. Eight teams are eligible for the top Corinthian team, making it another exciting aspect to watch out for!

Racing will commence at 1100 on Friday, June 9th, following a North Sails training day on Thursday to help the teams prepare and get up to speed.

Race Info, Entrants and Results will be available here

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Following a successful outing for Irish Cape 31 interests at the Vice Admiral's Cup on the Solent last weekend, there is confirmation this week that the 2023 Irish National Championships will be raced at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR) this July.

As Afloat reported earlier this month, this is a change from the original programme, which first saw the eight-boat Cape fleet scheduled to race for National honours a week after the VDLR.

Cape 31 action comes to Dublin Bay this July when the new high speed sportsboat fleet races for Irish honours as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: James TomlinsonCape 31 action comes to Dublin Bay this July when the new high speed sportsboat fleet races for Irish honours as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: James Tomlinson

The news comes as the defending Irish champion took fifth overall and top Corinthian boat at the class's-biggest-ever turnout of 25 boats on the Solent last weekend. 

At least half that number is expected to race on Dublin Bay from July 6. Currently, five are entered. See the current VDLR entries here

Current Cape 31 entries for VDLR 2023 include Irish champion Antix from Royal Cork Yacht Club Current Cape 31 entries for VDLR 2023 include Irish champion Antix from Royal Cork Yacht Club 

Anthony O'Leary of Royal Cork, who won the inaugural Cape nationals in 2022 (that raced as part of Cork Week Regatta), has entered the big Dublin Bay biennial that received its official launch last week.

The Vice-Admiral's Cup winner, Michael Wilson, skipper of Shotgunn, who hails from the Isle of Man, is also entered in the VDLR.

Wilson has an extraordinary crew racing Shotgunn: Ben Batchelor, Mike Wilson, Stu Bithell, Dave Chapman, Phil Hardisty, Simon Potts, and Peter Greenhalgh. Wilson comes from a dinghy racing background, including Flying Fifteens, 505s and National 18s.

Meanwhile, the only Dun Laoghaire Cape 31 'Blast' has come up for sale, as Afloat reports here.

Published in Cape 31

Irish Cape 31 champion Anthony O'Leary finished fifth overall – and top Irish entry – at the weekend's six-race Vice-Admiral's Cup on the Solent.

As Afloat reported earlier, it was the biggest-ever gathering of the new sportsboat class with a 25-boat fleet that included five Irish boats. 

Royal Irish skipper Niall Dowling was the overnight leader after four races, but a 16.0 and (23.0) score on Sunday dropped him to eighth overall.

Consistent sailing from O'Leary's Royal Cork crew saw them in the mix for the podium on Saturday evening in fourth place and but for a final race 18th; the result may well have been higher than the highly prized top five overall.  O’Leary shared the driving with son Robert with Nicholas O’Leary on the mainsheet.

O'Leary also claimed the Corinthian prize. David Cummin's Flurg and Charlie Whelan's The Bodfather secured second and third positions, respectively, on the Corinthian leaderboard.

Without winning a race, the overall winners, Michael Wilson's Shotgunn crew, representing the Isle of Man, produced a consistent performance (6,4,4,2,2,3); only once were they out of the top five, with a sixth in the first race. 

Wilson has an extraordinary crew racing Shotgunn: Ben Batchelor, Mike Wilson, Stu Bithell, Dave Chapman, Phil Hardisty, Simon Potts, and Peter Greenhalgh. Such was the level of competition, Shotgunn did not win a single race, but after discard, their lowest score was fourth. Wilson comes from a dinghy racing background, including Flying Fifteens, 505s and National 18s.

Despite a challenging start to the weekend with inclement weather on Friday resulting in no completed races, the Solent provided an exhilarating playground for the Cape 31 fleet over the next two days. With shifty, puffy, and demanding conditions, the teams faced gusts of up to 20 knots and lulls as low as 9/10 knots, leading to numerous position changes and opportunities for thrilling comebacks.

The Class also had sunshine for the Mount Gay Launch Party with DJ Mark Covell on the decks. There was plenty of rum and debriefing from the day at the Apres Sail-style party at Hamble Yacht Services.

