Displaying items by tag: Transatlantic Cable

17th January 2018

Transatlantic Cable from New Jersey, Funded by Facebook & Google, to Come Ashore in Clew Bay

A map showing the planned HAVFRUE network

Fugro, a Dutch geotechnical, survey, subsea, and geoscience services provider, will be carrying out marine operations on behalf of TE Subsea Communications LLC (TESubCom) for the HAVFRUE Subsea Cable System Project. The project is scheduled to begin on Saturday 20th January 2018 and last for approximately 14 days (weather permitting).

Havfrue (Norwegian for Mermaid) is the brand name for the wider cable system, of which Aqua Comms will own and operate a large proportion. It is the first subsea cable system to connect Northern Europe and the US in almost twenty years. The project was commissioned by a consortium of companies that includes Bulk Infrastructure, Facebook and Google.

photo fugro 63989 The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has been advised that Fugro (pictured above) will be carrying out marine operations on behalf of TE Subsea Communications LLC for the HAVFRUE Subsea Cable System Project

Irish Submarine cable supplier and operator Aqua Comms has joined forces with TESubCom, a company specializing in fiber optic cable deployments and marine services, to prepare the groundwork for a transatlantic cable network connecting New Jersey in the US with Ireland and Denmark. At present, Aqua Comms operates Ireland’s first dedicated subsea fibre-optic network connecting New York, London and Dublin.

Aqua Comms will also market and sell capacity services on its portion of the Havfrue cable system under the brand name America Europe Connect-2 (AEC-2) as complementary to its existing transatlantic cable, America Europe Connect-1 (AEC-1), running between New York and Killala in Co Mayo. The AEC-2 cable system will complete a ring-based network connecting the US, Ireland, the UK and Denmark.

Whereas the AEC-1 cable comes ashore in Killala, Co. Mayo, the AEC-2 cable loks like it is set to come ashore in Westport Co. Mayo, which lies on Clew Bay.

cable google The AEC-2 Cable run into Clew Bay, Co. Mayo Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

This system is due to come online in the fourth quarter of 2019. TESubCom has already launched the cable route survey operations.

The network will connect Dublin to Manchester and the North Sea Connect cable linking Stellium-operated data centre in Newcastle, England to Esbjerg in Denmark, creating a circular network connecting each of the above mentioned locations to one another.

Survey operations for the link to Ireland will be conducted on a 24 hour basis. Throughout survey operations the vessel will be displaying the shapes and lights prescribed in the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) Rule 27, to indicate that the survey vessel is restricted in its ability to manoeuvre.
The vessel that will undertake the project is the MV Fugro Discovery (Callsign: 3EKE6). A listening watch will be maintained on VHF Channel 16, and the vessel will actively transmit an AIS signal.

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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.