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Displaying items by tag: Lir Offshore Array

Following survey works earlier this year, Lir Offshore Array will be completing geophysical survey works in the Irish Sea off counties Louth, Meath and Dublin as part of a scientific data-gathering exercise over the next six weeks.

Survey company Ondine will be carrying out these survey works on a 24/7 basis from Friday 1 July to Monday 15 August 2022, subject to weather.

Operations will be conducted by the research vessels DP1 Kommandor Iona (callsign GAAK) and DP1 Ondine Jule (callsign EIZH4), the latter of which will start work later in the campaign.

These work vessels will be towing geophysical equipment during operations at the offshore wind farm site and they will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre.

All other vessels operating within this area are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash. Radio transmissions will be conducted with other seafarers to notify them of the operations.

Contact details, coordinates and a map of the survey area can be found in Marine Notice No 43 of 2022, attached below.

Published in Power From the Sea

Geophysical survey works as part of a scientific data-gathering exercise for the Lir Offshore Array are set to begin this week.

Survey company Ondine will be carrying out these works from Wednesday 9 February until the end of April, weather permitting, in the Irish Sea roughly offshore of South Louth, Meath and North Fingal.

A research vessel, DP1 Kommandor Iona (callsign GAAK) will be used to carry out the work on a 24/7 basis. The vessel will be towing geophysical equipment during operations and the vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre.

Coordinates and maps of the survey area are included in Marine Notice No 09 of 2022, which can be found attached below.

All other vessels operating within this area are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash. Radio transmissions will be conducted with other seafarers to notify them of the operations.

Published in News Update

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland 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. 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 the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!