Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Sean Crowley's Story - New Documentary Released on Youngest Man to Row The Atlantic
10th October 2026 Coastal Rowing
A documentary on Sean Crowley, the youngest man to have rowed the Atlantic, received a rapturous reception at its premiere in Clifden, Co. Galway last week. Sean Crowley’s Story – a film celebrating the life and legacy of Sean Crowley…
Stena Line to Deploy Dublin-Birkenhead Freight Ro-Ro’s to North Sea UK-Dutch Service
10th October 2026 Stena Line
Stena Line is to deploy two Irish Sea-based freight ferries from its Dublin Port-Birkenhead (Liverpool) route to the North Sea service of Harwich-Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Stena Hibernia and twin Stena Scotia, which Afloat reported only entered service as…
Damage to essential infrastructure along the seabed off Ireland could lead to an energy crisis at an “unprecedented scale”, a University of Galway academic has warned. University of Galway senior lecturer Dr Brendan Flynn told the Atlantic Summit that in…
When Annalise Murphy of the National Yacht Club won the Dinghy Division of Sailing’s Championship of the Champions in Ireland last Sunday (October 4th) after two days of racing in Melges 15s at the Royal St George Yacht Club in…
Damien Guillou of France with the Rustler 36 Solarem and Pat Lawless of Ireland with the Saga 36 Silvermines Hydro are now past the mandatory southwestern waypoint of Trinidade Island, deep in the South Atlantic, with both boats making around…
National Yacht Club sailors John Lavery and William Russell are sixth overall at the Flying Fifteen European Championship in Palma, Mallorca, with Peter and Juliette Kennedy of Strangford Lough Yacht Club one place behind in seventh. The two Irish crews…
President Catherine Connolly visited Arklow RNLI in Co Wicklow on Friday (9 October) to mark the lifeboat station's 200th anniversary, recognising two centuries of volunteer service during which crews have been credited with saving more than 443 lives. Accompanied by…
Two Irish campaigns are among the early entries for the 2027 RORC Caribbean 600, with John Treanor's Royal Irish Yacht Club yacht Cristina and Karl Smith's Class40 Racing to End Parkinson's preparing for the 600-nautical-mile offshore race starting from Antigua…
Howth Heads Into Fifth Weekend Of 2026 Autumn League With A Final Result Already In The Can If Needed
9th October 2026 Howth YC
Ever since it started in 1982, Howth’s Autumn League has from time to time experienced blustery late-season weather which has seen the race officers and competitors hanging on until the very last possible race in order to have enough results…
Ger Dempsey and Ben Graf are listed among the entries for the 2026 SB20 World Championship in Hyères, where a larger fleet than last year's Singapore event is expected. Two Irish entries are listed for the 2026 SB20 World Championship…
Ireland's Olympic silver medallist says becoming a mother and rediscovering the pleasure of sailing helped bring her back to competition, with the Switch Global Championship on Lake Garda her latest challenge Ireland's Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy has revealed how…
Blue Heart by Mark Mellett Praised by Mary Robinson as a "Call to Conscience"
9th October 2026 Book Review
“A timely warning” and a “call to conscience” is how former Irish president Mary Robinson has described a book just published by Vice Admiral Mark Mellett. Entitled Blue Heart: War, Climate and the Battle for the Ocean That Keeps Us…
New Research Shows "Massive" Population Decline in Antarctic Penguin Species
9th October 2026 Marine Wildlife
A remote volcanic island near Antarctica has lost its title as the world's largest penguin colony after new research revealed massive population declines. Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) found that over half a million chinstrap penguins have disappeared…
English Channel Ferry's Final Sailing Set Before Temporary Transfer to Ireland-France Link
9th October 2026 Brittany Ferries
An English Channel ferry of Brittany Ferries, which has sailed from the Dorset coast for more than 30 years, is set to make its final crossing on its route to Normandy, France. As BBC News reports, the Breton-based company’s Barfleur…
ESPO’s Environmental Report 2026 Unveiled at GreenPort Conference Hosted by UK Ferryport
9th October 2026 Ports & Shipping
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has unveiled its annual ESPO Environmental Report 2026 – EcoPortsinSights 2026 during the GreenPort Congress, hosted by Portsmouth International Port in the UK. The unveiling yesterday of ESPO’s Environmental Report is a cornerstone of…
Philip Mayne Will Tell All About Saving Dublin’s Tugboat Rosbeg To DBOGA
9th October 2026 Dublin Bay Old Gaffers
There are few, if any, sailors in Ireland with the breadth and depth of experience accumulated by Philip Mayne of Lough Ree. A cradle sailor with the Shannon One Designs, he was Class Chairman of the SODs in 2022 when…
Third-placed Ertan Beskardes in the Rustler 36 Miss Beagle was making best speed of the 14 Golden Globe racers as he powered down the Atlantic finally south of the Equator, showing 6.5 knots as Thursday night came on, with the…
Europe’s Ocean Leaders Gather in Galway to Advance Atlantic Research, Innovation and Skills
9th October 2026 Marine Science
Leading ocean researchers, policymakers, innovators and industry representatives from across Europe and the wider Atlantic region gathered in Galway on Thursday (8 October) for the opening of Atlantic Summit Galway 2026, a flagship event of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council…
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels of arrangements for the Erne Navigation and use of jetties during the 21st Erne Pike Fishing Classic, taking place from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October. Bank fishing will take place between 10am and…
Ireland has secured an EU Council negotiating position on future fisheries funding as preparations continue for talks on 2027 fishing opportunities Ireland's first 100 days holding the EU Presidency have seen progress on future fishing fleet funding, while preparations continue…
