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Cycling Captain prepares for another Eurocycle 

21st May 2008

May 2008 sees European Highlander master Captain Kevin Doyle once again setting out on his bike for charity.  Carrying on from his charity cycles in 2005 and 2002, Kevin is leaving Glasgow on the 26/5/08 on a 1100 mile cycle all the way to Warsaw via the P&O ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.  Joined by his friend Fr. Stephen Sharkey, both cyclists are hoping to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Erskine Hospital, which looks after wounded ex servicemen and their families from all conflicts.

To follow their progress log on to: http://www.eurocycle.uk.com

Please also consider donating to this worthy cause, instructions on how to donate can be found on the eurocycle website.  For Larne natives the Larne Ferry Web webmaster is also collecting sponsorship on Kevin's behalf so please get in touch with the webmaster if you wish to make a donation.

7th May 2008

Coastal cargo vessel Alexandra S made a visit to Larne with a cargo of dolomite chippings from Ballangen, Norway.

The vessel berthed on Monday 5/5/08 at 1500 with tug Noleen McLoughlin on duty as pilot boat.  With visibility down to only a few cables Alexandra S had to stop dead to allow a safe pilot boarding in the think fog prevailing just off number 1 buoy.

Discharge commenced the following morning and was completed shortly after lunch time on the 7/5/08.   The vessel sailed ex Larne at 1730 on the 7/5/08 bound for Corpach to load bark chippings back to Norway.  Noleen McLoughlin once again assisted as pilot boat.

May Bank Holiday Sailing Alterations

5th May 2008

Ferry traffic from the port dropped back a gear over the bank holiday at the beginning of May with Cairnryan's European Causeway and Fleetwood's Stena Pioneer taking a few days out of service for maintenance work.

European Causeway stood down on the 3/5/08 after arriving at Larne from Cairnryan at 0630 that morning.  The Cairnryan ship shifted berth to Curran Quay at 0900 and remained alongside Curran until the 5/5/08 undergoing maintenance, which include work on her starboard MES.  An underwater hull survey was also carried out on the 3/5/08 with divers working from tug Noleen McLoughlin. 

European Mariner made way for European Causeway to use Curran Quay all weekend.  The Troon freight ship discharged her freight from Troon on the morning of the 3/5/08 and shifted to anchor at 0845.  She carried out 1 single trip on the Cairnryan route as cover for European Causeway sailing from Larne at 2000 on the evening of the 3/5/08 loading from MacKean Quay.  The 'Mariner spent the night in Cairnryan and returned light ship to anchor off Larne on the 4/5/08.  

She returned to Troon service that evening with the 1900 to Troon once again loading from MacKean Quay.  By her return back to Larne on the morning of the 5/5/08 European Causeway had vacated Curran Quay to anchor allowing the Mariner to return to her normal berth at Curran Quay on arrival at 0645.

Cairnryan sailings returned to normal timetable when European Causeway re-entered service with the 1030 ex Larne on the 5/5/08.  Throughout the 'Causeway's period off service Express and European Highlander maintained their usual service.

Stena Line's Larne - Fleetwood sailings were curtailed with the withdrawal of Stena Pioneer for a two day maintenance lay over.  The ' Pioneer's final sailing terminated in Larne at 0645 on the 3/5/08.  After discharge the vessel left Larne at 0800 to lay up alongside Stena's lay by berth at Albert Quay, Belfast arriving at 1000.  Filling the gap was Stena Seafarer, which took up Stena Pioneer's roster with the 1200 departure ex Larne on the 3/5/08.

Stena Seafarer and Stena Leader continued to maintain Fleetwood operations until the 5/5/08 when Stena Pioneer returned to her roster with a 0645 departure from Larne, sailing early to beat the tide.  She had shifted round from Belfast the night before berthing at Continental Quay at 2230 after the Leader sailed.

With all three vessels back on the run, Stena Seafarer returned to her slot on the afternoon of the 5/5/08 with the 1600 to Fleetwood.

Seafarer at Stranraer

21st April 2008

Larne - Fleetwood lost the service of Stena Seafarer for a week  from the 12/4/08 when she left Larne and took up service on the Belfast - Stranraer route to cover for the route's conventional ferry Stena Caledonia.  

Stena Seafarer's final voyage on the Fleetwood route was the 0300 ex Fleetwood on the 12/4/08 which arrived in Larne at 1240.  The vessel discharged and sailed at 1420 to Belfast where she berthed at Stena's Albert Quay lay by berth at 1615.  Stena Caledonia continued in service until the 2359 ex Stranraer on the 12/4/08, entering Harland and Wolff's Belfast dry dock at 0900 on the morning of the 13/4/08.  Stena Seafarer shifted up to the Albert Quay linkspan at 1000 on the 13/4/08 and took up service on the Stranraer route with the 2000 to Stranraer that evening.

Stena Seafarer worked the following roster in absence of the Stena Caledonia:

Ex Belfast: 0315 (Tue - Sat), 1900 (Mon - Fri) 2000 (Sat & Sun)

Ex Stranraer: 0715 (Tue - Sat); 2300 (Mon - Fri); 2359 (Sat & Sun)

The Fleetwood ship was able to maintain good speed on the Stranraer crossing but her single tier stern only loading configuration meant she wasn't able to keep to the short turnrounds on the overnight crossings where only 1 hour is timetabled for turnround in port.

Seafarer's service at Stranraer finished with the 2359 ex Stranraer on the 20/4/08.  After discharge in Belfast in the early hours of the 21/4/08, Stena Seafarer shifted back to Larne, departing Belfast at 1000.  She took up service to Fleetwood with the 1600 sailing ex Larne later that afternoon.  Meanwhile Belfast - Stranraer operations remained without Stena Caledonia for a further two weeks until the 2/5/08 when she restarted operations with the 1900 sailing ex Belfast.

Weather Problems

8th April 2008

Sporadic periods of extreme gale force winds over a two week spell from the 28/3/08 until the 6/4/08 disrupted the smooth running of all the ferries using the port of Larne.

Most prone to the weather was fast craft Express which cancelled sailings on a number of occasions over the spell of north westerly gales and was often observed taking extended weather routed passages to keep the voyages in the heavy swell as comfortable as possible for her passengers.

All voyages were cancelled for the day on the 1/4/08 due to weather while only the 0715 round sailing to Troon operated on the 5/4/08 and again only this crossing on the 6/4/08.  Whilst berthing at Larne on the 6/4/08 at 1215 in 30+ knots from the north west the vessel was unable to make it alongside and had to return to sea.  Her second attempt at berthing was successful and she made it alongside Chaine Quay at 1420.  In getting alongside the vessel made a heavy impact port side aft and was withdrawn for inspection, she didn't return to service until the 0715 to Troon on the 8/4/08.

The Cairnryan conventional vessels were also running late due to the gales with both vessels ably assisted several times by tug Maria McLoughlin to enable them to keep sailing in extreme conditions.   European Causeway had a very heavy impact with the fenders on the outer dolphin at MacKean Quay when berthing at 0200 on the 29/3/08.  Shell plating was dented on the starboard shoulder of the vessel but she was able to continue in service.

Maria McLoughlin was also kept busy by European Mariner and the 3 Stena vessels. With the little tug's help all 4 freight vessels managed to keep freight moving.  Meanwhile, Stena Seafarer visited Belfast for her weekend lay up on 5th - 6th April rather than spend it at anchor off Larne exposed to the northerly winds funnelling down the north channel.

Photo: Marc Gilbert (click to enlarge)

Photo: Marc Gilbert (click to enlarge)