Dover Ferry Photos - News and Update Blog

31/01/12 – Spirit of France and Spirit of Britain Past and Present files Updated.

2012-01-31T22:57:00.001Z

The Spirit of France and Spirit of Britain Past and Present files have been updated with new information and photographs.

I would like to thank François Longuet for his photographs depicting the maiden arrival of the Spirit of France in the Port of Calais.

30/01/12 – Spirit of France – Arrival Photos

2012-01-30T21:18:00.001Z

A full set of “Spirit of France” arrival photographs have now been uploaded to the main website at www.doverferryphotos.co.uk

All the best

Ray

28/01/12 - Spirit of France Arrives in Dover

2012-01-29T00:48:00.001Z

Yesterday morning I joined the Dover Sea Safari for there “Welcome to the Spirit of France” safari from Dover Marina.

After departing from the Marina we headed out to the South Goodwin light to meet the vessel and trail her into the port before overtaking her so we could get into the Port to witness her entry and berthing manoeuvres.

It truly was a very unique way of viewing this special occasion and i would just like to take this opportunity of thanking Simon and James from the Dover Sea Safari for arranging this trip.

Please find below a selection of photographs* taken from the Sea Safari.

*Please note that these photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reused without the express permission of myself, Ray Goodfellow.

Spirit of France Delivered by STX 24/01/12

2012-01-24T13:52:00.001Z

The Spirit of France has now been handed over to P&O Ferries and has just departed the STX Shipyard in Rauma on her 1,400 mile delivery voyage to Dover.

She is due to arrive in Dover at 1100 (GMT) on Saturday 28th January 2012.

I shall be joining the Dover Sea Safari at 0900 and we shall be departing Dover Marina at 0930 to go out and meet the ship on her arrival. Additionally other team members will be located around the Port to capture her maiden arrival.

Looking at the weather forecast it looks as if it’s going to be a nice day, hopefully similar to the day her sister arrived in Dover last January.

The Spirit of France can be tracked by AIS via our website, thanks to the Marine Traffic widget (Just click on the “Follow the delivery voyage of the Spirit of France” link on our homepage) or directly from the Marine Traffic website.

We wish the vessels Senior Master, Steve Johnson, his officers and his crew `God Speed’ and we look forward to seeing you here in Dover on Saturday.

Please find below the STX Finland Press Release that was issued earlier today.

Press Release 24 Jan 2012

STX Finland’s Rauma shipyard delivered a car-passenger ferry

On Tuesday 24 January 2012, a car-passenger ferry NB 1368, the Spirit of France, was delivered by STX Finland’s Rauma shipyard to P&O ferries.

Her sister ship, the Spirit of Britain was delivered from Rauma Shipyard one year ago.

The Spirit of France is 213 meters long and 31,5 meters wide and she has 3,746 lane meters (lm) for trailers, cars and other cargo. In addition to space for approximately 180 freight trucks and 195 passenger cars, the 47 600 gt vessel can accommodate 2,000 passengers.

Special attention has been paid to the environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions and safety of the ship.

"The Spirit of France and her sister ship the Spirit of Britain are the largest, most efficient and modern vessels on the route Dover - Calais. We trust that these ships will be highly appreciated by the passengers and they will serve successfully P&O Ferries for a long time. I want to thank the owner and all those involved in the project for a good co-operation”, states the Director of STX Rauma shipyard, Timo
Suistio.

End.

Best Wishes

Ray

13/01/2012 Spirit of France – Delivery Confirmed

2012-01-13T13:23:00.001Z

P&O Press Release:

“P&O Ferries will on Tuesday 24 January take delivery of its second new €180 million ship, Spirit of France, during a handover ceremony at the STX Europe shipyard in Rauma, Finland.

Spirit of France will then commence its 1,400 mile voyage to Dover under the command of Captain Steve Johnson, senior master. The ship will arrive in Dover on Saturday 28 January and will undergo berthing trials in both Dover and Calais before entering service on the premier Channel crossing prior to mid-February.

At more than 47,000 gross tons and 213 metres in length, Spirit of France, and sister ship Spirit of Britain, which began service last year, are the largest ferries ever built for the Dover Strait. Their combined cost of €360 million is the largest investment ever made by P&O Ferries.

P&O Ferries operates 22 ships on routes to Northern Ireland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium and France, carrying more than nine million passengers, more than one and a half million cars and two million trucks a year.

Spirit of France particulars:
Gross tonnage: 47,592 tons. Length: 213m. Beam: 31.43m. Number of decks: 12.
Capacity: 170 x 15m lorries + 195 cars (or 1,000 cars). 2,000 passengers.

(ends)”

Forum Offline: Monday 2nd January 2012

2012-01-01T17:15:00.001Z

The forum will be offline from 1300 UK time on Monday 2nd January 2012 to allow me to undertake routine maintenance and also to apply the latest software update to the forum.

During this time the forum will be locked and users will be unable to login. If all goes to plan then the forum will be back online by 1600 UK time.

Admin users are not suspended whilst the upgrade takes place, so please can I ask that you ensure you do not login during this time so as to avoid any issues with the update.

Many thanks

Paul Bilbrough

19/12/11 - Seasons Greetings

2011-12-19T02:18:00.001Z

Well it's that time of year again and I would just like to take this opportunity of wishing you and all your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Just like the ferry industry this year has been a tough one for me following the loss of my Dad in March but it's thanks to the support of my friends, my family and you our site members that has seen me through those dark days.

With this in mind there are certain sections of the industry we follow so closely who are also going through some dark days and a period of uncertainty and I hope for all those involved that something can be saved from the current mess.

