#CoastWatchSurvey – Coastwatch Survey 2013 starts today and continues for a month till October 15th. The Coastwatch team are calling past and new surveyors to participate in the annual survey.

All you have to do is walk just once along your chosen coastline (500m) around low-tide and report your findings. Participants will help to create more than 1,000 coastal site surveys as a collective citizen snapshot of Ireland's coastline in 2013.

So what's stopping you!... it's useful, fun, challenging and keeps you fit.

Note, it is important to inform others before setting off (even if going as a group), of your intended coastal survey route and make sure to bring along a mobile.

If you would like to host one in your area please contact the Coastwatch coordination team.

To review the full survey questionnaire, or to book your survey area, contact Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch on: 086 8111 684 International Coordinator, Coastwatch Europe and by visiting visit: www.coastwatch.org

Coastwatch Europe is an international network of environmental groups, universities and other educational institutions, who in turn work with local groups and individuals around the coast of Europe.

#SeaFrontTours–The final Seafront Memorials Tour of the season ends this Sunday (1 September) in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and from where the waterfront is lined with historical landmarks.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council which organises the free historical tours that have been running for six years as part of the Summer of Heritage Programme.

The free 1-hour tour starting at 11.30am covers coastal memorials to include the Queen Victoria Fountain, George IV Memorial, the mailboat R.M.S. Leinster's anchor, the Crimean War Cannon and the 1895 Lifeboat Disaster.

Tours start at the Queen Victoria Fountain (close to DART station) in Dún Laoghaire and the maximum number of people for each tour is 20 persons.

The outdoor event is also wheelchair accessible. No pre-booking is required and places are limited so it is advisable to turn up early.

For information Tel: (01) 204 7011 or visit www.dlrevents.ie/heritage2013.html

#LobsterFestival – Dalkey's Lobster Festival (23,24 and 25 August) is for the second time, to welcome visitors to experience and enjoy the crab and all that Jazz!, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The south Dublin Bay coastal town, once the principle port for Dublin during medieval times, is to be a fusion of local seafood and a gathering of the best of current global jazz musicians, plus fun free events for all the family.

Among the musicians will be Sharon Shannon who performs on the opening day of the festival (23 August). For details on how to win a pair of tickets, check out the festival's facebook page below.

Local resident, Pat Kenny will be presenting 'Celebrity Ready Steady Cook' in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland's First Children's Hospice. There will also be seafood cookery demonstrations, market-stalls, street-buskers as well as a Boat Ballet!

Not forgetting!... the King of Dalkey... long live the King! who is making a comeback.

For non subjects!... let it be known, His majesty's title is: "King of Dalkey, Emperor of the Muglins, Prince of the Holy Island of Magee, Baron of Bulloch, Seigneur of Sandycove, Defender of the Faith and Respector of All Others, Elector of Lambay and Ireland's Eye, and Sovereign of the Most Illustrious Order of the lobster and the periwinkle.

Amazingly, there's also a chance to win an Aston Martin V8 Vantage!... kindly donated by Fastway Couriers. The terrific prize is in aid of badly needed funds for a new orthopaedic unit in Crumlin Children's Hospital. For further details, also visit the festival's facebook below and www.thankyoucrumlin.com/

As the slogan say's, come along for the lobster, crab and all that jazz. For information visit the Dalkey Lobster Festival's facebook page and for more about the Heritage town of Dalkey visit.www.ilovedalkey.com

#WhitegateOil – According to a Government-commissioned report published this week, the state does not need to have it own oil refinery as it can import enough of the fuel to meet all its needs.

The news comes as US-based Phillips 66, owner of the country's sole refinery at Whitegate in Cork Harbour, gears up to sell the plant along with a number of its other European operations.

The multinational's decision has thrown a question mark over Whitegate's long-term future, although as it stands anyone who owns the refinery has to keep it operating until at least 2016. The Irish Times has more on this story.

To download a PDF copy of the report Study of the Strategic Case for Oil Refining Requirements on the Island of Ireland, which is available from the Department of Energy, click this LINK.

#MarconiDays – To celebrate the 115th anniversary of the first radio report of a sporting event with a sailing race in Dublin Bay, the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire will be staging Marconi Days this week between 19-21 July, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Importantly it was the Kingstown Regatta of 1923 which played a big part in radio history, where the wireless communications pioneer Guglielmo Marconi (whose mother was Irish) conducted the first ship-to-shore telegraphic transmissions of a sporting event.

The regatta results were received at the Harbourmaster's House (currently Moran Park House), in front of the Royal Marine Hotel from where Marconi was based and where a guest suite is named in his honour.

On each of the Marconi Days, there will be tours, demonstrations and refreshments available to museum visitors. For further information contact the NMMI Tel: (01) 2143964 or by email: [email protected]

#Oil - The Blackford Dolphin semisubmersible drilling rig is expected to go to work off the south-west coast of Ireland next spring.

Offshore reports that Dolphin Drilling has negotiated the contract to appraise the Spanish Point prospect in the Porcupine Basin on behalf of Capricorn Ireland, subject to regulatory approval.

