Displaying items by tag: Men & Women

31st December 2017

Irish Tech Company Help Seafarers Connect to Loved Ones Over Festive Period

Seafarers are strangers wherever they go, however with assistance these smiling crew members over Christmas availed of the SeaFi Dockside facility, while away from families. The free wi-fi service developed by SEA-Tech, an Irish company, is provided to seafarers (above) by the Port of Waterford at the Belview Terminal. In the background, Afloat adds is the bow of Arklow Cliff, the newest in service of the 'C' class cargoships..

#Seafarers - Over three million seafarers, both men and women live in the twilight world of big shipping according to the Seamens Christian Friend Service (SCFS).

Seafarers are responsible for most of the goods you will of had acquired over the Christmas season. It's a lonely life and as such they don't get to spend Christmas with their family.

Crews roam the world's oceans for up to 12 months at a time. They come from more than 100 different nations and speak dozens of language. For most of them accessing the internet is synonym of keeping in touch with the family.

This year, SEA-Tech Evolution Ltd, an Irish IT company established in 2007, worked with the Port of Cork, Port of Waterford and Rosslare at improving crew welfare. The company take this service very seriously but it is sometimes hard to convince the shipping industry of the benefits of decent internet connectivity.

Commenting on the benefits of such technology, Arnaud (R.no) Disant, Engineer (CTO) at SEA-Tech and Lecturer at National Maritime College of Ireland, said you know you’ve done something good this year when you see a smile on the face of a man that truly values your work.

Published in Ports & Shipping

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.