Over the course of the three-day event, PRO Paul Jackson successfully initiated six races, and the fleet witnessed four different winners. James Howell's Gelert secured the first race of the year and went on to claim two more victories during the weekend. The remaining three race wins were clinched by Niall Dowling's Arabella, Tony Dickin's Jubilee, and Lennard van Oeveren's Fast Motions.

Another impressive performance came from one of the fleet's newest teams, Nick Phillips Chaotic; after easing themselves in they were on the podium for 4 out of 6 races. This secured them second place overall. Completing the overall podium was James Howell's Gelert, boasting an outstanding trio of race victories, although their tale might have taken a different turn had they not been U Flagged in the second race.

However, it was Michael Wilson's Shotgunn that truly stole the show with an outstanding performance. Wilson and his team demonstrated the significance of consistency in a fleet of this size. Having taken delivery of their boat in early 2022, the Shotgunn crew has been in the mix since winning Round 1 of the 2022 Race Circuit.

Reflecting on their success, Wilson shared,

"Winning in this fleet is made much easier by the team you have around you. When the team positions you well, it makes a massive difference. We've invested time in training, and with this being our second season in the boat, those factors have definitely played a role. Winning races is not the sole focus; it's about putting together a series of events, and that's precisely what we set out to do."

Stuart Bithell, Olympic Gold Medalist and a key crew member on Shotgunn, added, "The level of competition out there is exceptional. Despite a few challenging starts, credit goes to our tactician David Chapman, who skillfully navigated us out of difficult situations and ensured we rounded the windward mark in a strong position. Michael's accurate calculations propelled us forward, and we never looked back."

The thrilling start to the season has left everyone eagerly anticipating the upcoming Nationals, scheduled to take place from June 8th to 11th at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club. With the addition of several more boats to the fleet, the competition promises to be even more intense.

The results are here.

Cape 31 Vice Admiral's Cup 2023 Photo Gallery 

Photos by Paul Wyeth, James Tomlinson and the class association

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Three different teams scored victories on Saturday in the 25-strong Cape 31 Class at the RORC's Vice Admiral's Cup on the Solent.

James Howells’ Gelert took Race 1, Roger Bowden’s Nifty ran away with it in Race 2, and Niall Dowling’s Arabella won Race 3.

After three races, Niall Dowling’s Arabella is leading, scoring a consistent 5-7-1. Mike Bartholomew’s Tokoloshe scored a 3-3-9 and is second by virtue of countback from Michael Wilson’s Shotgunn, which scored 6-5-4. Anthony O’Leary’s Antix is definitely in the mix, two points off the podium.

RORC member Niall Dowling hails from Ireland and is also a member of the Royal Irish Yacht Club. “I knew would have a good last race but had no idea that we were leading after three races; I haven’t been allowed to look at anything but my telltales all day!” smiled Arabella’s Niall Dowling. “Consistency was a real key today, the Tokoloshe guys sail the boat incredibly well, but to be honest, our lead is not down to me; it’s the great crew on Arabella. I hope we are not one-day wonders because this is great sailing!”

After the biggest fleet of Cape 31s to ever make a start line, Niall Dowling gave his opinion about what matters in the Cape 31 Class. “Having 25 Capes out is amazing, but what is even more impressive is that nobody is being destructive,” continued Dowling. “The Class have managed to grow the fleet well and keep the good atmosphere. Maintaining the class spirit, where everyone is out to have a good time, is key; if we can continue to do that, then great. On the course today, with the wind from the north, it was shifty, so we all had ups and downs, but I think everyone had great sailing and returned to the dock delighted.”

Four boats from Ireland have made the journey to the Solent, and the Irish champion, O'Leary's Antix from Royal Cork, has had a consistent score of 7.0, 5.0, 3.0 to date.

Anthony O'Leary's Antix from Royal Cork (red boat), is fourth with a 7.0, 5.0, 3.0 score in the Cape 31 Class at the RORC's Vice Admiral's Cup Photo: Rick TomlinsonAnthony O'Leary's Antix from Royal Cork (red boat), is fourth with a 7.0, 5.0, 3.0 score in the Cape 31 Class at the RORC's Vice Admiral's Cup Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Howth Yacht Club's Dan O'Grady's Aja is lying mid-fleet in 13th. David Maguire's Valkyrie is 20th, and Darren Wright's Adrenaline is 22nd.

