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Displaying items by tag: Lough Derg

Lough Derg RNLI volunteers were tasked to the aid of two people on a cruiser which engine failure near Mountshanon Harbour yesterday afternoon, Sunday 6 September.

The inshore lifeboat Jean Spicer diverted from a training exercise just before 2pm and made way to the reported location.

With no vessel in sight, the lifeboat crew made radio contact with the stricken vessel, which it turned out had drifted close to rocks east of the Scilly Isles.

The two on board the 27ft cruiser were safe and unharmed, and wearing lifejackets.

A lifeboat crew member was put aboard and discerned that the cruiser has suffered a gearbox failure.

A tow was then set up to bring the broken down vessel back to Mountshannon Harbour, and within an hour the lifeboat had returned to Dromineer Bay to complete its exercise.

‘Even on the calmest days, inflatable toys are not fit for the conditions you will experience along our coastline’

Elsewhere on Sunday afternoon, Arklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchlearr launched to reports of a person in difficulty in a small inflatable boat off Mizen Head.

Once the crew was on scene, the individual tried to make his way back to shore while the lifeboat stood by.

But the rocky coastline and prevailing tidal conditions made this difficult, so it was agreed the safest option was to take the person on board the lifeboat.

Following the incident, Arklow RNLI’s community safety officer Mark Corcoran said: “Thankfully this afternoon was relatively calm, had conditions been worse the situation might not have ended so well.

“In recent weeks there has been a lot of rescues all around our coastline of people from small inflatable boats and toys.

“We’d like to remind people of the real risk of drowning when you go to sea on vessels of this nature, even on the calmest days these types of boats and toys are not fit for the conditions you will experience along our coastline.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

Claims of speeding RIBs and jet skis over the weekend have prompted a call for a no-wake notice for Terryglass Harbour on Lough Derg.

One boater said the powered vessels caused “large wakes in very close proximity to moored cruisers on the concrete jetty, causing sustained and substantial discomfort for these boats and their crews throughout the weekend”.

No wake zones have been established elsewhere on Ireland’s inland waterways, most recently at Newferry on the Lower Bann were vessels must proceed at a slow speed when passing the jetties and slipways.

Published in Inland Waterways

At 9.28 pm last night, Thursday, August 13, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to go to the assistance of 8 adults on a 45ft cruiser aground by Ryan’s Point, inside the Mountaineer Bouy at Barrack Bay.

At 9.42 pm the RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, and crew members Owen Cavanagh, Keith Brennan and Doireann Kennedy on board. The wind was northeasterly, Force 2. It was nightfall with poor visibility; the RNLI volunteers used on-board electronic navigation, RADAR, searchlights and local knowledge to steer their course to the casualty. 

Once the lifeboat rounded the Mountaineer Buoy, the crew took soundings of the depths in a cautious approach to the casualty vessel. The lifeboat came alongside at 9.55 pm and found all eight people to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

An RNLI volunteer transferred to the cruiser. Once he was satisfied that the vessel was not holed, he set up for a tow. The lifeboat attempted to take the casualty vessel astern off the rocky shelf. However, it was stuck fast on the rocks.

As the cruiser had been travelling in company, and its companion vessel was moored in Garrykennedy Harbour, the lifeboat informed Valentia Coast Guard of its intention to take all passengers on to the lifeboat and to bring them to Garrykennedy Harbour for the night.

Valentia Coast Guard arranged for the casualty vessel to be attended to first thing the following morning.

At 11.04 pm the lifeboat delivered the eight people into to the care of their friends at Garrykennedy Harbour.

The lifeboat departed the scene and was back at Station at 11.30 pm 

Peter Kennedy, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to ‘study your charts and plan your passage, paying close attention to the navigation buoys’.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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Lough Derg RNLI launched last night (Thursday 6 August) to the aid of four people on a 23ft cruiser aground on rocks in Scarriff Bay.

The lifeboat Jean Spier launched at 9.20pm, in fading light with a low mist and heavy rain squalls, to the scene behind Holy Island at the south-western end of the lough.

Valentia Coast Guard also requested the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 to assist.