As a community we have had our fair share of ups and downs this year as well. Firstly we had the `Cookie' issue on our forum back in June which effectively locked everybody out. For a time it looked as if we couldn't fix it and as a consequence we launched our Facebook Page and Twitter stream which have now been incorporated into our community. Thanks to the hard work of our technical man Paul Bilbrough we came back and the forum has flourished ever since. I would like to personally thank Paul for his hard work in bringing us back to life and managing the technical nuts and bolts of the forum on a day to day basis.

In all our site's coverage has not only grown but the number of people posting and interacting with us has also increased month on month across all sites.

Dover Ferry Photos Facts

Our Website has received 278,000 Page hits to date.
Our Forum has 775 Members, 12,916 Individual Posts and 2044 Topics.
This Blog has received 11,500 Page Hits to date.
Our Twitter has 164 Followers.
Our Facebook Fan Page has 163 Likes.
Our Facebook Account has 326 Friends.

Finally I would just like to post a few words about the unsung heroes of our online community and that's the Admin and Moderator Team. I am sure you will join me in thanking them for there hard work and dedication to the site over the last year, particularly during my absence following my Dad's death.

As a team we have recently had to make some tough decisions in relationship to one members action on our forums and the team and myself have had to face some harsh public words and criticism from this ex member but we got through it and shall move forwards as we always do because to quote from our own rules and guidelines and contrary to this ex members view of us preaching blasphemy and running a kindergarten;

"We would just like to point out that we are not an authoritarian bunch, we are here to manage the forums for the benefit of ALL the members and not the FEW who wish to rock the boat."

Finally I would like to thank P&O Ferries (the crews of the Spirit of Britain, Pride of Canterbury, Pride of Kent, Pride of Calais, Pride of Burgundy and the European Seaway) and DFDS Seaways (the crews of the Dover Seaways, Delft Seaways, Dunkerque Seaways and the Norman Spirit) for there support in our endeavours.

Seasons Greetings to all of you, enjoy the break and the time with your families and we will see what 2012 brings us.

Ray Goodfellow
Dover, Kent.

Voyage Report: DFDS Seaways to Dunkerque 12/12/11

2011-12-13T21:43:00.001Z

On Monday 12th December myself and Paul Cloke embarked on a day trip to Dunkerque with DFDS Seaways on board the Dover Seaways and returning later on in the day on the chartered Norman Spirit.

10:00 Dover-Dunkerque “Dover Seaways”

We had been planning on sampling DFDS Seaways again following our successful trip on the Delft back in October. This decision was brought forward with the announcement of the introduction of an additional chartered vessel, the “Norman Spirit” from LD Lines.

The weather was perfect for a channel crossing with light winds and wall to wall sunshine, a perfect winters day. The forecast for our evening return on the Norman Spirit was forecast to be rough but the worst of the winds were due later in the night but as we were to find out the forecast isn’t always right.

Having arrived at the Eastern docks and checked in for the 10:00 Dover Seaways sailing we were advised that there was no shop available on our return crossing on the Norman Spirit so it was best to make any purchases on the outbound leg of our journey. We then proceeded to berth 2 and witnessed the vessel arrive and discharge a full load of freight.

As VIP customers we had priority loading and within minutes of the last vehicle rolling off the vessel we were boarding and driving up to her dedicated car deck on deck 5. The outbound tourist traffic appeared to be quiet light but she did have a fair amount of freight on board.

Upon entering the Dover Seaways passenger accommodation we proceeded to the VIP lounge on deck 7. After reporting to reception and collecting our swipe cards, which are required to enter the lounge, we settled down in the comfortable surroundings.

As usual, we both went out on deck to witness our departure from Dover. There was a lot of activity going on around berth 3 which is currently undergoing refurbishment.

The jack up barge Octopus had recently arrived and was being positioned to replace the berthing fenders/pads. The pier that runs between berths 2 and 3 will also be extended to accommodate the newer breed of ship such as the Spirit of Britain in due course.

Also present in port was the reefer vessel Star First which was busy unloading a load of bananas at the Dover Cargo Terminal (DCT) before the forecasted winds arrived.

The Dover Seaways let go fore and aft at 0955 and we headed out into the bay before proceeded out of the Eastern entrance.

After witnessing our departure we returned to the VIP lounge for a coffee and a warm up.

The lounge itself is furnished in neutral colours and is very comfortable with leather sofas, comfy chairs and small tables. Unlike P&O Ferries the lounge on board DFDS Seaways is completely self service with a coffee machine, orange juice and selected soft drinks laid out on the side. A continental breakfast was on offer but as we had been up quiet a while we decided on the full English. We were advised by the lounge stewardess that we could buy a cooked breakfast from the self service buffet forward on 6 deck and bring it back to the lounge, which we duly did.

The food was fresh and tasty, with good portions and at £7.45 each wasn’t to bad. Obviously it wasn’t as good as the breakfast enjoyed on the European Seaway a couple of weeks previously which had similar portions but was £4.50 but the cost was inline with P&O’s passenger prices. Drinks were not required as these were free in the VIP lounge.

There seemed to be a bit a slight swell running in the Channel but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Soon we were crossing the lanes and we sighted the out bound Norman Spirit so went up on deck to photograph her passing.

She appeared to be racing the 92,278 GRT Bulk carrier Cape Garland out of Dunkerque.

Having observing the outbound Norman Spirit we headed to the shop to purchase our essentials and then remained on deck the best part of the journey.

As we approached the Port of Dunkerque the Dunkerque Seaways was observed departing the port.

