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Dublin Bay Boating News and Information

Displaying items by tag: Allianz AllAboard

#TALLS SHIPS – So far some 30 vessels of the 43 strong-fleet are berthed along the Liffey quays and the remainder of the fleet including some of the largest and most impressive A -class tallships are due tomorrow, writes Jehan Ashmore.

They include the Mexican Navy's sail training barque Cuauhtemoc (built 1982, length: 90m), the full-rigged ship, Amerigo Vespucci (built 1931, length 102m) also used for the same purpose operated by the Italian Navy.

Their arrival tomorrow, will certainly add to the exciting atmosphere as the first of the four-day free family festival begins. The festival is billed as the biggest festival event in Ireland, which is expected to draw an estimated 1 million visitors. An excellent opportunity to see these wonderful ships of sail is by taking the Allianz All-Aboard Liffey Cruise, with seats available for just €1!

One of the festival programme highlights will be the 'Crew Parade' (Friday August 25th), when 1,500 sailors are to walk through the city to a prize giving ceremony.

The weekend will culminate in spectacular fashion with the 'Parade of Sail' (Sunday August 26th) when all the ships leave port together with their graceful sails hoisted. For details of the action packed festival sponsored by the Polish port city of Szczecin and organised by Sail Training International visit: www.dublintallships.ie

It's nearly a week since the final Tall Ships Race leg was completed between Coruna and off Tuskar Rock Lighthouse, albeit in very stormy conditions with torn sails and even broken masts.

Having said that the weather has greatly improved with more sedate seas in which the tallships dispersed to ports Arklow, Dun Loaghaire, Howth, Wicklow and Waterford, last year's host port of the famous race and where in 2006 the crystal city first welcomed the fleet.

In recent days batches of tallships, of all shapes, sizes and classes have descended into Dublin Bay. Larger tallships tended to take a route via the Kish Bank, whereas medium and smaller classes clung along the Leinster coast and some made a transit through Dalkey Sound.

As of this afternoon, the Naval Service L.E. Emer (P21) provided escort duties as several vessels made passage parallel to the east coast and later docked in the cities 'docklands' quarter.

Among the arrivals were:

Danmark (class: A, rig: built: 1933, length: 74m) De Gallant (class B,rig: Gaff Schooner, built 1916, length: 36m) and Challenge Wales (Class C, Rig: Cutter, built: 2000, length: 22m)

The latest arrival came this evening with the Jubilee Sailing Trust's Lord Nelson, she is one of only two such sailing vessels in the world designed to accommodate both disabled and abled bodied sailors , for more details visit www.jst.org.uk

She had anchored off Wicklow before heading along the coast this afternoon, where she called into Scotsmen's Bay of Dun Laoghaire, albeit briefly and then headed for the short passage to the capital.

Published in Tall Ships

#TALL SHIPS - Celebrating the arrival of the Tall Ships to Dublin, the Allianz All-Aboard Liffey Cruise for St Michael's House invites the public to join its maiden voyage of the River Liffey next weekend 23-26 August for just €1.

The unique tour of the city includes a cruise along the Liffey to the new developments at Docklands and the IFSC, and will get you up close and personal with the Tall Ships at Dublin Port - which begin arriving in the capital over the next few days for this year's festival.

Hosting what promises to be fun day out for all ages will be Allianz’s very own Captain Pete, who will be handing out treats to the younger - and not so young! - seafarers on board.  

And what's more, your euro will go towards the great work done by St Michael's House for people with intellectual disabilities. St Michael's House is Allianz's chosen charity this year - find out more about its work.

The tour normally costs €12.60 but a limited number of places are available for booking for just €1 via the Allianz All-Aboard Facebook app HERE. Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. See terms and conditions.

Published in Tall Ships

Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

© Afloat 2020