#harbourmaster – Dun Laoghaire Harbour master Frank Allen has resigned just a year after taking over the state job. Dun Laoghaire harbour Company (DLHC) confirmed Captain Allen left the post yesterday according to a report by Barry O'Halloran in this morning's Irish Times. 

Part of Captain Allen's brief was to play a role in attracting Cruise liners to the south county Dublin harbour. A new disembarkation point has been completed in the Coal harbour and some new ships docked in Dun Laoghaire this Summer including Quest, an arctic expedition ship.

DLHC hopes to create 1000 new jobs according to a Harbour Masterplan launched a year ago.

Former Harbour master Simon Coate has taken over as acting harbour master. 

Dun Laoghaire Harbour hosts this week's international Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth World Championships, the biggest sailing event of its kind to be held in Ireland starting this Friday.

The Irish Times has more on the story here.

One of the longest ever photographic exhibitions of marine life will be launched this month on Dún Laoghaire's East Pier. Stretching the whole length of the pier (1.6km), the exhibition, which will be on view from Saturday the 7th July to the 3rd of August, will capture the first ever outdoor photographic exhibition of "Tara Oceans, A Worldwide Portrait of Marine Plankton" discovered during a recent expedition of a scientific team on the schooner Tara.

On Tuesday the 10th of July, Tara will arrive in Dún Laoghaire direct from her home port, Lorient, France, and will be moored on the East Pier until Friday 13th of July. Tara, a 36m long aluminium sailing boat, has been navigating around the world for the last 30 months – from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Antarctic Oceans - studying plankton in marine ecosystems and also certain coral ecosystems virtually unknown until today.

Recently scientists have discovered the great importance of plankton for our climate as it represents 80% of single-celled organisms on Earth and plays an essential role in the life of our planet. Tara Oceans Expedition is the very first attempt to make a global study of marine plankton.

"Studying plankton is like taking the pulse of the planet" says Dr Emmanuel Reynaud, a marine biologist from UCD, who points out that scientists are hoping "to better understand the functioning and diversity of marine life and its response to climate change".

The public are invited to visit the schooner Tara on the 11th and 12th of July at berth number 1 on the East Pier, Dún Laoghaire each afternoon from 1pm to 7pm. Also on view in the East Pier Lighthouse from the 10th to 16th July will be an exhibition of creative drawings and sculptures by pupils from Newpark Comprehensive School '20,000 leagues under the sea, a school project'. In addition to these exhibitions – the newly refurbished National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire is also hosting a photographic exhibition of corals and coral reefs species that were photographed in remote coral reefs during the Tara Oceans Expedition in collaboration with Kahikai (means "one ocean") . The exhibition will run from the 7th of July to the end of August. Entrance to the Museum is €5;family, €10 and unwaged, €3. The Maritime Museum is also hosting a free public lecture by Dr. Emmanuel Reynaud on the 13th of July at 7pm.

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, together with UCD Science Dept, the French Embassy, Dún Laoghaire BRAND project, Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company and Comhairle Na N'Óg are also delighted to announce that as part of the celebrations, they have collaborated to host the Irish Premiére of Planet Ocean, directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot in partnership with OMEGA. The screening will take place on 12 July to an invited audience in County Hall, Dún Laoghaire but the film will also be open to the public on Saturday 14th July in the Lighthouse Cinema Dublin as part of UCD's science week. For information about tickets please visit www.ucdimaginescience.ie

#dmyc – Sir Bob Geldof will present an award made in memory of his late father to an outstanding junior sailor in Dun Laoghaire next month. The 'Bob Geldof Spirit of Sailing Award' for outstanding junior sailors will be presented at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) where Bob senior was a founder member,  on Saturday, July 21st next.

#skiffracing – St. Michael's rowing club in Dun Laoghaire will host its leg of the East Coast Rowing calendar on Sunday 24th June. The regatta will take place from the town's West Pier to the North of Seapoint Tower, with teams competing from all over the East Coast. The first race begins at 2pm with the finale at around 6pm.

This year's event, co sponsored by Dun Laoghaire County Council, will see hundreds of men women and children compete over a gruelling circuit in a bid to be crowned 2012 champions in their respective field. Viewing might be best from the beach at Salthill DART station and will be an opportunity to enjoy this traditional form of rowing.

The Dun Laoghaire regatta will see the reintroduction of the East Coast Tug-O-War competition.

#BERTHS – Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company plans to double pleasure craft moorings at the Coal Harbour area of the east coast port by providing up to 150 public berths on floating pontoons.

The company sought expressions of interest earlier this month from a variety of parties including local clubs and businesses to develop and manage the project located in the inner harbour area near the fishing fleet berths at Trader's Wharf.

If the new pontoon facility goes ahead it will replace the existing 30 swinging and fore and aft moorings in the Coal harbour and a further 40 in the shallows on the inner West Pier.

Dun Laoghaire harbour on the south shore of Dublin Bay is Ireland's biggest boating centre. As well as four leading Irish yacht clubs the harbour houses the country's largest marina facility with an 850–berth capacity. The marina has berthage vacancies for the current season.

The facility plan comes under page 72 of the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Master plan that was published last year and aims to turn the harbour into an 'exciting marine leisure destination of international calibre'. An artist's impression of the new harbour is here.

The new pontoon is aimed at smaller boats and motor boats. It is also designed to make space for other craft when the numbers of moorings on the East bight area in the main harbour are reduced over time according to the Masterplan.

Other parts of the plan including attracting cruise–liner traffic into the harbour and a new sea water baths on the East Pier are already being implemented.

Consulting engineers have produced a preliminary layout (see above) providing a mix of berth sizes from 4.5 metre up to 7 metre berths.