We arrived exactly 2 hours after departing and we were soon on the berth at the Quay de Ramsgate. There appeared to be a slight delay in getting the spans in and after about a 10 minute wait we were finally driving off in a sunny Dunkerque.

After leaving the Port it was good to see that the new access road was complete but it’s a shame that it wasn’t open and you still have to go around the houses to get to the A16.

As we were in Dunkerque we decided to head up to Dunkerque East to see the Seafrance Nord Pas Calais which is now on the berth previously occupied by the Seafrance Cezanne.

After a brief trip down the coast to Calais to top on the Christmas essentials of Chocolate, bread and cheese we were soon heading back to the Port of Dunkerque for our return crossing.

17:00 Dunkerque-Dover “Norman Spirit”

Upon arrival at the DFDS terminal it was evident that the Delft Seaways had only just arrived from Dover and disembarkation was underway. As we wished to sail on the Norman Spirit we parked up outside the port for a little while and watched her unload a full load of freight once more.

After about 15 mins we proceeded to check in and were advised that the next sailing would be the 17:00 sailing. After passing through Immigration we were soon waiting in the lanes for the Norman Spirit. The Delft Seaways was running about 30 mins late and we were offered this sailing but we kindly declined as the whole purpose of the journey was to travel on the Norman Spirit. Due to the delay the Norman Spirit waited outside the port.

Whilst waiting for the Delft Seaways to depart it was noticeable that the weather was rapidly closing in with dark clouds and a strengthening Southerly Wind.

The Delft Seaways eventually departed with a 30 min delay and as soon as she departed the Norman Spirit entered the port and berthed at the Quay de Ramsgate.

The Norman Spirit eventually berthed and unloaded what appeared to be a full load of freight. By the time unloading had been completed the wind was really blowing and the forecast heavy rain had arrived.

Of course the Norman Spirit is no stranger to the Dover Straits having operated as the Prins Filip to Ostend (Oostende Lines), Stena Royal to Zeebrugge (P&O Stena Line), P&OSL Aquitaine to Calais (P&O Stena Line), Pride of Aquitaine to Calais (P&O Ferries), Norman Spirit (LD Lines) to Boulogne and the Ostend Spirit to Boulogne (TEF/LD Lines).

About 20 mins after arrival we were driving onto the upper car deck of the vessel and ascending the stairs to deck 7. I counted about 40 cars in the waiting area and the freight lanes were full.

It’s worth noting that only deck 7 is open on the vessel which means there is a self service restaurant (Bistro du Norman), coffee shop (Blue Mountain Café Express) and a reclining seat lounge (Horizon Lounge). As a consequence there are no bar facilities or VIP facilities available on board. Additionally the shop is also unavailable.

The ship herself is in great condition and it was obvious that the crew take a lot of pride in the vessel. I personally haven’t been on board the Norman Spirit since she was the Pride of Aquitaine and some parts of the ship were clearly recognizable.

The biggest changes noticed were that the ex Horizon bar is now a reclining seat lounge and that the bar has been boxed off. Additionally the area which was previously the Channel Shop has been turned into cabins.

With boarding now complete we finally departed about 35 mins late. Our delay was not only caused by late running, there also seemed to be a shortage of `mooring gang’ as they were busy tying up the Dunkerque Seaways on the Quai d’Alsace and we had to wait for that to be completed before we could let go.

By this point it was lashing it down with rain so we decided to have some food in the Bistro du Norman. It was noted that DFDS menu’s were on display and all till receipts carried DFDS Seaways branding.

After clearing the breakwater of Dunkerque we headed down the coast towards Calais before crossing the lanes. Once we started to cross the lanes it was evident that a heavy sea was running and the vessel was slamming through the waves with spray splashing against the windows in the Horizon Lounge.

With Dover getting closer through the lounge windows we decided to head outside to see just how bad things had got. The wind was that strong that it was hard to stand up and spray and waves were carrying down the side of the vessel. By this point the winds were Gale 9 to Storm 10.

As we approached Dover the vessel suddenly slowed to a crawl and we went head to wind off the port. It was apparent that there would be a delay but no information was forthcoming. After about 25 mins an announcement was made that due to “an important movement within the harbour” there would be a delay, why it took 25 mins to make this announcement is beyond me. It would of been nice to have been kept informed at an early stage.

This “important movement” transpired to be the Star First departing the port with the assistance of 2 tugs. By this time we had drifted to the South of the Port and the Dunkerque Seaways and Pride of Kent had joined us off the port.

After another 20 mins waiting off the port we were finally underway again, passing the outbound Spirit of Britain which was completely enveloped in spray. We soon passed through the Eastern entrance where the tug DHB Dauntless was waiting in the bay ready to assist us in berthing.

The swell in the harbour at this point was about 2 meters and the wind was still strengthening. The tug was made fast on the bow and with the assistance of a crew member standing on the outside deck giving distances over the radio to the bridge we started to slowly move astern to berth 6.

At one point we were very close to the pier that runs up the side of berth 7 but we cleared that with a few meters to spare and were soon grinding against the pads on berth 6 thanks to the swell. The one thing that was evident upon arrival was the port was absolutely full of freight.

In total our return trip ended up being 3 Hours 20 mins but I think all things considered with the weather this wasn’t bad.

In many ways we were lucky with our timing getting home as 2 hours after arrival the port was closed to all traffic for 5 hours.

I would like this opportunity of thanking Paul Cloke for the driving, Steve Mackenzie for his help in arranging the trip and of course the crews of both the Dover Seaways and the Norman Spirit.

