26.12.13

Best Western Babes take the plunge………

Tamina Rezaie and colleague Eva from the Dover Marina Hotel & Spa,

braved the elements today for Dover’s Boxing Day Dip!

Well done to you both. Rather you than me!

26.12.13

What started out as a quiet Christmas for yours truly, ended with a great night onboard “Entice”. Richard Borle providing the cheese, crackers and port, Sara
and Rob Wright providing an exceptionally pleasing bottle of Scotch and Cassie (pictured centre) for his unique character……

Me? I provided some pretty dodgy Christmas music as usual!

A great evening with great friends. Thanks.

(With apologies to Kevin Bloody Wilson and others)

All pictures Richard Borle.

Christmas morning 2013, a striking picture of the one day a year the port comes to rest. Laying over in the port from left to right: Eastern arm: Pride of Kent,
No 2 Berth: Pride of Burgundy, No 5 Berth: Dunkerque Seaways, No 7 Berth: Dieppe Seaways, No 8 Berth: Pride of Canterbury and No 9 Berth: Spirit of Britain. 

22.12.13

Drama for P&O’s Spirit of Britain (pictured above).

On the afternoon of Saturday 21.12.13, as the ferry was departing from Calais on her routine crossing to Dover, a twenty-one year old woman threw herself 130
feet into the water from the deck of the vessel in front of a group of stunned school children returning from a skiing trip. Fortunately the vessel was still in Calais and even more fortunately the
rapid actions of her crew enabled her to be recovered using the ship’s rescue boat in just six minutes. She was taken to hospital and is said to be in a serious condition with injuries to her legs
and suffering from shock and the effects of exposure.

All credit to the Spirit of Britain’s crew for their rapid intervention, which, undoubtedly saved her life.

Well done guys, great job.

13.12.13 You cannot have failed to notice the curious structure slowly covering the marine station /Cruise Terminal 1 in the western docks over the last few
months. As part of a multi-million pound regeneration project, local scaffolding firm N T Rix are constructing this massive structure to enable brickwork, steel
and other repairs to be undertaken. Once the works are completed access to the terminal will be easier and the surrounding areas will also benefit from other improvements. Work will continue
throughout next year, initial phases being completed next spring, with the entire project completed by December 2014.

08.12.13 A recent addition to Dover’s townscape are a pair of anchors. Situated at the junction of the A256 York Street and A20 Townwall Street, they have been loaned to the town by the
Port of Dover as part of the town’s maritime heritage. Many ferry travellers will remember seeing them on the Eastern Arm close to the Port Control Building.

05.12.13 Allely’s Heavy Haulage have been contracted to transport two transformers, to and from Sellindge Converter Station near Ashford, Kent. This picture
shows just one of the three sections of trailer about to be unloaded in the Western Docks Freight Park. The sections are then constructed on site. The ship carrying the replacement transformer is due
to arrive tonight. The main event is scheduled for 08:00 Sunday morning when the entire unit, weighing approximately 600 tonnes, will reverse through the boatyard and out on to the A20 at the
Union Street roundabout. It will then make it’s way to Sellindge.

More pictures below:

04.12.13 DFDS Seaways are understandably unhappy at the ruling concerning MFL’s continued presence on the lucrative Dover to Calais route. It has been
suggested that they may pull out of Calais and focus on their Dunkerque service instead. The Dieppe Seaways (ex Seafrance Moliere) is still available for purchase and possibly this news puts the
future of the Calais Seaways Dover service (pictured above) in doubt.

Fred Olsen’s Black Watch alongside Dover Cruise Terminal during a recent visit. Just minutes into her cruise departure from Dover on the 24th November 2013
she encountered problems with her steering gear and spent much of the night in the Downs, north of the Eastern Entrance as engineers sought to rectify the problem. Delayed by some twelve hours, she
continued her cruise early the following morning and was due to call at Copenhagen on the evening of the 26th. Dating from 1972 the ex Royal Viking Star is still much adored as she continues to offer
traditional style cruising.

Awaited with great apprehension, the severe storm, Saint Jude, arrived on Monday 28th October 2013. Named after the Patron Saint of Lost Causes, the storm
caused damage to the Admiralty Pier and also to around fifty cars parked in the cruise terminal car park whose owners are currently enjoying a Fred Olsen cruise on their vessel
Braemar.

The Braemar returns to Dover late morning on the 5th November 2013 and is assisted to her berth by trusty port tug DHB Dauntless. Many passengers were bracing
themselves for the moment they were reunited with their vehicles, some of which had been damaged by the winter storm Saint Jude. Fred Olsen, the Port of Dover and various insurance companies had
worked together during the cruise to ensure passengers were able to return home by hire car or arranged transport.

The Dieppe Seaways leaves for Calais on a blustery October day recently. It is understood that DFDS are looking to dispose of her and she is currently listed
for sale on a marine brokerage site for between 55 and 65 million Euros.

The 2011 built oil tanker Dubai Attraction has been anchored off the Port since arriving here on Thursday 10th October. She flys the
Marshall Islands flag and is owned by Emarat Maritime. She was awaiting orders and sailed for the Russian port of Luga in the early hours of Wednesday 16th 2013. 

After last year’s tragic loss of both broods of ducklings, congratulations to all of us who have helped to ensure this years ducklings have survived to
maturity. It’s truly amazing how well trained the ducks have got us….

The Seal has been making appearances back in the Wellington Dock

Seen here at Portsmouth, the yacht Challenger 2 called at Dover and spent several days in the Wellington Dock. She is part of the Tall Ships Trust round Britain sailing challenge. For more
information visit their website info@tallships.org

A stranger to Dover. Cyclone Clipper called in for refuelling this morning, 12th September 2013 whilst on
passage from Southampton to her more usual surroundings on the River Thames. Her glazed accomodation was suitably protected with plywood for the trip. She is operated by Thames Clippers and offers
commuter services as well as tourist trips.

Farewell to Folkestone Fixings

After opening the Dover branch of Folkestone Fixings just over four years ago, the branch has now closed. Folkestone Fixings
closed it’s doors for the last time on Saturday the 7th of September 2013 to enable junction “improvements” at the Union Street roundabout location. The improvements are part of an ongoing schedule
of works to some extent in connection with the proposed redevelopment of the Western Docks within the framework of the T2 development (See associated story in our features section).
The works include the provision of an inner “freight“ lane for trucks so that they do not have to give way at the roundabout. You could be forgiven if you think this is really necessary,
as around eighty per cent of foreign registered trucks apear not to bother giving way currently.

The ever helpful staff have all relocated to the Folkestone branch at West Park Farm.

The roro ferry Joline continues it’s controversial once weekly Dover – Calais live export service. 

The cliff path at Fan Bay showing the search light batteries and access ladder to the beach. In late August the latest cliff fall has undermined the path and
made access extremely difficult, if not impossible.