Racing continues on the Solent today.

The results are here.

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Four Irish Cape 31s will help to create the biggest ever Cape 31of 25 when the superfast sportsboat fleet gathers for this weekend's RORC Vice Admirals Cup on the Solent.

Irish champion Anthony O'Leary from Royal Cork leads Irish hopes with a threesome from Howth Yacht Club making up the Irish challenge. North Dublin's Dan O'Grady's Aja, David Maguire's Valkyrie and Darren Wright's Adrenaline will all be in action.

The class are days away from Round 1 of the Cape 31 Race Circuit at the 2023 Royal Ocean Racing Club Vice Admirals Cup. The Solent-based, inshore regatta (primarily for one-design classes) combines five classes for three days of intense, close racing across two courses. The Cape 31s have quickly become the most significant class at the event.

The 2022 Cape 31 Class National Championships featured a 21 boat fleet Photo: Rick TomlinsonThe 2022 Cape 31 Class National Championships featured a 21-boat fleet Photo: Rick Tomlinson

2022 Vice Admiral's Cup Champion and one of the founders of the UK Class, David Bartholomew, Tokoloshe, said, "We had 13 competitors at Vice Admirals last year, with almost double that this weekend. It's going to be awesome. The fleet has a lot of new talent, so I'm looking forward to an impressive lineup."

With six new teams to the fleet since the last UK Class Event, there are many new faces. It will be the first outing in the 31 Race Circuit for Nick Phillips Chaotic, Bertie Bicket's Fargo, Julian Metherell's Bullit, Ben Pritchard's Akhelios, Guy Gillon's Khumbu and Chris and Laura Anstead's Squirrel. Lance Adams' new Katabatic, K2, will also have her first outing of the year with the usual suspects on board.

Meanwhile, there is still no confirmation that the Cape 31s will race for Irish national honours at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

Entries, regatta info and results are available here

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It's all go for the brand new Cape 31 class with the word on the street that Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta could now play host to the Irish National Championships this July.

The first Cape 31 event of 2023 took place in the Solent with ‘Round 0’, the Royal Southern May Regatta.

The mainly light airs event, won by Mike Bartholomew’s ‘Tokoloshe’ and with Howth's Dave Maguire in Valkyrie competing, was a warm-up for the Class before the scoring events kick off later in the month at the RORC Vice Admirals Cup.

Cape 31 Designer Mark Mills from Wicklow reports on the rapid expansion of the class worldwide, with new boats delivered in 2023 to fleets building in Italy, France, and Hong Kong. "It’s no surprise," says Mills, "that the experienced dealers in these locations (The Tortarolo’s in Savona Shipyard, Marc Pajot in St. Tropez, and Jamie Boag in Asia) are actively building excitement and supporting owners to help build competitive, sustainable fleets".

Afloat sources say it looks likely – but not yet confirmed – that Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta will host the Irish National Championships from July 6-9.

This would be a change from the programme, which originally saw the eight-boat Cape fleet scheduled to race for National honours a week after the VDLR.

Defending champion Anthony O'Leary of Royal Cork, who won the inaugural Cape nationals in 2022 (that raced as part of Cork Week Regatta), has recently entered the big Dublin Bay biennial.

Anthony O'Leary’s Cape 31 Antix in winning form at Volvo Cork Week 2022 Photo: Rick TomlinsonAnthony O'Leary’s Cape 31 Antix in winning form at Volvo Cork Week 2022 Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Meanwhile, the Dun Laoghaire Cape 31 'Blast' has come up for sale, as Afloat reports here

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The 2022-built Mills Cape 31 'Blast' is on the market. 

Priced at €300,000, Hull #35 of the new high-speed was launched last August 2022 on Dublin Bay

She is the latest generation of Cape 31 and comes with all the upgrades. The seller says it is 'a turn key option to get into this fantastic class'.

Club sails were almost exclusively used in the Aug - Dec timeframe since the boat was commissioned. They are perfect training/club racing sails, the seller states.

