Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: LiveStreaming@ Sea

RV Celtic Voyager of the Marine Institute, Ireland's national agency for marine research, development and innovation, has been working in south Dublin Bay this week, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 31.4m ship to be replaced next year by a Spanish newbuild, to be named the RV Tom Crean (52.8m), has since the start of this week carried out ship-based training albeit for 'land-based' marine biology students given the lock-down restrictions.

Despite that, Dr. Simon Berrow and Mr. John Boyd of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) have been 'live-streaming' from on board the RV Celtic Voyager to their students at home.

According to a tweet on the M.I. website, the work has been an excellent run down of what's involved in offshore surveys. As close as the real thing as you can get, less the swell and the rain! 

The scene was observed by Afloat as the RV Celtic Voyager was in a south Dublin Bay prior to returning to the temporary base of Dun Laoghaire Harbour this afternoon. According to Met.ie, gale force 8-9 winds forecast tonight on the Irish Sea and Storm Force 10 off Wicklow Head and further south. 

Already in port at Carlisle Pier, the UK registered, Spanish owned trawler Magan D which had been adrift that arrived at the weekend. Also berthed but since yesterday, Dublin Array's proposed wind-farm project related ship, Fugro Mercator having been busy on geophysical surveys.

The GMIT has a Marine and Freshwater Research Centre where among the specialist research staff is Dr Simon Berrow, responsible for Marine mammals, seabirds and Environmental impact. Also on board, Mr. John Boyd's specialising in fisheries, seagoing operations and maritime training.

The vessels six day (at 'sea') training programme is scheduled to end this Saturday.

While today, the M.I. other larger research vessel, RV Celtic Explorer (65.5m) is working in waters considerably further offshore in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Afloat tracked RV Celtic Explorer some 400 nautical miles offshore of the western seaboard to the ship's homeport of Galway.

The deployment of the vessel is to support an Ocean & Climate survey across south Rockall Trough with the vessel due back to its homeport in around a month's time.

Published in Marine Science

Irish Sailing

The Irish Sailing Association, also known as Irish Sailing, is the national governing body for sailing, powerboating and windsurfing in Ireland.

Founded in 1945 as the Irish Dinghy Racing Association, it became the Irish Yachting Association in 1964 and the Irish Sailing Association in 1992.

Irish Sailing is a Member National Authority (MNA) of World Sailing and a member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

The Association is governed by a volunteer board, elected by the member clubs. Policy Groups provide the link with members and stakeholders while advising the Board on specialist areas. There is a professional administration and performance staff, based at the headquarters in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Core functions include the regulation of sailing education, administering racing and selection of Irish sailors for international competition. It is the body recognised by the Olympic Federation of Ireland for nominating Irish qualified sailors to be considered for selection to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. Irish sailors have medalled twice at the Olympics – David Wilkins and Jamie Wikinson at the 1980 games, and Annalise Murphy at the 2016 games.

The Association, through its network of clubs and centres, offers curriculum-based training in the various sailing, windsurfing and powerboating disciplines. Irish Sailing qualifications are recognised by Irish and European Authorities. Most prominent of these are the Yachtmaster and the International Certificate of Competency.

It runs the annual All-Ireland Championships (formerly the Helmsman’s Championship) for senior and junior sailors.

The Association has been led by leading lights in the sailing and business communities. These include Douglas Heard, Clayton Love Junior, John Burke and Robert Dix.

Close to 100 sailors have represented Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Membership of Irish Sailing is either by direct application or through membership of an affiliated organisation. The annual membership fee ranges from €75 for families, down to €20 for Seniors and Juniors.