It will also drill early next year in British waters for MPX North Sea, with both contracts expected to last five months for a total revenue of €67 million.

The Porcupine Basin off Kerry has been identified as a source of enormous reserves of oil - after Petrel Resources announced the discovery of as much as one billion barrels of oil at the prospect late last year.

#OilSpill - An oil spill at Skerries Harbour in North Co Dublin has prompted the closure of Skerries North Beach as a precaution.

RTÉ News reports that the spill is a minor incident, and that Fingal County Council is monitoring the situation in Skerries and area beaches.

Skerries North Beach, while popular with locals, is not among the designated bathing areas listed by region by Irish Water Safety HERE.

#Dingle - The Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport has officially opened a newly upgraded section of the main road to one of Ireland’s most popular coastal towns.

Minister Leo Varadkar opened the new section of the N86 road outside Annascaul which lies on the main route from Tralee to Dingle, and which is used by thousands of local residents and thousands more tourists every year.

The project cost around €9 million and was funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport. It was overseen by the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Kerry County Council and was completed in around 16 months.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Varadkar said: "This is an important project for West Kerry and the whole county, and will make a big difference to journeys in the area.

"But it has also national significance, as thousands of tourists travel along the N86 every year in order to reach Dingle, one of our premier tourism destinations."

He added: “Although the old N86 had its charms, it was also very narrow, and the stretch which we have upgraded had a number of dangerous junctions leading on to side roads. These have now been replaced and will make a big difference to safety levels.

"The new road is wider at 3 metres, and also provides a hard shoulder in each direction. I’m also very pleased that we have been able to offer cycle and pedestrian facilities along this stretch.”

In the longer term, the NRA plans to upgrade the entire length of the N86 between Dingle in the west of the peninsula, and Camp on the northern side.

The plan is to develop the 27km project as one of four Tourist Route Pilot Schemes, including cycle schemes and pedestrian access.

Similar schemes have already opened along the N59 near Clifden, Co Galway, the N59 at Kilbride, Co Mayo and the N56 at Glenties, Co. Donegal.

The proposal for the N86 would considerably improve safety levels and journey times in West Kerry, and improve road surfaces in the villages of Lispole, Annascaul and Camp on the Dingle Peninsula.

#SeaFrontTours–This year's Seafront Memorials Tour season starts this Sunday (30 June) in Dun Laoghaire Harbour where the waterfront is lined with historical landmarks.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council which organises the tours are delighted to announce the historical walks which are now in the sixth year of the Summer of Heritage Programme.

During its first five years Summer of Heritage has attracted over 20,000 visitors and been nominated for the Excellence in Local Government Award. This unique event opens up some of the County's finest heritage sites to the public free of charge.

Tim Carey, the Council's Heritage Officer, said, 'The idea of Summer of Heritage is to open people's eyes to what is on their doorstep. These are heritage sites that people may frequently pass as they go about their daily business but be completely unaware of their significance or its 'story'. This year we have expanded the programme considerably. With 15 different attractions Summer of Heritage is bigger and better than ever.'

The free 1-hour tour starting at 11.30am (held once every Sunday until 1 September) covers coastal memorials to include the Queen Victoria Fountain, George IV Memorial, the mailboat R.M.S. Leinster's anchor, the Crimean War Cannon and the 1895 Lifeboat Disaster.

Tours start at the Queen Victoria Fountain (close to DART station) in Dún Laoghaire and the maximum number of people for each tour is 20 persons.

The outdoor event is also wheelchair accessible. No pre-booking is required and places are limited so it is advisable to turn up early.

For information Tel: (01) 204 7011 or visit www.dlrevents.ie/heritage2013.html

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI in North Co Dublin were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard on Monday evening (24 June) following a call from a concerned member of the public regarding a group of people walking back to shore from Shenick Island.

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their inshore lifeboat Louis Simson shortly before 9pm and proceeded directly to scene.

The caller had reported that the group were attempting to walk ashore from the island and were already in water up to their waists. However, shortly after arriving on scene, communication was received from Skerries Coastguard that the people in question had made it safely to shore.



Before returning to base, Skerries also requested the lifeboat to check on another group of people who were on the shoreline of Colt Island. This turned out to be a group of kayakers who were simply having a rest so the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.


Speaking afterwards, Skerries RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: "It’s not unusual for people to get caught out by the quickly rising tide. We would encourage people to check the tide tables and always allow plenty of time to get to where you are going safely."

In related news, an updated and interactive edition of the RNLI’s safety handbook Sea Safety: The Complete Guide is now available free online.

The Complete Guide is the RNLI’s handbook of essential information for all those who go to sea. Its new interactive format – including videos, quizzes and challenges - means that sea safety is available on mobiles, tablets and laptops and at the tip of boaters’ fingertips.



RNLI coastal safety manager Tony Wafer said: "The Complete Guide gives more in-depth advice on how to follow these principles and stay safe on the water. It’ll cover everything from how to plan your time on the water, what safety equipment to take and how to use it, and what to do in an emergency."