As the lifeboat passed Holy Island, its crew spotted an SOS light signal from the shore, in an area known as the Black Rocks.

The lifeboat navigated with caution to the casualty vessel, which had dropped anchor nearby but the anchor dragged and saw the boat pushed into a dangerous and rocky area of shore.

The two adults and two teenagers on board were found safe and unharmed, and wearing their lifejackets.

An RNLI volunteer transferred to the casualty vessel and, after checking for damage, set up for a tow to bring the vessel off the rocks and back out to safe water.

The lifeboat then took the casualty vessel to Mountshannon Harbour, making slow progress in the poor weather with reduced visibility and eventually arriving just after 10.30pm.

With the harbour at capacity, the skipper of a moored vessel offered to have the casualty boat rafted next to theirs for the night.

Keith Brennan, trainee helm at Lough Derg RNLI, commended the quick actions of the skipper on the casualty vessel.

“He did everything correctly: deploying the anchor once his engine failed, calling for help and using light signals to indicate his position to the lifeboat.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to go to the assistance of six people on a 42ft motor cruiser that ran aground at the southern end of the Corakeen Islands, in Dromineer Bay yesterday afternoon. The wind was westerly, Force 3. Visibility was good to fair, with frequent heavy rain squalls.

At 3.20 pm the RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, and crew members Ger Egan, Keith Brennan and Chris Parker on board.

Using navigation charts and taking depth soundings, the lifeboat made a careful approach to the cruiser and was alongside the casualty vessel at 3.30 pm.

The lifeboat volunteers found all on board the cruiser to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets. An RNLI crew member was transferred to the casualty boat and once satisfied it was not holed, set up for a tow. At 3.40 pm the lifeboat had the casualty vessel off the rocks and towed out into safe water.

Once in safe water, and after it was established that the drives and the propeller were in good working order, the tow was released. With an RNLI volunteer remaining on board, and the lifeboat standing by, the cruiser made way to Dromineer Harbour. As both vessels approached Dromineer Harbour, the lifeboat went ahead to drop off two crew so that they could receive lines from the cruiser as she came alongside. At 4.35 pm the cruiser was safely tied alongside in the public harbour at Dromineer.

At 3.40 pm Lough Derg RNLI departed the scene to return to base.

Liam Maloney, Lifeboat Operations Manager Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to ‘enjoy Lough Derg, plan your passage, keep a lookout for your next marker and remember to stay within the navigation channels’.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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Lough Derg RNLI assisted 2 people on a 21ft yacht aground by Jushing Rocks, west of the Scilly Islands on the Ogonoloe shore in County Clare.

Earlier this evening, Sunday, July 19, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to go to the assistance of two people on a 21ft yacht that ran aground by Jushing Rocks, west of the Scilly Islands on the Ogonoloe shore, County Clare. At 7.50 pm the RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Owen Cavanagh, and crew members Doireann Kennedy, Tom Hayes and Chris Parker on board. The wind was north-westerly, Force 2. Visibility was good.

The lifeboat arrived on scene at 8.02 pm. A passing yacht that had remained on scene in safe water, provided the lifeboat crew with details of the yacht in difficulty. The lifeboat used its navigation charts and took depth soundings as it neared the cruiser, and was alongside at 8.10 pm.

The lifeboat found both people to be safe and unharmed. An RNLI crew member was transferred to the casualty boat and, once satisfied the boat was not holed, set up for a tow. At 8.18 pm the lifeboat had the casualty vessel off the rocks and towed out into safe water.

The yacht’s engine was not working and as the casualty vessel’s home harbour was in Killaloe, following discussion with Valentia Coast Guard, Lough Derg RNLI passed the tow to the Killaloe Coast Guard unit who had arrived on scene.

At 8.37 pm Lough Derg RNLI departed the scene to return to base.

Owen Cavanagh, helm at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to ‘enjoy Lough Derg, plan your passage, study your charts and stay within the navigation channels’.

The lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service again at 9 pm.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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Lough Derg RNLI assists a family of four on a 32ft cruiser that ran aground by Parker’s Point, on the Tipperary shore.

