A French yachtsman's account of being unable to enter Rosslare Europort after a difficult crossing from the Isles of Scilly has prompted the port to explain how requests for temporary shelter from recreational craft are handled.
Francis Aubertin, skipper of the French yacht ROZAVEL, contacted Afloat.ie after describing what he regarded as a disappointing experience on arriving off Rosslare on the morning of 3 June.
According to Mr Aubertin, the five-person crew completed an overnight passage from the Isles of Scilly in strong winds and heavy seas, encountering waves of up to five metres, intermittent autopilot failures and a forecast of worsening weather.
Busy Gateway: Rosslare Europort, Ireland's principal ferry port to continental Europe and Wales. The port says ferry movements and limited safe berthing space influenced its handling of a French yacht's shelter request.
He said the yacht contacted Rosslare by VHF between 8.30am and 9.00am to ask whether it could take shelter in the harbour for one night before continuing its voyage to Dublin and Scotland.
Mr Aubertin said the yacht was asked to wait near a buoy while enquiries were made. He said the crew was later informed that it could not be accommodated and was advised to anchor outside the harbour instead. ROZAVEL subsequently anchored close to the small boat harbour before continuing the following day to Greystones and later Howth.
Mr Aubertin told Afloat.ie he was disappointed by the outcome and believed the yacht could have been accommodated given the circumstances.
In response to questions from Afloat.ie, Rosslare Europort confirmed that the yacht had requested permission to enter the port on the morning of 3 June.
Barry Kenny of Rosslare Europort said the yacht was asked to remain at a holding position because three large passenger ferries were scheduled to depart between 8.30am and 9.00am.
"We could not allow a yacht to pass across the channel during this time for the Safety of Navigation," he said.
Mr Kenny said Fisherman's Quay, where visiting recreational craft might ordinarily be accommodated, was already occupied by fishing vessels sheltering from the prevailing weather conditions.
"It would not have been safe to put the yacht on this quay due to the amount of fishing vessels already in place on the quay and the interaction between them," he said.
He added that the port's three main berths were dedicated to scheduled commercial passenger traffic.
Course Laid: ROZAVEL's chartplotter track shows her approach to Rosslare Harbour after the overnight crossing from the Isles of Scilly and the anchorage where the crew sheltered before continuing to Greystones. Image: Francis Aubertin
Instead, the yacht was advised to proceed to an anchorage close to the small boat harbour, which the port considered the safest available option in the prevailing conditions.
Rosslare Europort said this approach was consistent with its operating procedures.
"In the first instance, we would accommodate in Fisherman's Quay if there was available capacity, and if it was safe to navigate. If these requirements were not met, the Port would determine the safest point in the prevailing conditions and advise," Mr Kenny said.
He added that the port was satisfied the request had been handled appropriately, noting that ROZAVEL's own account confirmed the yacht anchored safely overnight before resuming its voyage.
The accounts differ on one point. Mr Aubertin believed the yacht could not be accommodated because no reservation had been made, while Rosslare Europort said the decision was based on navigational safety, the movement of scheduled ferry traffic and the lack of a safe berth at Fisherman's Quay.
