Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Waterford Estuary

As the summer draws closer to an end, particularly for land-based holiday-makers, those offshore onboard cruiseships continue to be drawn to our shores writes Jehan Ashmore. The cruise-ship season remains busy, stretching into September.

Azamara Journey, a cruiseship built a decade ago and weighing 30,277 gross tonnes (gt) is due tomorrow (21 August) to anchor off Dunmore East. The vessel will use tender-boats to transfer passengers to the fishing port which lies on the southern approches of the Waterford estuary leading into the River Suir .

Several days after Azamara Journey's call, a further three cruise-ships will be touring the south-east. On 2 September the Crystal Symphony (51,044gt) sails overnight from Holyhead and is scheduled to take anchorage off Dunmore East and two days later a similar call is expected by the Silver Whisper. The 2001-built vessel is operated by the six-star rated Silversea Cruises.

La Diamant is due on 5 September to berth at Belview, the main port of Waterford and then is bound for the Isles of Scilly. La Diamant is owned by the only French cruise operator, Compagnie du Ponant based in Marseilles. La Diamant (8,238gt) has 172 passengers and 144 crew.

The cruise-operator specialises in offering a fleet of small bijou ships which include sail-assisted vessels. Compagnie du Ponant are a subsidiary of CMA-CGM Group, one of the world's largest container shipping companies.

Another Silversea Cruises fleetmate, Silver Cloud is due to dock on 8 September at Belview or upstream in the city-centre quays, in the heart of the newly rejuvenated 'crystal' city. Silver Cloud is on a cruise from Iceland and after the Irish call, the vessel heads for Fowey with the cruise culminating in the Pool of London.

The location of where vessels berth throughout the estuary is subject to the draft of the ship, weather conditions, tides and occupancy status of berths.

Published in Ports & Shipping
Page 3 of 3

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.