At 5.35 pm today, Wednesday, July 1, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to go to the assistance of four people on a 32ft cruiser that ran aground by Parker’s Point, on the Tipperary shore. At 5.53 pm the lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, and crew members Keith Brennan, Joe O’Donoghue and Doireann Kennedy on board. The wind was north-easterly, Force 3. Visibility was good.

Initially, there was some uncertainty regarding the casualty vessel’s location. The first report was that it was aground off Cribby Island, near Mountshannon on the County Clare shore. However, as the lifeboat approached the search area, the crew spotted a boat fitting the description of the casualty vessel close to the Tipperary shore, off Parker’s Point.

As the approach to the casualty vessel was particularly rocky, the lifeboat crew used navigation charts and depth soundings as it neared the cruiser, and was alongside at 6.10 pm. The four people on board, two adults, an infant and a child, were all safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

An RNLI crew member was transferred to the casualty boat and once he was satisfied the boat was not holed, set up for a tow. The lifeboat towed the vessel from the stern as rocks off the bow were visible above water.

Once in safe water and with the assistance of the RNLI crew member on board, the skipper made sure all drives and the propeller were in good working order.

The lifeboat accompanied the cruiser to Garrykennedy, the safest, closest harbour, where, at 7 pm, an RNLI volunteer helped to secure the boat safely alongside the quay.

Jeremy Freeman, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat owners to ‘ensure you study your charts and remain within the navigation channels’.

The lifeboat returned to Station and was ready for service once more at 7.30 pm.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat assisted two people on a 21ft motorboat suffering engine failure in severe weather conditions.

At 5.02 pm today, June 20, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to go to the assistance of two people on a 21ft motorboat that had suffered engine failure near the Corakeens Islands. At 5.15 pm the lifeboat launched with volunteer helm Owen Cavanagh, volunteer crew Keith Brennan, Jimmy Gund Kjell and Joe O’Donoghue on board. The wind was southerly, Force 7 and gusting. Visibility was fair, with driving rain and frequent squalls.

A vessel in the vicinity had taken the motorboat under tow, but under the severe weather conditions, the vessel being towed was driven onto rocks by the entrance to Dromaan Harbour on the County Clare shore. The lifeboat arrived on scene at 5.20 pm. Once the RNLI volunteers established that the casualties were safe and unharmed, they took the motor vessel off the rocks and into Dromaan, the closest safe harbour, where it was tied alongside at 6.20 pm.

The two casualties, wearing face masks and gloves, were taken by the lifeboat back to Dromineer. The vessel that had provided assistance made its own way to the public harbour at Dromineer.

Owen Cavanagh, volunteer helm at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat owners to ‘ensure your engines are fully serviced and fuel is clean before returning to the water for the summer season’. He says ‘respect the water, and remember, always check the weather forecast before going afloat'.

The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service once more at 6.54pm

Published in RNLI Lifeboats
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The past weekend’s good weather tempted a group of jet-skiers who subsequently ran into difficulty in Clew Bay, as The Irish Times reports.

Achill Island RNLI launched its lifeboat on Saturday evening (25 April) to reports of three men on personal water craft needing assistance between Newport in Rosmoney — waters considered treacherous for even the most experienced of mariners.

All three were towed to Rosmoney with a locally owned RIB in an operation that also involed the Irish Coast Guard and An Garda Síochána.

Gardai also mounted further patrols of Lough Derg, where earlier this month they had exercised their emergency powers to warn inland waterways users to stay at home as measures to control coronavirus remain in place.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Gardaí exercised their emergency powers this past Thursday (9 April) on Lough Derg, warning cruisers, motor boats and anglers alike to stay at home, as the Clare Echo reports.

Terryglass Angling & Conservation Club informed its members on Thursday afternoon that the Garda was patrolling the lough with a fast RIB to enforce the Covid-19 restrictions “so no getting away”.

Under Operation Fanacht, which has been extended from this Easter weekend to Tuesday 5 May, gardaí have the power to detain anyone found in breach of movement measures — which include travel beyond a 2km radius of one’s home being restricted to essential reasons.

Grocery shopping is considered one such essential purpose. However, it is understood by the Clare Echo that gardaí were turning back traffic in the Shannon area and telling drivers there were options closer to home.