#CRUISE LINER – Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company have announced the completion of a new Tender Facility to accommodate large cruise liners in Dun Laoghaire harbour. The new facility will also have a range of other local uses. The facility was funded by both organisations.

In addition to the arrival of the tender facility, Dun Laoghaire is preparing to welcome the first in a series of Cruise ships for 2012 on the 24th April. This Cruise call marks the 1st phase of cruise calls to Dun Laoghaire this summer which promises to provide a significant economic boost to the area.

According to Gerry Dunne, the CEO Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and Owen Keegan, County Manager of DLR County Council the arrival of the new facility is very positive in that it provides great access for the tender boats carrying passengers from large Cruise Ships that dock outside the harbour in the bay.

Large Cruise ships that heretofore could not bring visitors to Dublin can now avail of this facility to land thousands of new tourists into Ireland. The public will also benefit from the facility as it can be used for training purposes and the operation of Boat Tours around Dublin Bay and to Dalkey Island.

#DUN LAOGHAIRE NEWS - Dun Laoghaire's historic Victorian sea baths are to be replaced with a small 'urban beach' under rejuvenation plans for the harbour, the Irish Independent reports.

County councillors for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown voted on Tuesday to green light the construction of a new sea baths facility, part of the 'master plan' development proposed by the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company that has raised the ire of the harbour's yacht clubs.

The decision is the latest in a long series of ambitious plans for the Victorian baths, which recently received a new coat of paint as part of the Dulux Let's Colour Project but have lain derelict for 15 years.

Under the new plan, all but two of the buildings on the baths site, which was built in 1843, will be demolished to make way for a new jetty and changing area, which is set to include an 'urban beach' in the future.

Only the baths pavillion and a small outbuilding will be retained for an artist's studio, a gallery and café.

The Irish Independent has more on the story HERE.

#RS SAILING - UK RS Association chairman Pete Vincent will be running another RS200 and 400 demo day from the Royal St George Yacht Club on the weekend of 24-25 March.

The well-known expert on RS boats is being brought to Dublin by RS400 owners Richard Tate and Emmet Ryan, who are "really keen to get an RS fleet up and running" in Dun Laoghaire.

"After the huge attention our boats have drawn both ashore and on the water, we feel there is already a keen interest from a broad cross section of sailors to learn something more about these incredible hiking dinghies," says Tate.

"There is a ready-to-race format for both RS200s and 400s to have a full season of racing every Tuesday and Thursday in Dublin Bay right from the go."

The RS200 is described as a "natural progression" from the RS Feva, while the RS400 "takes the concept one step further and way beyond". Both classes provide high performance assymmetrical racing for all age groups.

If you are thinking about moving into an RS200 or 400, this is the perfect opportunity to help you make your decision.

All demo sails must be booked in advance by contacting Pete Vincent directly at +44 7812 899 043 or [email protected].

#FIREBALL – Fifteen Fireballs took to the water for last Sunday's Frostbite race but only 14 of them got a finish – Andy Boyle & Barry Hurley (14934, Royal Irish) – were recorded as an OCS! Wind conditions were lively with a WSW Force 4/5 blowing with gusts flashing across the course. The start had a boat-end bias for a change and my various correspondents advise that there were a few capsizes on the day. It also appears that people were doing 720º and 360º for rule infringements and mark-touching.

The first three boats over the finish line, Noel Butler & Stephen Oram, Neil Spain & Hugh Butler and Owen Laverty & Ed Butler effectively sailed their own separate race from the rest of the fleet and they enjoyed a race of nip and tuck with places changing between them.

Neil Colin & Margaret Casey finished fourth but behind them a tight bunch were fighting for places. Included in this group were Messrs Rumball & Moran, Malcolm & Diviney, Court & Syme and Miller/Donnelly before the all-lady teams of McKenna & O'Keefe and Power & Barry.

The ladies were well represented today with three all-female teams out on the water, the third being Mary Chambers and Brenda McGuire, who finished thirteenth. Derval O'Carroll was also a welcome returnee to the Frostbites, sailing with Stephen Campion. And our Sligo friends, Peter Armstrong & Matt mayron were also out sailing the all-wooden 15060.

Class stalwart Louis Smyth, sailing with Joe O'Reilly, had a bad day at the office – an early interaction with another boat required a 720º with a capsize thrown in as a "double-whammy". At the first weather mark there was another revolution taken when they hit the mark. "Enough said!"

Mug winners for the day were the ladies of 14691, Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keefe of the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

In overall terms, Butler & Oram stretched their lead over Rumball/Moran to 5pts, while the latter pair have a comfortable 8pt margin over third placed Laverty/Butler.

#DALKEY ISLAND PROSPECT - The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has joined the chorus of opposition to the proposed oil and gas exploration off Dalkey Island in Co Dublin.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Providence Resources has applied for a foreshore licence to search for oil or gas about 6km out to sea on the Kish Bank Basin.

But the prospect has provoked a split in the local community over the potential risks and benefits, with many calling for a public enquiry into the licence before it is granted.

This evening an urgent meeting in Dun Laoghaire will address the public's concerns, which have been echoed by the IWDG.

"The Kish Bank and adjacent waters are important for cetaceans," said the group in a statement. "In addition, sightings of bottlenose dolphins have increased dramatically in the area following the presence of a group of three individuals since August 2010."

The IWDG is concerned about the potential effects on dolphins and porpoises that "could due to noise generated from the drilling process", noting that "there is little published data on the intensity and effects of sound generated by drilling".

Protest group Protect Our Coast has launched a online petition against the Dalkey Island Prospect citing concerns over the proximity of the drilling area to the mainland as well as the Special Protection Area of Dalkey Island, which is a haven for marine wildlife.