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08:00 Liverpool - Dublin
312 Passengers - 55 Vehicles |
| 07:53 |
Single Up |
| 07:57 |
Let Go |
| 08:12 |
Passed Brazil buoy, increased speed |
| 08:21 |
Crosby Light Float |
| 08:28 |
Formby Light Float - an unidentified fishing vessel could be seen to port outside the main channel. |
| 08:30 |
Q1 - Cleared channel |
| 08:35 |
Passed north of Bar light float, not such a common occurrence on Dublin sailings, before altering course to head across Liverpool Bay. Three vessels were noted at anchor south of the Bar. |
| 08:53 |
Small cargo vessel CORALLI of T Jacobsen & Co. of Norway was seen turning to port - possibly heading off towards the Dee Estuary |
| 09:38 |
Anglesey was cloaked in mist around 10 miles due south. First officer reported to passengers that wind was WSW 15 knots and that SSCIII was running at 38 knots. |
| 10:50 |
Merchant Ferries BRAVE MERCHANT passed around half a mile to the south heading for Liverpool on the 09:00 sailing from Dublin |
| 11:05 |
Royal Navy Archer Class coastal training craft A163 HMS EXPRESS and A167 HMS EXPLOIT passed across the bows heading in a South Easterly direction. |
| 11:07 |
EUROPEAN LEADER passed eastbound for Liverpool. |
| 11:10 |
Kish light could be seen through the mist. Also to be seen was HSS STENA EXPLORER which at this time should have been leaving Dún Laoghaire was actually making her final approach somewhat behind schedule. |
| 11:20 |
Passed of Baily at reporting point Charlie |
| 11:27 |
HSS STENA EXPLORER entered Dún Laoghaire harbour |
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Wandering out on to the open deck as SSCIII made her way across Dublin Bay, I overheard to women talking, the conversation suggests that some people have a low boredom threshold and even fast ferries are not fast enough.
One woman said: "I feel as though I have been on this boat for hours!" to which her friend replied on seeing the HSS run into Dún Laoghaire, "We should have driven to Holyhead it would have been quicker."
As SuperSeaCat Three ran up the channel Estonian Shipping Company's VARBOLA was noted at the Merchant Ferries terminal loading for Heysham.
JONATHAN SWIFT was loading at berth 49. On the Container berths
At the P&O terminal could be seen CELTIC STAR which had arrived earlier from Liverpool. |
| 11:49 |
Ropes on. But SSCIII's stern appeared to bounce of the fenders causing a stern rope to part, there was a loud crack and as I wandered over to the port side the remains of the rope could be seen round the mooring bollard. However, a second rope was soon put over the side and SSCIII berthed.
Crossing Time: 3hours 51minutes |
| The Dublin terminal building appeared quite busy, though I think that is probably more indicative of its small size than overall numbers
travelling. Boarding commenced at around 12:35. On rejoining SSCIII I wandered back up to the Blue Riband lounge and found Justin Merrigan, The See Breezes Ferry Correspondent and once a familiar figure at the Dublin terminal until moving to fast ferry builders Incat where he is now Public Relations Manager.
Accompanying Justin on the visit to SSCIII was no other than "Mr Incat" himself Robert Clifford, founder and chairman of the Tasmania based fast ferry builders.
|
| 13:00 Dublin to Liverpool
235 Passengers |
| 12:53 |
Ropes were let go |
| 13:17 |
Passed Delta buoy and departed Dublin Bay |
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Visibility was very poor for most of the crossing, though for long periods SSCIII appeared to be bathed un sunlight. |
| 15:30 |
An unidentified James Fisher coaster was overtaken.
Radio traffic with Mersey Radio revealed that STENA CALEDONIA was in Liverpool Bay to the north of the Bar adjusting compasses. She had just departed Cammell Laird after refit and SOLAS upgrade. |
| 16:11 |
Passed C23 and reduced speed. |
| 16:35 |
Ropes on at Landing Stage
Crossing time: 3hours 32 minutes. |
