Team Racing at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

 

Firefly dinghies participate in a Team Racing event at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, Sunday 27 Jan 2008.

Team Racing Photo Gallery HERE

Belgian dredger 'BRABO' operating in Dublin Bay

Dredger Brabo in Dublin Bay (Copyright 2008 Sailpix Ireland)

 

Credit: Artist's impression (bottom) of the Brabo at work, courtesy of IHC Holland B.V.

This distinctive vessel was photographed (top) in Dublin Bay on Sunday 27th January 2008. Howth Head is visible in the background.

Launched in 2007 the Dutch built, Belgian registered BRABO is a state-of-the-art 'trailing suction hopper dredger' and is used in the construction or deepening of harbours and waterways.

Operated by Belgian dredging contractors DEME N.V. the BRABO is a twin-screw trailing suction hopper dredger, with two bow screws for optimum manoeuvrability. It has one suction pipe on the port side with an internal diameter of 1,200mm, reaching a maximum dredging depth of 43m. The dredged material can be discharged directly into the sea through two rows of rectangular bottom doors. In shallow water two front unloading doors can also be used. These are submerged bottom doors that do not protrude under the ship when opened. The load can also be discharged by means of a self-emptying system, in which the dredged soil is pumped ashore through a floating pipeline, or discharged through a spraying nozzle, so-called “rainbowing”. The ship has accommodation for a crew of 20.

Click HERE for more information on the BRABO.
 

BRABO Photo Gallery HERE
Map HERE

Update: BRABO's Position - 10:47:55 hrs. on 29 Jan 2008 GMT underway at 12.7 kts, direction 42°NE in Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme, destination Zeebrugge, Belgium. ETA 17:00 hrs. 29 Jan 2008.
Source: Ship AIS

Tara sails free from icy shackles

 

A boat that was deliberately trapped in the Arctic ice in an effort to monitor the region's changing climate broke free yesterday (21st Jan) after more than 500 days.

In September 2006 the scientific polar schooner Tara sailed into the pack-ice and has been allowed to drift with the ocean currents and wind.

The two-masted manned vessel (ex Seamaster of New Zealand sailing hero Sir Peter Blake fame) is crammed full of sensors to monitor the ocean, atmosphere and ice.

The aluminium hulled, ice-strengthened boat is now on its way to the island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Ocean.

Click HERE to read the full story by By Jonathan Fildes Science and technology reporter, BBC News.

For more reading about Tara, click HERE.

For further reading about the 'DAMOCLES' EU research project into Arctic climate changes, click HERE.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Tara Expeditions