The Clare Echo has more on the story HERE.

Published in Inland Waterways
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Dun Laoghaire Harbour Information

Dun Laoghaire Harbour is the second port for Dublin and is located on the south shore of Dublin Bay. Marine uses for this 200-year-old man-made harbour have changed over its lifetime. Originally built as a port of refuge for sailing ships entering the narrow channel at Dublin Port, the harbour has had a continuous ferry link with Wales, and this was the principal activity of the harbour until the service stopped in 2015. In all this time, however, one thing has remained constant, and that is the popularity of sailing and boating from the port, making it Ireland's marine leisure capital with a harbour fleet of between 1,200 -1,600 pleasure craft based at the country's largest marina (800 berths) and its four waterfront yacht clubs.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bye-Laws

Download the bye-laws on this link here

FAQs

A live stream Dublin Bay webcam showing Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance and East Pier is here

Dun Laoghaire is a Dublin suburb situated on the south side of Dublin Bay, approximately, 15km from Dublin city centre.

The east and west piers of the harbour are each of 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) long.

The harbour entrance is 232 metres (761 ft) across from East to West Pier.

  • Public Boatyard
  • Public slipway
  • Public Marina

23 clubs, 14 activity providers and eight state-related organisations operate from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that facilitates a full range of sports - Sailing, Rowing, Diving, Windsurfing, Angling, Canoeing, Swimming, Triathlon, Powerboating, Kayaking and Paddleboarding. Participants include members of the public, club members, tourists, disabled, disadvantaged, event competitors, schools, youth groups and college students.

  • Commissioners of Irish Lights
  • Dun Laoghaire Marina
  • MGM Boats & Boatyard
  • Coastguard
  • Naval Service Reserve
  • Royal National Lifeboat Institution
  • Marine Activity Centre
  • Rowing clubs
  • Yachting and Sailing Clubs
  • Sailing Schools
  • Irish Olympic Sailing Team
  • Chandlery & Boat Supply Stores

The east and west granite-built piers of Dun Laoghaire harbour are each of one kilometre (0.62 mi) long and enclose an area of 250 acres (1.0 km2) with the harbour entrance being 232 metres (761 ft) in width.

In 2018, the ownership of the great granite was transferred in its entirety to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council who now operate and manage the harbour. Prior to that, the harbour was operated by The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, a state company, dissolved in 2018 under the Ports Act.

  • 1817 - Construction of the East Pier to a design by John Rennie began in 1817 with Earl Whitworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland laying the first stone.
  • 1820 - Rennie had concerns a single pier would be subject to silting, and by 1820 gained support for the construction of the West pier to begin shortly afterwards. When King George IV left Ireland from the harbour in 1820, Dunleary was renamed Kingstown, a name that was to remain in use for nearly 100 years. The harbour was named the Royal Harbour of George the Fourth which seems not to have remained for so long.
  • 1824 - saw over 3,000 boats shelter in the partially completed harbour, but it also saw the beginning of operations off the North Wall which alleviated many of the issues ships were having accessing Dublin Port.
  • 1826 - Kingstown harbour gained the important mail packet service which at the time was under the stewardship of the Admiralty with a wharf completed on the East Pier in the following year. The service was transferred from Howth whose harbour had suffered from silting and the need for frequent dredging.
  • 1831 - Royal Irish Yacht Club founded
  • 1837 - saw the creation of Victoria Wharf, since renamed St. Michael's Wharf with the D&KR extended and a new terminus created convenient to the wharf.[8] The extended line had cut a chord across the old harbour with the landward pool so created later filled in.
  • 1838 - Royal St George Yacht Club founded
  • 1842 - By this time the largest man-made harbour in Western Europe had been completed with the construction of the East Pier lighthouse.
  • 1855 - The harbour was further enhanced by the completion of Traders Wharf in 1855 and Carlisle Pier in 1856. The mid-1850s also saw the completion of the West Pier lighthouse. The railway was connected to Bray in 1856
  • 1871 - National Yacht Club founded
  • 1884 - Dublin Bay Sailing Club founded
  • 1918 - The Mailboat, “The RMS Leinster” sailed out of Dún Laoghaire with 685 people on board. 22 were post office workers sorting the mail; 70 were crew and the vast majority of the passengers were soldiers returning to the battlefields of World War I. The ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat near the Kish lighthouse killing many of those onboard.
  • 1920 - Kingstown reverted to the name Dún Laoghaire in 1920 and in 1924 the harbour was officially renamed "Dun Laoghaire Harbour"
  • 1944 - a diaphone fog signal was installed at the East Pier
  • 1965 - Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club founded
  • 1968 - The East Pier lighthouse station switched from vapourised paraffin to electricity, and became unmanned. The new candle-power was 226,000
  • 1977- A flying boat landed in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, one of the most unusual visitors
  • 1978 - Irish National Sailing School founded
  • 1934 - saw the Dublin and Kingstown Railway begin operations from their terminus at Westland Row to a terminus at the West Pier which began at the old harbour
  • 2001 - Dun Laoghaire Marina opens with 500 berths
  • 2015 - Ferry services cease bringing to an end a 200-year continuous link with Wales.
  • 2017- Bicentenary celebrations and time capsule laid.
  • 2018 - Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company dissolved, the harbour is transferred into the hands of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