All the best

Ray

Norman Spirit in Dover 07/12/11

2011-12-07T22:09:00.001Z

Please find below a few photographs of a late running "Norman Spirit" arriving in Dover this afternoon (07/12/11).

Paul Cloke and myself will be doing a trip to Dunkerque with DFDS Seaways on Monday 12th December and we are booked to return on the Norman Spirit - early weather outlook, urmmm, bumpy :)

A full voyage report will be posted upon our return.

Voyage Report – European Seaway & Spirit of Britain

2011-11-29T19:17:00.001Z

Yesterday morning (28/11/11) we had the pleasure of joining P&O Ferries “European Seaway” for her 1130 departure to Calais.

As a freight vessel we wouldn’t usually have the opportunity of sailing on this vessel but thanks to the kind co-operation of P&O Ferries this was made possible.

The European Seaway was built in 1991 for use on P&O European Ferries Dover to Zeebrugge freight service. In 2002 she was transferred to operate as a dedicated freight vessel between Dover and Calais

In 2004 the vessel was withdrawn from service and spent the best part of the year laid up in Falmouth and Liverpool. Returned to Dover-Calais service in 2005 she went on for a further 6 years before being laid up again in September 2011.

Following the suspension of Seafrance services in November 2011 the Seaway was once again pressed into Dover-Calais service offering an additional 3 return crossings between Dover and Calais.

We arrived at the Port of Dover at 10:30am and after a security search of our vehicle we proceeded to check in for our 11:30 sailing to Calais. Once parked up in the lanes at berth 7 the Seaway was observed passing through the Eastern entrance.

The port itself was very quiet with very light traffic. The Seaway was soon alongside and discharging her cargo, which appeared to be a full load, including 3 abnormal loads. Once she had discharged we were directed to the upper car deck where we were parked right at the front for immediate disembarkation in Calais.

We were escorted up to her accommodation and the information desk where we were greeted by the food and beverage manager.

The ship itself consists of one main passenger deck with a free flow restaurant covering the full width of the bow, a small bar, a small shop and lounge areas showing Sky News on TV screens. The ship was immaculate throughout and looked well cared for by her crew.The deck below this consists of cabins which are not required on such a short crossing and the information desk/exchange bureau.

After watching our departure from Dover we decided to have a cooked breakfast in the restaurant and what a breakfast it was.

It consisted of 2 eggs, 2 bacon, sausage, hash browns, tomato, fried slice, beans, 2 slices of toast and a large mug of coffee all for £3.99

Having consumed breakfast we were invited to the bridge where we were warmly welcomed by Captain Phillpot and his officers and were allowed to observe our crossing to Calais.

We would like to thank Captain Phillpot, his officers and his crew for making us feel most welcome on the European Seaway.

Upon arrival in the Port of Calais we duly returned to our vehicle to head off to Calais pier for an hour of photography.

After an hour on Calais pier doing photography we then headed for the port and our return on the Spirit of Britain.

After checking in and going through security and yet another search of our vehicle by a very rude security official (manners do not cost anything Sir!!) the Spirit of Britain was just making fast at Calais berth 8.

It still amazes me watching the sheer amount of traffic that the `Spirit’ can consume, it just kept coming and coming. Immediately as the last vehicle had disembarked loading commenced and we were soon parked up for immediate disembarkation at Dover and heading for the club lounge and our complimentary drinks and nibbles.

The `Spirit’ had a full load yet still seemed spacious and free flowing and it’s good to see her doing the job she is designed to do, move people in comfort from A to B. Having travelled on the `Spirit’ a number of times this year, this is the first time the outdoor stern bar has been opened and it appeared to be doing a brisk trade.

Under the command of Captain Miller we departed Calais on time and proceeded to Dover. All outlets on board appeared to be doing a brisk trade and the current issues at Seafrance must be really helping P&O to boost there on board spend. The crossing past by quickly and we were soon passing through the Eastern entrance and coming astern to berth 9.

Now my one complaint of the entire crossing and not entirely P&O’s fault. Why do people have to queue at the stairs, especially the Blue stairs way before the announcement to “Re-join your Vehicles” is played? These people completely block the flow of passengers in these areas, especially those coming in from the outside decks.

All in all a great trip to France and very much enjoyed.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Michelle Ulyatt (P&O Ferries) for her help in arranging this trip, additionally I would like to thank the crews of both vessels for making our day very enjoyable.

All the photographs taken during this day are available on our Website and our Forum

A discussion thread relating to this voyage report has now been opened on our Forum (registration is required)

All the best

Ray & Paul

DFDS Seaways charter the Norman Spirit for Dover-Dunkerque

2011-11-29T00:12:00.000Z

DFDS Seaways has decided to add an extra passenger and freight ship to there service between Dunkerque and Dover.

Currently, the service is operated by the three passenger and freight ships, Dunkerque Seaways, Delft Seaways and Dover Seaways.

Due to the suspension of the SeaFrance cross-Channel service there has been increased traffic on the Dover-Dunkerque route causing unexpected pressure and in spite of the committed efforts of there staff at sea and ashore, the current capacity on the route has not been enough to avoid delays.

Peder Gellert Pedersen, Executive Vice President and Head of DFDS’ Shipping Division went on to say “It is not acceptable that our customers experience these waiting times, and for this reason we have decided to add an extra ship to the service. The solution is based on a chartered ship that will allow us to increase sailings from a departure every other hour to departures every 1½ hours. I am confident that this solution will re-establish the normal flow and service on the route so we can eliminate unnecessary waiting times and offer our customers the quality service which they are accustomed to”.

