Displaying items by tag: Bad Weather

3rd August 2023

Bad Weather on Firth of Clyde Sees CalMac's MV Hebridean Isles Forced to Relocate to Ayr

On the Firth of Clyde a Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferry which has been plagued by technical problems for almost six months, has been seen at a berth in Ayr harbour.

The port of Ayr, operated by Associated British Ports is located south of Troon and also Ardrossan from where the ferry route connects Brodick, Isle of Arran.

The 1985 built ferry MV Hebridean Isles, one of oldest in the fleet, made for an unusual sight at Ayr as CalMac was forced to change the usual berthing arrangements for its ageing Arran ferries due to the bad weather.

Hebridean Isles was seen arriving into Ayr on the morning of Tuesday, 1 August in a passage from Troon which Afloat adds took around 40 minutes to complete and the ferry remains in Ayr this morning, 3 August.

The 494 passenger ferry, one of two serving Islay-Kennacraig, Isle of Mull (see above Afloat photo) was deployed to the Arran run but has been unable to operate since February because of 'manoeuvrability issues'. This has forced CalMac to charter the 430 passenger and vehicle catamaran, MV Alfred, from private operator Pentland Ferries serving South Ronaldsay, one of the Orkney Islands.

The 3,040 gross tonnage Hebridean Isles has been berthed in Troon (see Arran 'freight' run) in efforts to continue to try and fix technical problems.

Due to the "lack of space" however, Hebridean Isles was forced to head for Ayr, as the bad weather was forecast on the Clyde which also restricted the use of berthing facilities at Ardrossan harbour.

A spokesperson for CalMac said: "Due to adverse weather forecast on Wednesday, August 2, MV Caledonian Isles will berth overnight on the Irish berth in Ardrossan tonight (Tuesday, August 1)".

"As a result, MV Alfred will relocate to Troon for overnight berthing tonight. Due to lack of space at Troon, and to accommodate the relocation of MV Alfred, MV Hebridean Isles has been requested to temporarily move to Ayr."

More from theAyr Advertiser on the Clyde route and the redeployment of the Isle of Arran, the second routine ferry on the Ardrossan-Brodick route.

Published in Ferry

Tagged under

20th May 2021

Stricken Historic Ship In Port of Holyhead to Be Dismantled at Breakwater

In Holyhead, a stricken tall ship which ran aground last week at the north Wales port's breakwater is set to be dismantled.

It is understood that the 83-year-old tall ship Zebu has been too badly damaged to be salvaged.

A crane company is expecting to remove the two masts today with bad weather forecast.

As NorthWalesLive reported on Tuesday, the rest of the dismantling work is expected to be completed next week.

"It's very sad," said Mark Francis, of Bob Francis Crane Hire. "She's a piece of British nautical history.

"There will never be another one like her built again because the skills and crafts needed are being lost."

He added: "We are taking all the rigging and the masts off to stabilise the hull. We may have to stop then until next week because of a freshening blow."

6th October 2020

Offshore Wind Turbine Giant Ship Set to Leave Holyhead But Weather Holds Up Departure

The MPI Resolution was the world's first purpose-built vessel for installing offshore wind turbines and AFLOAT adds the speciliast ship is seen berthed at the inner harbour of Holyhead. Early in its career the ship made a call on the other side of the Irish Sea when berthing in Dublin Port.

On the Irish Sea a giant wind turbine vessel has had its departure from the Port of Holyhead delayed by the weather.

MPI Resolution arrived at the port on Thursday after sailing in from Rotterdam - with its towering 220ft height attracting attention.

It is operated by Dutch firm Van Oord who told North Wales Live the vessel is set to do operations and maintenance work on Irish Sea wind farms.

Port authority Stena Line said the ship was due to depart on Monday but the poor weather conditions have kept her at port.

They have been notified the captain is now set to sail her out of the Anglesey port on Wednesday.

Published in Power From the Sea

Tagged under

14th February 2014

More Bad Weather and Maintenance Lead to Cancelled Sailings

#CancelledSailings – As yet another gale warning is in effect some ferry sailings have been cancelled today on the Irish Sea and on French services.

Travellers are advised to check for updates on the latest sailing information from Irish Sea operators by clicking these following website links for Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries and Stena Line.

Passengers on Stena Line's Belfast-Cairnryan route take note that due to essential ferry maintenance, the following sailings (to Scotland) at 11.30 and 19.30 for this weekend (15-16 Feb.) have been cancelled.

On the Ireland-France service, Celtic Link Ferries sailing tonight from Cherbourg (21.00) to Rosslare has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

In addition further details are also available by visiting the AA's ferrywatch service.

Published in Ferry

Tagged under

20th December 2013

Bad Weather Continues to Disrupt Christmas Sailings

#CancelledSailings - As storms force winds and gales continue to batter the coast, some ferry sailings have been cancelled on the Irish Sea.

Travellers are advised to check for updates on the latest sailing information from operator websites, in addition to visiting the AA's ferrywatch.

Despite the efforts of ferry operators to increase additional capacity on the central coridoor routes in the run-up to the festive period, adverse weather conditions have won out, particularly on Irish Ferries services on the Dublin Port-Holyhead route.

Stena Line managed to carry out HSS fast-craft crossings earlier today, with a scheduled round-trip completed between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The return of the HSS today marked the start of the festive season schedule with sailings operating on selected dates this month and early into the New Year.

Published in Ferry

Tagged under

5th December 2013

Bad Weather Leads to Cancelled Ferry Sailings

#CancelledSailings - Due to adverse weather conditions, some ferry sailings across the Irish Sea have been cancelled.

For the most up to date information on sailings times of ferry operators and how to contact them directly, the AA provides an updated live service.

Published in Ferry

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.