From East pier to West Pier the waterfront clubs are:

  • National Yacht Club. Read latest NYC news here
  • Royal St. George Yacht Club. Read latest RSTGYC news here
  • Royal Irish Yacht Club. Read latest RIYC news here
  • Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. Read latest DMYC news here

 

The umbrella organisation that organises weekly racing in summer and winter on Dublin Bay for all the yacht clubs is Dublin Bay Sailing Club. It has no clubhouse of its own but operates through the clubs with two x Committee vessels and a starters hut on the West Pier. Read the latest DBSC news here.

The sailing community is a key stakeholder in Dún Laoghaire. The clubs attract many visitors from home and abroad and attract major international sailing events to the harbour.

 

Dun Laoghaire Regatta

Dun Laoghaire's biennial town regatta was started in 2005 as a joint cooperation by the town's major yacht clubs. It was an immediate success and is now in its eighth edition and has become Ireland's biggest sailing event. The combined club's regatta is held in the first week of July.

  • Attracts 500 boats and more from overseas and around the country
  • Four-day championship involving 2,500 sailors with supporting family and friends
  • Economic study carried out by the Irish Marine Federation estimated the economic value of the 2009 Regatta at €2.5 million

The dates for the 2021 edition of Ireland's biggest sailing event on Dublin Bay is: 8-11 July 2021. More details here

Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Offshore Race

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down the East coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry. The latest news on the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race can be found by clicking on the link here. The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

The 2021 Race will start from the National Yacht Club on Wednesday 9th, June 2021.

Round Ireland Yacht Race

This is a Wicklow Sailing Club race but in 2013 the Garden County Club made an arrangement that sees see entries berthed at the RIYC in Dun Laoghaire Harbour for scrutineering prior to the biennial 704–mile race start off Wicklow harbour. Larger boats have been unable to berth in the confines of Wicklow harbour, a factor WSC believes has restricted the growth of the Round Ireland fleet. 'It means we can now encourage larger boats that have shown an interest in competing but we have been unable to cater for in Wicklow' harbour, WSC Commodore Peter Shearer told Afloat.ie here. The race also holds a pre-ace launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Laser Masters World Championship 2018

  • 301 boats from 25 nations

Laser Radial World Championship 2016

  • 436 competitors from 48 nations

ISAF Youth Worlds 2012

  • The Youth Olympics of Sailing run on behalf of World Sailing in 2012.
  • Two-week event attracting 61 nations, 255 boats, 450 volunteers.
  • Generated 9,000 bed nights and valued at €9 million to the local economy.

The Harbour Police are authorised by the company to police the harbour and to enforce and implement bye-laws within the harbour, and all regulations made by the company in relation to the harbour.

There are four ship/ferry berths in Dun Laoghaire:

  • No 1 berth (East Pier)
  • No 2 berth (east side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 3 berth (west side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 4 berth  (St, Michaels Wharf)

Berthing facilities for smaller craft exist in the town's 800-berth marina and on swinging moorings.

© Afloat 2020