Displaying items by tag: New ZealandCork

15th May 2023

Inshore Patrol Vessels for Naval Service Arrive in Cork Harbour after 18,000km Journey from New Zealand

The Naval Service has welcomed a pair of inshore patrol vessels (IPV) to its fleet following the arrival in Cork Harbour of the former Royal New Zealand Navy ships.

The 'Lake' series HMNZS Pukaki and HMNZS Rotoiti which were built in Australia to serve the RNZN until 2019, were purchased last year by the Department of Defence for a total of €26 million.

On Sunday afternoon the 156m cargo ship, Big Lift Happy Dynamic carrying the IPV's had arrived in Cork Harbour following a month long 18,000km journey from Auckland Harbour, New Zealand.

The heavy-lift cargoship passed Roches Point Lighthouse at the mouth of Cork Harbour and berthed at the deep water quay in Ringaskiddy, adjacent to the ferry terminal.

Unloading of the 55m vessels from the Dutch owned cargo vessel is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, once certain preparatory work is done.

The deck-mounted cranes of the Happy Dynamic will lower the IPV's into the water and then they are to be towed to the Naval Service’s HQ at the nearby base on Haulbowline island.

The IPV's each of 55m in length were formally handed over to the Department of Defence at a ceremony in Auckland on March 14th.

Representing the Irish government at the handover ceremony was the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.

The Irish Times has more on the patrol vessels which are to replace the 1984 built coastal patrol vessels (CPV), L.E. Ciara and L.E. Orla which were decommissioned last year along with the flagship,L.E. Eithne.

The CPV's originally served the UK's Royal Navy as part of the Hong Kong squadron and in 2018 the 'Peacock' class pair marked 30 years of operations for the Naval Service.

Published in Navy

Tagged under

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.