“The new ship on the route will be the NORMAN SPIRIT, which DFDS has chartered from LD Lines. The ship has capacity for 1850 passengers, 250 cars and 75 lorries and offers excellent passenger facilities, including restaurants, shops and comfortable resting areas. The NORMAN SPIRIT flies the French flag and will be a welcome addition to the Dover-Dunkerque crossing until a more normal Channel ferry service has been re-established.” says Peder Gellert Pedersen.

Of course the Norman Spirit is no stranger to Dover having operated here as the Prins Filip (Oostende Lines), P&OSL Aquitaine (P&O Stena Line), Pride of Aquitaine (P&O Ferries), Norman Spirit (LD Lines) and Ostend Spirit (TEF/LD Lines). DFDS are hoping to have her on the run on the 30/11/11.

Dover – Calais on the European Seaway

2011-11-28T00:06:00.001Z

At 11:30 today myself and Paul Cloke will be embarking on a trip to Calais on board P&O Ferries recently reintroduced freight vessel “European Seaway”.

After a few hours in Calais doing a bit of photography we will be returning on the “Spirit of Britain”.

The European Seaway is one of those vessels we wouldn’t usually get the opportunity of travelling on as she is “Freight Only” but thanks to the kind co-operation of our friends at Channel House they have made this a possibility for us today.

Photographs and a voyage report from our day will be posted to our Facebook page and forum later on today.

I would just like to take this opportunity of thanking Michelle at P&O Ferries for her assistance in arranging this trip for us, it’s greatly appreciated.

All the best

Ray and Paul

Website Updates 06/11/11

2011-11-06T16:59:00.001Z

Good Evening,

This is just a brief blog entry to let you know that a few page updates have been uploaded to the the site today.

Please click on the links below to go to the desired pages:

Seafrance Renoir – New on-board photographs from when she was laid up in Dunkerque.

Seafrance Cezanne – New on-board photographs from when she was laid up in Dunkerque.

My Photography 2011 – Photographs from our recent `5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 Day Voyage’ and a recent crossing on the Pride of Canterbury.

Voyage Report - `5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 Day’

All the best

Ray

5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 Day - The Report & Discussion

2011-10-31T19:00:00.001Z

On Thursday the 20th of October myself and Paul Cloke embarked on a day of ferry trips across the Dover Straits.

Why some may ask? The purpose of this trip was not only to enjoy a day at sea but to compare the four short sea operators and see how they are doing and what sort of service is on offer to the general public.

After some meticulous planning by Paul we found out that we could cover Seafrance, P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways and TransEuropa Ferries all in one day. The scheduling was quiet tight and if nothing went wrong we should be ok for a fun packed day. As we were later to discover, the best made plans can go wrong very quickly on such a tight timetable, more on that later.

Scoring

For the purpose of this review we decided to score each of the operators on specific points. Each operator was given a scoring out of 5 for each point which resulted in a total score out of 35.

Scoring example:

Food 0/5
Cleanliness 0/5
Crew 0/5
Customer Experience 0/5
Facilities 0/5
Vessel 0/5
Crossing Time 0/5

Total 0/35

Trip One

0630 “Seafrance Rodin” Dover-Calais

Our day started here in Dover at 05:15 and we then proceeded to the Port of Dover to check in for the 0630 Seafrance Rodin sailing to Calais. This would actually be my first crossing with Seafrance in a number of years.

After negotiating our way through the Port and the usual PAF and UKBA passport checks we proceeded to the check in.

Upon arrival we proceeded to a check in booth that was indicated as being open (displaying a green arrow instead of a red cross) only to find that the booth was unmanned. Not a good start.

After a bit of manoeuvring (which isn't easy due to the volume of traffic, including freight which share the check in desks at Dover) we finally found a desk that was open.

We had originally been booked on the 0800 Seafrance Berlioz sailing but due to industrial action on that vessel and the tight timetable we were on we decided to get the earlier sailing.

Upon presenting our paperwork to the clerk we were told that as we were earlier than our booked crossing we would be charged £10 to move to the earlier sailing. When it was pointed out to the clerk that we had contacted there customer service department a few days before to see if we could change our sailing due to the uncertainty of the Berlioz they informed us via email that this wouldn't be a problem.

The clerk then enquired why we wanted the earlier sailing and we explained about the industrial action earlier in the week and we were met with stern look followed by “What Industrial Action?” Well what can you say to that?

After a phone call to the duty manager the £10 charge was waived and we duly checked in. What I don't understand is why a note wasn't left on the booking system that we had contacted them, this would have not only saved time but also the rather uncomfortable questioning! Upon reaching berth 9 the Rodin was duly waiting with `ramps up'.

As “Rapide” customers we were placed at the front of the queue. A member of loading staff approached us and informed us that loading would commence at 0600.

After a quick trip to the service area and a Costa we were soon back at the car. At approximately 0600 the ramps were lowered and loading commenced. As rapide customers we were parked right at the front of the ship on the top car deck for immediate disembarkation at Calais.

It was worth noting that there were a number of cars on this sailing and also a number of coaches, most of which containing Chelsea fans returning to the continent following there 5-0 win over Racing Genk at Stamford Bridge.

Additionally the vessel was fully loaded with freight and was loading with freight right up until 0625. At approximately 0630 we slipped our moorings and departed Dover. It was worth noting that no announcements were heard from the outside decks, this included a safety announcement.

On board the Rodin a number of facilities were open, these included the self service restaurant, the shop and a bar. Even though the shop was open on this crossing it was evident that wasn't a lot of stock on the shelves, it looked more like Woolworths when they were closing down!