Race Sails are barely used. 3Di J1, 3Di J2 never out of the bags, 3Di main once (for a look), 3Di J3 twice for two short club races, A3 twice for two short club races and A2+ once for 20 mins on a light day that we should have had the A2 up i.e. it was hardly loaded.

Read the full advert on Afloat boats for sale here

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The fledgling Irish Cape 31 class goes centre stage this July when it makes its high-profile debut at Ireland's biggest sailing event, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Dublin Bay.

According to class social media, the class is gearing up for an 'awesome' Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta to be followed by the Irish National Championships on the Irish capital's waters. 

As regular Afloat readers will recall, Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary and his Antix crew secured the inaugural Cape 31 Irish title at last year's Volvo Cork Week Regatta. The Antix crew are already in top form for this year's defence, having won the first Cape 31 Regatta in the USA in January, which also earned O'Leary an Irish Sailor of the Month award.

Irish Cape 31 champions, Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary and his Antix crew at speed as captured by photographer Paul WyethIrish Cape 31 champions, Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary and his Antix crew at speed as captured by photographer Paul Wyeth

Come July, the new Irish keelboat class will have competed at Wave 2022, Cork Week 2022, the UK Nationals 2022, this winter in Florida and VDLR 2023. 

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is reporting its first international Cape 31 entry for the regatta with another RCYC entry slated, but this time it is not from Cork Harbour, but Royal Cape Yacht Club in South Africa as Mike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe crew signal their intention to contest the July 6th big event. 

Also entered in an anticipated ten-boat VDLR fleet is Howth's David Maguire in Valkyrie.

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For all you need on the Marine Environment - covering the latest news and updates on marine science and wildlife, weather and climate, power from the sea and Ireland's coastal regions and communities - the place to be is Afloat.ie.

Coastal Notes

The Coastal Notes category covers a broad range of stories, events and developments that have an impact on Ireland's coastal regions and communities, whose lives and livelihoods are directly linked with the sea and Ireland's coastal waters.

Topics covered in Coastal Notes can be as varied as the rare finding of sea-life creatures, an historic shipwreck with secrets to tell, or even a trawler's net caught hauling much more than just fish.

Other angles focusing the attention of Coastal Notes are Ireland's maritime museums, which are of national importance to maintaining access and knowledge of our nautical heritage, and those who harvest the sea using small boats based in harbours where infrastructure and safety pose an issue, plying their trade along the rugged wild western seaboard.

Coastal Notes tells the stories that are arguably as varied as the environment they come from, and which shape people's interaction with the natural world and our relationship with the sea.

Marine Wildlife

One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with Marine Wildlife. It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. And as boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify, even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat. Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse, it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to our location in the North Atlantic, there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe. From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals, the Marine Wildlife category documents the most interesting accounts around our shores. And we're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and video clips, too!

Also valuable is the unique perspective of all those who go afloat, from coastal sailing to sea angling to inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing, as what they encounter can be of great importance to organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG). Thanks to their work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. But as impressive as the list is, the experts believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves, keep a sharp look out!

Weather

As an island in the North Atlantic, Ireland's fate is decided by Weather more so than many other European countries. When storm-force winds race across the Irish Sea, ferry and shipping services are cut off, disrupting our economy. When swollen waves crash on our shores, communities are flooded and fishermen brace for impact - both to their vessels and to their livelihoods.

Keeping abreast of the weather, therefore, is as important to leisure cruisers and fishing crews alike - for whom a small craft warning can mean the difference between life and death - as it is to the communities lining the coast, where timely weather alerts can help protect homes and lives.

Weather affects us all, and Afloat.ie will keep you informed on the hows and the whys.

Marine Science

Perhaps it's the work of the Irish research vessels RV Celtic Explorer and RV Celtic Voyager out in the Atlantic Ocean that best highlights the essential nature of Marine Science for the future growth of Ireland's emerging 'blue economy'.

From marine research to development and sustainable management, Ireland is developing a strong and well-deserved reputation as an emerging centre of excellence. Whether it's Wavebob ocean energy technology to aquaculture to weather buoys and oil exploration, the Marine Science category documents the work of Irish marine scientists and researchers and how they have secured prominent roles in many European and international marine science bodies.

