duskybay

2011-01-18T21:26:00.004Z

Blanket Bay Hotel Doubtful Sound New Zealand. Very good anchorage in everything apart from NE and E winds.

Sailing in Fiordland

2011-01-18T21:24:00.001Z

Standard voyage up the Fiordland Coast on the Wanderer

Boys at Play

2011-01-18T21:14:00.005Z

2011-01-09T20:31:00.003Z

One of the nicer places I have been in the past, the Camalot River in Fiordland New Zealand, to be seen at its best in the rain

Seven ship namings in 30 minutes!

2010-05-25T15:57:00.003+01:00

The official naming of 7 of our new fleet at Milford Haven for the South Hook LNG Refinary last week.

Paris At Easter

2010-04-09T20:36:00.002+01:00

Enjoyed a very nice trip to Paris this Easter, although being very wet.

Winter 2009/10

2010-01-31T20:30:00.002Z

Winter is about over with warming weather evry day now. Got down to -15 some days.

Birthday party mode

2009-06-26T20:15:00.003+01:00

Grandma's 80th

2009-06-26T20:05:00.004+01:00

Local shots

2009-06-14T21:55:00.001+01:00

The house next door

Me and Issy

One and all

Day out in the birth place of Shakespare

2009-06-14T21:45:00.002+01:00

Gardens

Great day

New edition Range Rover

Sarahs New Car!

Mums Trip Continued

2009-06-14T21:37:00.003+01:00

Ann Franks House

Upper Reach of the Thames River

Hot

Winston Churchill's Home

Mums Trip

2009-06-14T21:30:00.002+01:00

Winstons House

Italy in Wales

Nice Day out

Mum has been over for 6 weeks, took her to some of the highlights close to here, enjoy.

San Sebastian Spain

2009-06-14T21:22:00.003+01:00

Just back from Spain for a 48 hour visit to audit a ship yard of all things. Flight from Heathrow to Madrid then on to San Sebastian took all day. Must say its is one place I could live, and the night life was, well worth the trip. Went out for dinner at 0730, got home 0300, after phar quar for on tray to the best fish I have ever tasted. Following day on to remote farm house for lunch and then home.

North Corwell Coast

2009-05-19T17:26:00.004+01:00

Newque

Port Myron home of Doc Martin TV Series

Cornwell Coastal view

Padstow home of Rick Steign

We have recently been down the North Cornwell coast to visit Padstow, the home of Rick Steign, Newque and Port Myron, the home of TV series Doc Martin. Great area. Here are some of the Pictures:

Sailing North Africa to Spain

2009-05-17T14:46:00.002+01:00

Spain Marina

Bound for Spain in 40 Knots from North Africa

Hurry up you lot

North Africa looking towards Morocco. Beautiful place.

Sailing Spain to Africa May 2009

2009-05-17T14:23:00.006+01:00

Bugger, missed the light. Lt House Gibraltar

Leaving in good order.

Had a great week with the lads on sailing trip from Gibraltar to Morocco back to Spain. Weather hot, wind up to 40 knots at times. Always wanted to sail in the Med. Lifetime ambition achieved.

Life ashore and afloat a lot of fun, with many nights to remember.

Santa Cruz Island to Reko Solomans

2009-05-17T14:16:00.001+01:00

Pacific life

Melanesia. Pentacost Island tp Espirto Santo

2009-05-17T14:02:00.004+01:00

Just some pictures of time with Coral Princess Cruises. Crusing Pacific up to Soloman Islands.

In London

2009-03-18T22:19:00.002Z

Made in China Hard Hat!!!!!!

2009-01-11T15:27:00.000Z

QE2 Final Departure from Southampton

2008-11-18T13:27:00.001Z

Was lucky enough to be in Southampton for the final departure and saw the spectacular fireworks display.

Dispute going aground on her final entry to the port, all went well. Svitzer tugs came to her rescue.

New Tug

2008-11-18T11:30:00.001Z

First of our new tugs has arrived

Sailing to Bristol

2008-11-18T11:13:00.002Z

Had a great weekend in Bristol over the weekend. Good sailing both ways. Wind 15 to 25 knots

More Milford Haven Pictures

2008-09-28T19:59:00.002+01:00

Views from the office at Milford Haven Docks

2008-09-23T20:44:00.002+01:00

LNG Tankers

2008-09-12T21:07:00.002+01:00

Have just been on LNG course for the new 160 000 m2 tankers that will be coming into Milford Haven. They are very impressive vessels.

Have attached youtube link about the ones that travel from Japan to Russia were Svitzer also are based working ships in heavy ice conditions.

