#SEMESTER-SHIP – Last night the semester at sea cruiseship Explorer with more than 800 students, academics and crew, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, departed into Dublin Bay in a blaze of light, having visited the capital for a two-days, writes Jehan Ashmore.

It was rather unusual to see a vessel bedecked with the special display, where the lighting arrangement was strung from stem to stern along the 180m long. On board the 25,000 tonnes vessel where students from the University of Ohio, who are taking a 'semester at sea' world cruise programme operated by the not-for-profit initiative organised by the Institute for Shipboard Education in co-operation with the university.

The nightime visual spectacle, is similar to the daylight version of a ship 'dressed overall' (using the nautical flags) as perfectly demonstrated by the Tall Ships participant barque Cuauhtemoc of the Mexican Navy, as previously reported on Afloat.ie. Noting aerial video footage of her arrival to Dublin Port and featured in the accompanying Parade of Sail gallery.

As Explorer proceeded further out of Dublin Bay, and into the open sea, the special lighting display was switched off. She set a course for the Kish Bank Lighthouse and the vessel is currently off Cornwall and heading up the English Channel.