A new business launched by a well-known sailor on the Water Wags scene uses upcycled sails to create quirky travel washbags.

Prisca Bags is the brainchild of Amanda Chambers, who repurposes old fabric from many different sources into a variety of bags for multiple uses.

One of the latest additions to her range using dinghy and spinnaker sail fabric, turned into “squashable, washable” travel bags.

Making the perfect gift for a spring getaway to a loved one — or yourself! — Prisca Bags are now available from the Dun Laoghaire Pharmacy on Upper George’s Street and other local retailers.

Viking Marine is among those congratulating Amanda, known for sailing the Water Wag Freddie as well as Spirit in the White Sails class, on her new ‘green’ venture.

The chandlery at The Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire is also putting out a shout for old dinghy and spinnaker sails as Amanda is working on upcycled props for the store.

Contact Amanda on Facebook HERE.

#Lifeboats - Dun Laoghaire RNLI responded to a stand-up paddle boarder who got into difficulty between Bray Head and Greystones yesterday afternoon (Sunday 27 January).

The volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 12.03pm and were on the water at 12.20pm.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 and Wicklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat were also tasked to the incident south of Bray Head.

Weather conditions were not good, with strong gale-force winds.

Dun Laoghaire’s crew of seven spotted the casualty who was clinging to his board and appeared in trouble.

Thirty-nine minutes after launch, the crew had the casualty onboard their lifeboat and quickly assessed he was suffering from “serious hypothermia”.

The casualty was airlifted to hospital by the coastguard. Wicklow RNLI recovered the paddle board and stood by as the casualty was winched onto the helicopter.

Commenting after the callout, Dun Laoghaire RNLI second coxswain Eamon O’Leary said: “The paddle boarder had suffered serious hypothermia when we arrived on the scene.

“It was a close call but he did the right thing in calling the coastguard who were quick to send out 116 along with Wicklow RNLI. It was fantastic teamwork by all involved.”

Dun Laoghaire campaign group Save Our Seafront will hold a public meeting next Monday 28 January to discuss ongoing and future plans for Dun Laoghaire Harbour, including its baths restoration project.

The meeting is scheduled for 8pm next Monday night at the Royal Marine Hotel and speakers will include Richard Boyd Barrett TD, Councillor Melisa Halpin and Fergal McLoughlin of An Taisce.

For further information find ‘Save Our Seafront - Dun Laoghaire’ on Facebook or contact [email protected]. The new Save Our Seafront website is at SaveOurSeafront.com.

Could Brexit present an opportunity for Dun Laoghaire’s harbour?

In a letter to The Irish Times last Tuesday 8 January, local Fine Gael councillor John Kennedy spells out his reasons why the port could be positioned as an additional resource to help deal with the pressures of an expected increase in sea trade.

Cllr Kennedy suggests that funding could be sought for the South Dublin port via the European Commission’s trans-European transport network (TEN-T) strategy for the realigning of trade connections with mainland Europe.

“It makes sense for a combination of European and exchequer funding to be allocated to reactivate the potential of Dún Laoghaire port for international trade ahead of the critical post-Brexit juncture,” Cllr Kennedy writes.

Cllr Kennedy’s letter comes not long after talk of reviving ambitions for a National Watersport Centre in Dun Laoghaire, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#DublinBay - A dredger docked in Dun Laoghaire Harbour just days before Christmas Day, remains in port due to space restrictions in neighbouring Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The hopper dredger Freeway which Afloat tracked upon arrival to Dublin Port in October, had carried out dredging works until ceasing operations for the festive season.

Freeway departed the capital and across Dublin Bay to arrive in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on 22 December, following permission sought from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to lay-up for the holiday period.

It is common prectice, Afloat adds for dredgers based in Dublin Port, to dock at the North Wall Quay Extension (next to the East-Link bridge) during dredging campaigns. The inaugural call of Irish Ferries giant newbuild cruiseferry W.B. Yeats however at 194m long has taken up a commanding presence along the North Wall. 

The lack of quay space on the North Wall for the 92m Freeway is also attributed in part to the long-term berthed Shingle. The 32m vessel has lain idle since detained more than four years ago.

By coincidence, both the dredger and cruiseferry are Cypriot flagged. On related note to ferries, the North Wall is where operator P&O Ferries use berths at Terminal 3. The linkspan coupled by the frequent ferries occupy the remaining length of the North Wall.

Since the W.B. Yeats has shifted berths to the North Wall, the cruiseferry had returned to Terminal 1 to undergo further berthing including trials at a nearby linkspan. The 1,800 passenger/1,200 vehicle cruiseferry is currently back at the North Wall, though further research reveals the new ship is to shift berths on New Year's Day.

The cruiseferry is to enter service next month, initially to Holyhead and from mid-March, connecting the capital to Cherbourg, France. 

As for the Freeway, it is scheduled to depart Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Wednesday. This will see the dredger return to Dublin Port to resume work. 

Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s annual Christmas Eve ceremony to remember the 15 volunteer lifeboat crew who died on service in Dublin Bay on 24 December 1895 will take place at noon this coming Monday.

The short ceremony at the end of the East Pier, beside the lighthouse, will include music, readings, an ecumenical blessing and wreath-laying.

Please allow time to walk the pier to arrive for the midday start.

The National Yacht Club in Dn Laoghaire is currently seeking to recruit a senior instructor for 2019.

The successful candidate will lead the team of committed sailing instructors and coaches for the NYC’s summer courses.

Instructors will be responsible for the development of the club’s youngest members, a role that is taken extremely seriously by the club.

“Our instructors are of the highest quality in terms of professionalism, attitude, technical ability and passion for sailing,” said the club in a statement/

“We have a very active junior section with over 150 junior sailors. Potential candidates must have their Senior Instructor Certificate, or be in the process of completing the course.”

The closing date for applications is Monday 7 January. Interviews will take place in mid-January. For details on how to apply see the NYC website HERE.

Irish Coast Guard teams across Ireland have responded to incidents related to the extreme conditions brought by Storm Diana over the last two days.

Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard was tasked at lunchtime on Tuesday (27 November) to extract a member of the public that had walked out the South Bull wall during stormy conditions.

The safest option in that situation was the casualty to take shelter until the tide dropped.

Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 28 November), the team was called out to the Shankill shoreline close to Shanganagh Water Treatment plant to reports of a vehicle submerged in water with person a trapped.

Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard were tasked immediately along with Rescue 116 from Dublin Airport and Dun Laoghaire RNLI. While crews were responding to the incident, the casualty was rescued by his colleagues. All crews were stood down.

Shortly after, Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard was tasked to another incident at the town’s East Pier, where members of the public were stranded due to waves breaching the pier wall.

On arrival, Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard members identified a few members of public on the pier and advised them to relocate to a safer location.

Elsewhere, Crosshaven Coast Guard was tasked several times, starting on Tuesday evening with a person who had fallen overboard from a yacht and had been in the water for almost an hour.

The casualty was evacuated to Crosshaven RNLI’s lifeboat station, while the coastguard crew refloated their vessel that had gone aground.

Crosshaven was tasked again yesterday morning to recover a yacht after it broke its mooring near Drakes Pool. A tow was quickly established and casualty vessel brought to safety to a Royal Cork Yacht Club mooring.

The Irish Coast Guard strongly advises the public to stay away from exposed beaches, cliffs and piers, harbour walls and promenades along the coast during storm conditions.

Remember to Stay Back, Stay High and Stay Dry.

If you see someone in difficulty in the sea, or on the shore dial 999/112 and ask for the coastguard.

Viking Marine’s Black Friday specials are now available — but be quick as these deals only last till Monday 26 November.

Get the best savings on selected Helly Hansen bags — with up to 50% off — and get 40% off the Wave Regatta Zhik Z-Cru Jacket.

Helly Hansen washbags (black only) and Jack Wolfskin backpacks are discounted by 30%, while you can save 15% on Seago Lifelines and Marine Pool Aero lifejackets, as well as International Cruiser 250 and Precision antifouling.

Viking Marine's eye-catching Christmas Window display on Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire

In addition, there’s 10% off binoculars, the Seago offshore lifejacket, Seago inflatable danbury, and the Harken range.

All are available online and in store, with more daily promotions on offer in store at The Pavilion on Marine Road in the heart of Dun Laoghaire.

Be sure to follow Viking Marine on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Speculation that a ferry service could return to Dun Laoghaire has reached fever pitch with the news that a British company has put in a bid to operate from the St Michael’s Pier terminal.

According to The Times, the Liverpool & North Wales Steamship Company, which was restarted two years ago, envisages running regular passenger cruises in the Irish Sea and will be “ready to sail” from next summer.

The ferry company’s chief executive Steve Payne plans to present his pitch to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council — the authority that now controls the harbour — by the end of this year, laying out plans for services that could employ 240 people.

Payne revealed to Afloat.ie that as well as the cruise bid involving its 650-passenger vessel, it also wants to operate a regular ferry service serving its home base of Liverpool and also Llandudno in North Wales.

The company’s flagship heritage pleasure steamer TSMV Endeavour is presently in refit in Liverpool.

However, one of the investors involved in the recently scrapped Harbour Innovation Campus proposal says he intends to push on with a tech hub scheme for the former ferry terminal.

Ian Lucey currently faces a High Court action from Harbour Innovation Campus developer Philip Gannon in a case that’s understood to be separate from Gannon’s decision to pull out of the Dun Laoghaire venture last month.

Note: This piece has been corrected to remove a previous statement that Philip Gannon and Ian Lucey were business partners. The shareholder agreement clearly states that no partnership was created. We are happy to make this clarification.