There are 220 of these vessels traveling the world and are safer than the public prospective of then.

Weather is ***%%££&&!!! at present, guess we will get summer next year.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-6wVUfar8g

Its not Milford Sound, but here is some pictures of Milford Haven Wales

2008-08-30T22:07:00.001+01:00

New Job Milford Haven

2008-08-30T21:49:00.003+01:00

Svitzer Milford is an azimuthing stern-drive vessel 30.3m in length overall, with a breadth of 11.5m and maximum design draft of 4.8m.
All of the vessels in the series will be classed Lloyds Register +100 A1, TUG, FiFi1 (2400m 3)Waterspray, +LMC, UMS, IWS.
Building on this scale has enabled a high degree of commonality in equipment and fitting out, with presumably consequential economies of scale. At the naming ceremony earlier in the year an option for a further four tugs was announced but to date it is not clear whether that option will be taken up.
The vessel's hull has a raised forecastle and the underwater configuration was tank tested and optimised to produce the required performance and excellent handling characteristics, particularly when going astern. A double skin hull configuration, unusual in tugs of this size, offers greater safety, increased bunker capacity and greater range. A total of 214m 3offuel can be accommodated, along with 23m 3of fresh water and 29m 3of foam compound.
Svitzer Milford is one of the first batch of four tugs powered by two medium speed MAK 6M25 main engines running at 750 rev/min (MCR) to produce a total of 4890bhp (3600kW). Power is transmitted to a pair of Rolls Royce US205 CP fully azimuthing propulsion units incorporating controllable pitch propellers of 2400mm diameter turning at 226 rev/min. This propulsion system produced a bollard pull on trials of 62 tonnes pulling ahead, 55 tonnes astern, and a maximum free running speed of 13.8 knots.
A Rolls Royce - Ulstein 45TU transverse bow thruster, powered by a 200kW electric motor, is also installed.
The remaining six vessels will have more powerful high-speed Caterpillar diesels delivering 5842bhp (4300kW) for a bollard pull of about 70 tonnes.
A well laid out engineroom also contains three Caterpillar powered electrical generating sets, two main alternators of 215kW and a small harbour set of 60kW.
The main engines drive a pair of ABS/Unitor SFP 250x350 pumps via Kumera - Norgear step-up gearboxes to provide a total water supply of 2400m 3. The fire fighting system complies with the requirements of FiFi 1 and includes two Unitor monitors located above the wheelhouse roof and self-protection dousing nozzles.
Towing equipment includes a combined towing winch and anchor windlass by Rolls Royce mounted on the foredeck and the principle means of shiphandling.
The winch is hydraulically powered and has a single 'split drum' with a line pull of 30 tonnes and maximum brake load of 160 tonnes. Each portion of the de-clutchable split drum carries a high performance, manmade fibre, towline of 120m in length. The towlines pass through a substantial fairlead incorporating two triangular shaped leads lined with polished stainless steel to reduce chafe.
If necessary the tug can tow over the stern from a single Mampaey quick release towhook with a safe working load of 65 tonnes.
A towing winch aft will be optional on this class of vessel.
Also located on the after deck is a capstan, from Rolls Royce, with a 5 tonnes capacity and a Heila HLM 10-25 hydraulic deck crane The wheelhouse aboard Svitzer Milford is located above a single storey superstructure and gives the tugmaster almost complete all round vision. All of the essential instruments and controls are located either on or above a centrally positioned console designed for 'one-man' operation. Each propulsion unit is controlled individually and the bow thruster, winch controls, radios and navigational instruments fall easily to hand.
The tug has accommodation for a maximum of six persons in three double cabins but under normal circumstances will work in port with a crew of three.

Rain, Rain, Bloody Rain

2008-08-30T21:27:00.003+01:00

Well what can we say, that's all its done this summer with only several fine days along the way. It has not been all that bad though, we have ventured into England over the past few weeks and seen the sights. Pictures attached.

Starting a new job shortly with Svitzer, one of the worlds largest Tug companies at Milford Haven of all places, They are taking delivery of 9 new tugs from China in coming months and I will be part of the management team looking after 7 tugs and 90 staff which work 24/7. They have a £50 million pound contract over the next 10 years to look after ship movements in Milford Haven.

Additional Pictures

2008-07-14T18:55:00.001+01:00

40 Deg in Kefalonia to 12 and heavy rain in Wales!!

2008-07-09T15:58:00.001+01:00

Home at last after the holiday in the sun, typical, rain and cold and it's supost to be summer in Wales, we have had 15 days, so I guess thats it for the year.

