Displaying items by tag: Cancellations

26th February 2024

Isle of Man Steam Packet Sailings Saw Cancellations Up 45% in Final Quarter of 2023

During this winter the number of cancelled ferry sailings operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company have increased for the third consecutive year.

The new figures for the final there months of last year show that 46 sailings on the Douglas-Heysham route were cancelled which is up 45 percent on the previous year. In that year of 2022, there were 29 cancellations and for the year before there were 26.

The Isle of Man government owned ferry operator- puts the increased disruption last year due to an 'unprecedented number of storms', familiarisation with the newbuild flagship Manxman's handling in extreme weather conditions and ongoing training programmes.

Manxman was introduced onto the Douglas-Heysham route in August last year having replaced Ben-My-Chree which had served the main IOM-England link for the past 25 years.

For more, Manx Radio reports.

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8th August 2022

Cancellations of Ferry Services 'Result in Rationing on Scottish Islands'

On several Scottish western islands, shops have been forced to ration essential items due to widespread ferry cancellations due to a broken-down vessel, reports The National.

Residents have complained of food shortages imposed by local shops with islanders restricted to just one carton of milk and one loaf of bread, The Herald reports.

It is understood that the Scottish Government is considering setting up a compensation fund for islands using cash from fines it has imposed on CalMac for underperformance.

It was also revealed that the ferry operator had been secretly hit with £3.5 million in performance fines by the Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland in one year.

The reports come amid concerns about the reliability of Scotland’s ageing ferry fleet as Afloat previously covered.

Scottish Government-controlled ferry operator CalMac has been forced to provide an emergency ferry from one of Scotland’s busiest routes to serve the struggling islands in the Outer Hebrides.

CalMac has insisted that all goods were being shipped and said it was unfair to suggest that any shortages directly resulted from the ferry issues.

For more, click here on CalMac, the UK's biggest domestic ferry operator.

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7th January 2020

Stranded Ferry Passengers Left on Scottish Isle After Cancellations

Stranded ferry passengers were left on the Isle of Arran in south-west Scotland. The Brodick-Ardrossan route on the Forth of Clyde is served a pair of ferries one of which AFLOAT pictured above, the Isle of Arran is offshore of its island namesake.

Passengers taking a ferry have been stranded on the Isle of Arran, Scotland, after bad weather caused service disruption and cancellations.

Gusts of up to 60mph, reported STV News, have affected the safe delivery of CalMac sevices from Brodick to Ardrossan over the weekend.

The operator managed to clear “around half” of cars booked to leave Arran by using a service from Lochranza to Tarbert on Sunday.

However, disruption has continued and more cancellations have taken place on Monday.

Robert Morrison, director of operations at CalMac, said: “There has been severe weather related disruption since the New Year with gusts of up to 60mph impacting on our ability to deliver services to Arran and elsewhere.

28th January 2011

Amendment to Fastnet Line Ferry Schedule

Fastnet Line's Cork-Swansea route operated by the M.V. Julia will continue to be off service for annual dry-docking maintenance until the beginning of March. The next sailing will be Friday 4th March from Swansea at 20.30 hours. The route between Munster and south Wales takes 10-hours.

Bookings can be made on www.fastnetline.com up to three hours before departure. Amendments to bookings or a refund for a cancelled sailing can be made by contacting the ferry company reservation teams at the numbers listed below.

Reservations Office Ireland : +353 (0) 21 4378892

Open Monday - Friday 9.00 am - 5.30 pm

Reservations Office UK: 0844 576 8831

Open Monday - Thursday 8.00 am - 8.00 pm

Open Friday 8.00 am - 7.00 pm

Open Saturday and Sunday 9.00 am - 6.00pm

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.