The Brasserie and the front of the ship remained firmly closed through out the crossing. It was also noted that none of the facilities were open upon boarding.

The Rodin appeared to be in relatively good condition on board but a number of the carpeted areas looked tired and I am afraid to say, dirty. I know it's not surprising for a ship that's been in service since 2001 but other operators tonnage of a similar age don't appear to have this issue.

Additionally I know this was an early morning crossing but there didn't appear to be many members of staff on hand. All the facilities that were open were manned but there didn't appear to be anybody else. As somebody who has worked in the customer service industry for 15 years I know the importance of having people on hand to answer any questions/queries, people are less inclined to approach somebody who is already working and they are certainly not going to queue just to ask a question.

Now the major complaint of my Seafrance experience. The toilets!! They were absolutely disgusting! They appeared dirty, they absolutely stunk of, well I will leave that to your imagination and the floors were covered in water (well at least I hope it was water!!). I have been in some very rough pubs in my time and they even had toilets in far better condition than those found on the Rodin!

Another oddity I found was the use of music being played over the PA system throughout the crossing. Normally not to bad but who wants to listen to a CD that clearly dated from when she was built. I am sorry but I can't cope with the `Spice Girls' or the `All Saints' any time of the day, let alone at 7 in the morning!!

The crossing passed really quickly and after watching a beautiful sunrise over the Dover Straits from the outside decks we duly arrived in the Port of Calais exactly on time.

Disembarkation was quick and we were soon clear of the Port and heading into the town.

Scoring

Food 3/5
Cleanliness 3/5
Crew 2/5
Customer Experience 4/5
Facilities 3/5
Vessel 4/5
Crossing Time 5/5

Total 24/35

Conclusion

From the casual observer I would say that the product offer from Seafrance is quiet good. The service on board appeared efficient and adequate plus on price they are very competitive but (and I am afraid there is a but) they need to improve there house keeping, especially in the toilets. Additionally I didn't feel as welcome as I would have done on another operators vessel.

We are all well aware of Seafrance's current situation and I hope that a satisfactory conclusion can be found for the company, not only for the staff who's lives are being effected but for the general travelling public as competition is good for us too!

Trip Two

1135 “Pride of Calais” Calais-Dover

Having been challenged by one of our forum colleagues to find an English Breakfast in Calais we duly headed for the Cite D'Europe where we did indeed find an English breakfast, well with a French twist but it was good and well deserved after the early start.

After completing breakfast we headed back to the Port of Calais to check in for our 1135 sailing back to Dover.

Unfortunately due to a navigation error by my chauffeur (I think it may have been the early start and me rabbiting on about Seafrance lol) we took a wrong turn and ended up in the freight lanes. After a minor panic we managed to find a way back out of the port.

Having found the right road this time we duly checked in with P&O Ferries. Check in was very quick and efficient and the clerk was friendly. After the usual UKBA passport checks we were soon in the lanes for berth 5.

The Pride of Calais had just arrived from Dover and the off load indicated that she was heavily laden with freight and tourist traffic. After short wait we were soon boarding the upper car deck and once again we were parked for immediate disembarkation at Dover (and we didn't even have to pay this time)

Upon boarding the Pride of Calais the first thing to note were staff at the top of the stairways to help guide people.

On board the ship really looked in great shape, her companionways glistened and all the facilities were open and manned. The shop was fully stocked (in stark contrast to the Seafrance Rodin) and the toilets (dating from 1988) were clean and smelt fresh.

After a brief tour of the facilities it was evident that the vessel is in a lot better condition than the Pride of Dover was at the end of her service. She clearly doesn't look like a vessel that is just about to be withdrawn from service. Some of the outside deck areas were cordoned off due to painting which is good to see.

After the customary Captains welcome and safety announcements we were soon under way from the berth, bang on time.

After backing out of the port of Calais we observed the inbound Spirit of Britain which had a healthy load of freight on the upper car deck. Our crossing appeared to be quiet lightly loaded.

After settling down in the forward bar and watching the White Cliffs getting bigger through the windows word reached us from a forum member (thanks Bram) that we may be heading towards a problem with our rather tight timetable.

It was apparent that TransEuropa Ferries were running significantly late (about 3.5 hours) which ordinarily wouldn't have been an issue as it was our last crossing of the day but it would have severely effected our arrival time back in the UK, we were looking at 0300 the following day and for both of us that was too long for both of us.

After a very pleasant crossing on the Pride of Calais we duly arrived back in Dover and berthed on berth 6. We were soon disembarking and going through the usual Customs checks.

Scoring

Food 3/5
Cleanliness 5/5
Crew 5/5
Customer Experience 4/5
Facilities 5/5
Vessel 4/5
Crossing Time 5/5

Total 31/35

Conclusion

A very enjoyable crossing which passed by quickly. All staff seemed friendly and approachable and the quality of service was excellent. Even though not the newest ship in the fleet (far from it) it was a pleasure to travel on the Pride of Calais once more. I hope that when she is replaced that the same quality of service and friendly crew will be carried over to the Spirit of France. All in all exactly the sort of service I would expect from P&O Ferries.

Trip Three

Delayed 13:30 “Larkspur” Ramsgate-Ostend

Having been advised of TEF's late running we decided to give them a phone and see what was happening in regards to our trip. We were advised that they were running 2.5 hours late and this would impact our later crossing from Ostend.

After a bit of juggling around we decided to catch the late running lunch time sailing from Ramsgate. This should give us enough time to get from Ostend to Dunkerque for trip four at 2200.