Power From The Sea

The message from the experts is clear: offshore wind and wave energy is the future. And as Ireland looks towards the potential of the renewable energy sector, generating Power From The Sea will become a greater priority in the State's 'blue growth' strategy.

Developments and activities in existing and planned projects in the pipeline from the wind and wave renewables sector, and those of the energy exploration industry, point to the future of energy requirements for the whole world, not just in Ireland. And that's not to mention the supplementary industries that sea power projects can support in coastal communities.

Irish ports are already in a good position to capitalise on investments in offshore renewable energy services. And Power From The Sea can even be good for marine wildlife if done properly.

Aside from the green sector, our coastal waters also hold a wealth of oil and gas resources that numerous prospectors are hoping to exploit, even if people in coastal and island areas are as yet unsure of the potential benefits or pitfalls for their communities.

Changing Ocean Climate

Our ocean and climate are inextricably linked - the ocean plays a crucial role in the global climate system in a number of ways. These include absorbing excess heat from the atmosphere and absorbing 30 per cent of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere by human activity. But our marine ecosystems are coming under increasing pressure due to climate change.

The Marine Institute, with its national and international partners, works to observe and understand how our ocean is changing and analyses, models and projects the impacts of our changing oceans. Advice and forecasting projections of our changing oceans and climate are essential to create effective policies and management decisions to safeguard our ocean.

Dr Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute, said, “Our ocean is fundamental to life on earth and affects so many facets of our everyday activities. One of the greatest challenges we face as a society is that of our changing climate. The strong international collaborations that the Marine Institute has built up over decades facilitates a shared focusing on our changing ocean climate and developing new and enhanced ways of monitoring it and tracking changes over time.

“Our knowledge and services help us to observe these patterns of change and identify the steps to safeguard our marine ecosystems for future generations.”

The Marine Institute’s annual ocean climate research survey, which has been running since 2004, facilitates long term monitoring of the deep water environment to the west of Ireland. This repeat survey, which takes place on board RV Celtic Explorer, enables scientists to establish baseline oceanic conditions in Irish waters that can be used as a benchmark for future changes.

Scientists collect data on temperature, salinity, water currents, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the Atlantic Ocean. This high quality oceanographic data contributes to the Atlantic Ocean Observing System. Physical oceanographic data from the survey is submitted to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) and, in addition, the survey contributes to national research such as the VOCAB ocean acidification and biogeochemistry project, the ‘Clean Atlantic’ project on marine litter and the A4 marine climate change project.

Dr Caroline Cusack, who co-ordinates scientific activities on board the RV Celtic Explorer for the annual survey, said, “The generation of long-term series to monitor ocean climate is vital to allow us understand the likely impact of future changes in ocean climate on ecosystems and other marine resources.”

Other activities during the survey in 2019 included the deployment of oceanographic gliders, two Argo floats (Ireland’s contribution to EuroArgo) and four surface drifters (Interreg Atlantic Area Clean Atlantic project). The new Argo floats have the capacity to measure dissolved ocean and biogeochemical parameters from the ocean surface down to a depth of 2,000 metres continuously for up to four years, providing important information as to the health of our oceans.

During the 2019 survey, the RV Celtic Explorer retrieved a string of oceanographic sensors from the deep ocean at an adjacent subsurface moored station and deployed a replacement M6 weather buoy, as part of the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network (IMDBON).

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the IMDBON is managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann and is designed to improve weather forecasts and safety at sea around Ireland. The data buoys have instruments which collect weather and ocean data including wind speed and direction, pressure, air and sea surface temperature and wave statistics. This data provides vital information for weather forecasts, shipping bulletins, gale and swell warnings as well as data for general public information and research.

“It is only in the last 20 years, meteorologists and climatologists have really began to understood the pivotal role the ocean plays in determining our climate and weather,” said Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann. “The real-time information provided by the Irish data buoy network is particularly important for our mariners and rescue services. The M6 data buoy in the Atlantic provides vital information on swell waves generated by Atlantic storms. Even though the weather and winds may be calm around our shores, there could be some very high swells coming in from Atlantic storms.”