Here are some additional pictures of interest. Loved the isalnd and would go again, slow pase of life 'just like NZ'.

Island Tour of Kefelonia

2008-07-06T18:27:00.002+01:00

We went around the island today to some beautiful spots. On small village called Assos, we could have stayed for ever, a small fishing village with only 200 people living there, just idilic. The weather stinking hot, in the low to mid 40's and getting hotter tomorrow for our trip to the capital tomorrow before heading home on Tuesday to windy wet Wales.

A great day by the pool

2008-07-03T20:39:00.002+01:00

Issy having a wale of a time at the pool all day, still 35 to 40 deg's. Went out for dinner last night and tonight, greek food, I must say very good. Doing the island tour on Sunday.

40 Deg Hot Hot Hot

2008-07-02T15:54:00.001+01:00

Arrived all ok, Beautiful, been swimming all day!!!!

Kafalonia Greek Islands Iona Sea

2008-06-26T10:30:00.005+01:00

We are heading to kafalonia for a short holiday. I have found some pictures off the web, but will update when we get back with our pictures. I have attached a link to two films that was made there in recent times which will give you an idea of the island and it's beaches. The weather there is currently 35 deg's, hot you might say, but we will find out soon. If you are looking on the web we will be staying in a small town on the south coast called Skala.

Click on links below to open films.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHbbXTgrlE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5f4glbtCvU

Captain Carralies Madaline Kafalonia

2008-06-26T10:09:00.000+01:00

Issy B

2008-06-24T22:07:00.003+01:00

Issy has been going well at school lately and has just completed sports day at her school. She stops for summer holidays in two weeks and is back at school mid September, so hopefully we will have some good weather to get out and enjoy. Picture taken 4 weeks ago. She went on school trip last week which she enjoyed.

Came home from school today full of the joys of spring, two boys tickled her!!!

Sailing to Tenby Part 2

2008-06-23T12:08:00.001+01:00

Pictues of Tenby, enjoy.

Sailing Swansea to Tenby Part 1

2008-06-23T10:46:00.001+01:00

Last weekend we sailed from Swansea to Tenby on the south coast about 30 miles to the west of here. The weather on Saturday was great for going west with ebb and around 15 to 18 knots of wind. On arrival at Tenby we could not get into harbour, so tied up to a mooring until 1930 hours before we could come along side to dry out. During the night the weather changed, so we were going to have to sail back in 30 to 40 knots of wind against tide.

Leaving at 1000 the weather was SW 30 gusting 40 with 3 to 4 meter seas. Good sail home with 40 knots off Worms Head for a while. There were several emergencies along the coast, missing kite surfer, and a boat aground off the entrance of Swansea harbour.

All in all a great weekend had by all, apart from the dodgy pasta ashore.

Castles on the coast

2008-06-18T21:20:00.000+01:00

Harlech Castle on the west coast of North Wales was a surprise and had a view to die for, and many had over the years trying to break into it.

It was built for King Edward in 1282 and has had various occupants over the years. In 1404 the castle fell to the Welsh and was occupied by Glyn Dwr's court and family until1409 when it was taken by the English. Two more sieges took place.

The view from the castle is stunning and you look out across the sea towards Irland.

We spent some time here and had lunch at the small village next to the castle, before heading home. The view above is looking north to Mount Snowden in the distance.

Exploring North Wales

2008-06-18T21:08:00.001+01:00

On our travels we went to the top of Mt Snowden in Snowdonia. The train has been taking passengers up the mountain since Victorian times and is still going today. They operate both steam and diesel trains on the route, although all the carriages are still original.

The day w went up it was persisting down, and with no shelter on the upper slopes we were confined to the carriages for 30 minutes to our decent.

I managed to get out and take this picture of the train in the rain, just like Milford rain, very heavy and horizontal.

Issy enjoyed the trip, although very cramped for all the passengers. People were queuing all day to get up with some walking both ways.

Took the picture on my cell phone which supprisingly gave good clarity.

Summer 2008

2008-06-17T21:44:00.000+01:00

We so far are having a nice summer in the UK. The economy here is taking a dive, all related to the cost of fuel.

Have been all over the place from mid UK to sailing in the Bristol Channel. Last weekend we entered a race from Swansea to Ilfacome. The race was good, average 7.5 knots and came second on handy cap on a Bavaria 39. Heavy night ashore followed by a good sail home.

Giorgio sailed strait over to watch the rugby game Wales V/V South Africa.

The week previous we went up to Skudmore on the East Coast. Very industrial, but was good to at last visit the birth place of Captain Cook.