TEF transferred our sailing free of charge but DFDS charged us £27 for the privilege!

After a 25 min drive to Ramsgate we observed the arrival of the Larkspur. She was clearly visible from quiet some distance due to the amount of smoke coming from her twin funnels.

Having watched her arrival it was time to head to the port of Ramsgate and the only easy way of describing the port itself is dead.

It almost looks like a scene from the film 28 days later, everything abandoned, weeds growing up through the tarmac etc. etc. LD Lines signage was also still evident on the terminal building itself even though the alliance has finished.

The terminal itself hasn't really changed from the Sally Line era and looks exactly the same as I remember it. The check in staff were very friendly and it turned out that the person who checked us in was actually the person we had spoken to on the phone earlier that day. There were only 5 cars on our sailing, mainly from Germany.

We were advised that the ship would be departing at 1500 instead of 1330 but as they had informed us this on the phone it wasn't really a problem.

We were advised that loading would start at about 1400 and at 1345 the gates to the port were duly opened. After driving into a shed we were told that the vehicle would be searched for prohibited items. The amusing thing was the way in which this news was delivered. “We are going to search your vehicle, if that's ok with you?” What had happened if we had said No? Once the search was completed we had to sign for the search, very odd.

The search wasn't an issue as we didn't have any prohibited items (not unless you include the 2 bars of chocolate and assorted sweets we had purchased on the Pride of Calais earlier lol) but they went on to search all 5 passenger vehicles, some of them being heavily loaded.

This search regime seemed a little heavy handed for the amount of traffic on offer and would have certainly inconvenienced the fully laden vehicles behind us. I am not sure if this is down to AMSA (Aviation and Maritime Security Act) specifying that so many vehicles have to be searched per crossing or if it's down to Thanet District Council (Port of Ramsgate's owners) or TEF themselves but it does seem rather unnecessary.

Boarding of the Larkspur commenced at 1430 and we were loaded on the main deck, the upper car deck not required on this crossing. It was apparent that the ship was very lightly loaded with only 5 cars and 10 lorries.

I can see why TEF advise passengers about the stairs on there vessels, ascending from the main deck to the passenger accommodation was like climbing to the peak of Everest! Upon reaching the passenger accommodation we immediately headed outside to watch our departure.

It was a beautiful afternoon with very clear skies and the Dover ferries could clearly be seen in the distance plying there trade. The engines rumbled to life and we were soon under way heading out of the buoyed channel.

She maybe an old vessel but the Larkspur appeared to be in excellent condition both internally and externally. I last travelled on her from Ramsgate to Dunkerque as the Sally Sky and some parts of the ship were easily identifiable. The rest of the ship has been given the TEF treatment of dark wood and ornate fittings but she looks great on-board.It was worth noting that on our crossing an MCA surveyor was on board conducting a routine survey.

As this was going to be a long voyage (by Dover-Calais standards at least) I decided to get my head down for a few hours.

We settled in the stern bar (as did all the other tourist passengers) where there are some really comfortable leather sofas surrounding a bar/serving area to Starboard and a large TV screen to Port.

As the journey began Garfield was being screened on the TV and I drifted to sleep for well over an hour. Upon waking up I decided I needed some caffeine and had a strong one to help wake me up.

As the journey progressed it was time to eat. As the main restaurant had closed about an hour after departing Ramsgate we decided to have a look at the bar menu. They were offering toasted sandwiches, omelettes, pizza's, sandwiches, French fries etc.

We both opted for the toasted sandwich with French fries and the thing I found interesting is that you order your food at the bar and the really nice lady phones your order through to the kitchen, she goes to the kitchen to collect it and then delivers it to you. The food was piping hot, the servings were huge and payment is not sought until after you have eaten, which I think is a nice touch.

Another nice touch on-board is the bar has an extensive DVD collection, anybody can go to the bar and ask to look at the collection and then the stewardess goes and puts it on the big screen TV so everybody can watch the film.

All in all the Larkspur has a very homely feel to her and the customer service on-board is absolutely exemplary, you really feel like your important to them.

During the closing hour of the voyage we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen at sea for a number of years. It was one of those moments that makes you feel rather humble, like your a very small cog in the whole scheme of life.

Soon enough the lights of Ostend were coming into view and we were alongside at 2015 local time. Disembarkation was quick and we were soon heading through down town Ostend for the E40/A16 to Dunkerque and trip number four. It was noted that there were just over 30 pieces of freight waiting to depart on the Larkspurs next outbound crossing.

Scoring

Food 5/5
Cleanliness 5/5
Crew 5/5
Customer Experience 5/5
Facilities 2/5
Vessel 3/5
Time Keeping 1/5

Total 26/35

Conclusion

I can't for the life of me understand how this company makes any profit but it is clear what they do, they do exceptionally well. The level of customer service is second to none, its like having your own personal stewardess.

Vessel outfitting can only be described as unique, no brands, home made feel to everything but incredibly welcoming and friendly.

I would definitely travel with them again in the future for there quirkiness and truly unique style of product. I arrived in Ostend feeling absolutely relaxed and happy with my first TEF experience.

Trip Four

2200 “Delft Seaways” Dunkerque-Dover

Having only arrived in Ostend at 2015 local time we really had to get a move on to make our 2200 from Dunkerque back to Dover.

The route from Ostend to Dunkerque is quiet quick as it's all motorway and we were soon on the outskirts to Dunkerque.

From here it was the rather tiresome long winded approach to Loon-Plage and the DFDS ferry terminal. It amazes that even though there are signs saying that the port access road is opening soon that you still have to go around the houses to get to the port.

