#COASTAL NOTES - The Irish Times reports that Balbriggan Beach was reopened for swimming yesterday 31 August after the latest in a string of E.coli scares around the Irish coast. The beach at the north Co Dublin coastal town was…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Loop Head in Clare was certainly the place to be for the annual Whale Watch Ireland on Sunday 19 August, with dolphins and two species of whale spotted despite the poor weather. According to the Irish Whale…

#SEAFRONT TOURS –The final Seafront Memorials Tour is to take place this Saturday (September 1st), where you can take in local historical landmarks, along the coast road and East Pier of Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The tour is free and covers…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Protection for harbour porpoise off the north coast of Northern Ireland has been assured by the creation of two new areas of marine protection, as BBC News reports. The new Special Areas of Conservation off Co Antrim…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Marine researchers off the coast of Donegal were recently treated to a rare dolphin dance by a 50-strong pod, as IrishCentral reports. The video above captures the same pod witnessed by researchers with the Irish Basking Shark…

#COASTAL NOTES - The bathing ban imposed last week on seven Cork coastal beaches has been lifted, according to RTÉ News. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the seven beaches had been closed to swimming over concerns at elevated E.coli levels…

#LOBSTERS & JAZZ – The first International Dalkey Lobster Fest (24-26 August) starts tomorrow in the scenic coastal heritage town in south Dublin, and in which runs over the weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore. The festival is a fusion of local…

#DUCKING DOCKS - Who will have the best looking duck swimming in the Duck Race?...at the Duck Your Duck Workshop this Saturday 25th August (between 11am-5pm –both Sat. & Sun). The children's creative workshop will be held at the Waterways…

#SEAFRONT TOURS – Take in the sea-air while getting to know some historical landmarks, along Dun Laoghaire Harbour's waterfront with the Seafront Memorials Tour. The free guided tour runs every Saturday morning until the 1 September. The tours take in…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Irish Examiner reports that samples from the fin whale that stranded and died in Baltimore Harbour last week have been sent to Dublin for analysis. Samples of skin and blubber will be tested by marine science…

#COASTAL NOTES - Cork County Council has announced it will be at least two more days before it knows if its bathing ban at seven beaches can be lifted, according to RTÉ News. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the seven…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Plans are afoot to sink the carcass of the fin whale that died after being trapped in Baltimore Harbour last week, according to the Irish Independent. It is being proposed that the whale's body can be wrapped…

#COASTAL NOTES - Some of Cork's most popular beaches have been closed to bathers over concerns at elevated levels of E.coli in the water. According to The Irish Times, the bathing ban affects the blue flag beaches at Garretstown near…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Cork News reports that a new protocol will be introduced to deal with large marine wildlife strandings following the public backlash over the handling of the injured and malnourished fin whale in Baltimore Harbour this week.…

#SEAFRONT TOURS – Now that the bad weather that covered half of the country is behind us, the forecast at least for Dublin and next Saturday is more promising. So why not consider taking a stroll with the sea-air along…

#BALTIMORE WHALE - Hopes are fading for an injured whale trapped in Baltimore Harbour, according to the Irish Independent. It's being reported that the fin whale, which was injured on sharp rocks and beached off the pier in the West…