We managed to make it to check in with some time to spare, After a painless check in we were soon passing through the UKBA checkpoint where we had an interesting conversation with one of the officers. It was the usual “How long have you been in France” routine and when we explained we had only been in France for about 40 mins he seemed puzzled. We had explained how we had just arrived in Ostend and the officer asked what vessel we had been on. Having said Larkspur there was a sharp intake of breath followed by “Don't you mean Larkslow?” he then went on to tell us the history of the Gardenia and how she used to be the European Endeavour of P&O, nice to meet somebody with an interest. Thinking about it I should have given him a business card pointing him towards the website but unfortunately time was passing by and we needed to get on the Delft Seaways.

Upon entering the waiting lanes in Dunkerque it was evident that this was going to be quiet a busy crossing with about 80 cars, 5 motor homes and a full house of freight.

Upon boarding we were directed to the upper freight deck rather than the dedicated car only deck above. We were soon entering the passenger accommodation via the stern stairwell and all the facilities were open ready for customers. As per my last crossing with DFDS all the staff that were approached during the crossing were approachable and helpful.

The facilities looked in good order and the ship was clean throughout. It was clearly evident that there had been recent painting on the outside decks. As we observed our departure from Dunkerque the news was just starting to break about Seafrance going on strike. I would have liked to have published that news but here lays a small problem for me.

When I travelled on the Dover Seaways back during the Summer there was free WIFI available on-board, however the Delft Seaways didn't have free WIFI so I couldn't post anything from the ship, not a major problem but would have been good if it was available.

The 2 hour journey flew past really quickly and we were soon berthing in Dover, again bang on time with no delays.

Scoring

Food 3/5
Cleanliness 5/5
Crew 5/5
Customer Experience 4/5
Facilities 4/5
Vessel 4/5
Crossing Time 5/5

Total 30/35

Conclusion

Both the ship and crew were in fine order with no complaints from me what so ever. I know there has been comment about the increase in crossing times on this route but the journey time passed by fairly quickly.

Acknowledgments & Discussion

I would just like to take this opportunity of thanking Paul Cloke for making all the arrangements for the day. I would also like to thank the crews of all the vessels sampled on this day.

Due to the length of this voyage report I have decided not to post it to our forum, instead it is here on our Blog and it will also be posted to our website.

If you would like to leave a comment or discuss this voyage report a thread has been opened on our forum and it can be found at http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2168 (you will need to be registered to leave a comment)

Best Wishes

Paul & Ray

5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 day – is a go!

2011-10-20T11:43:00.001+01:00

I am currently sitting in the bar of the Pride of Calais watching the White Cliffs of Dover getting slowly bigger through the windows.

Our long day of ferry trips from Dover, Calais, Dunkerque and Ostend started this morning with the 0630 “Seafrance Rodin” crossing to Calais. After a pleasant crossing including a glorious sunrise over the Dover Straits, we disembarked at Calais and headed into the town for some well deserved breakfast.

After breakfast we returned to Calais Ferry port to embark on the 11:35 P&O Ferries “Pride of Calais” service back to Dover.

Upon on our return it’s a quick turnaround for the 1400 DFDS sailing to Dunkerque.

I shall try and keep this blog updated during the course of the day as things go along.

*******UPDATE*******

Owing to delays with TEF which will badly effect our arrival time back in the UK we have changed our travel plans. We are now hot footing it to Ramsgate to catch the delayed lunchtime sailing of the “Larkspur” to Ostend.

We shall be returning to Dover via Dunkerque with DFDS at 2200 (CET) on the “Delft Seaways”

Ray & Paul

My Photography 2011 – Updated 19/10/11

2011-10-19T01:12:00.001+01:00

The `My Photography 2011’ page has been updated with photography from August, September and October.

Further updates will be posted later on this week following our `5 ports, 4 ferries, 3 routes in 1 day’ excursion on the 20th October

My Photography 2011

5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 day – Update

2011-10-18T22:35:00.001+01:00

A month ago I announced that myself and Paul Cloke were going to embark on a day of sailings from Dover (and to Ramsgate) to experience all four short sea operators in one day.

Since we announced the details of our trip there have been a few changes to the published itinerary.

0630 – Dover to Calais – Seafrance Rodin
1135 – Calais to Dover – Pride of Calais
1400 – Dover to Dunkerque – Dunkerque Seaways
2030 – Ostend to Ramsgate – Larkspur

During the course of the day I will be compiling a voyage report and have no fear I am sure there will be plenty of photographs as the forecast is looking good. It’s going to be cooler but bright and sunny with light winds (hopefully).

I would just like to take this opportunity of thanking Paul for suggesting the idea, making all the arrangements and obviously for being my chauffeur for the day lol.

Best Wishes

Ray

Website Fixed

2011-10-13T01:55:00.001+01:00

The website has now been fully restored following a significant technical glitch.

During maintenance on the PC on which this site is produced it was discovered that I was unable to connect to the website to post updates. Following investigations it was discovered that one of the files that keeps the site in sync had become corrupted.

Initial trials of re-syncing the site failed which left me with only one option and that was to erase the website from the internet and to re-upload it in it’s entirety. I am happy to report that this now been completed and the site appears to be operating normally.

As I am now on holiday from work a few updates will be posted over the next couple of weeks to bring the local fleet past and present pages up to date.

I kindly ask that if you discover any issues with the website over the next couple of days could you report them to me at webmaster@doverferryphoto.co.uk so I can investigate and rectify them.

Best Wishes

Ray

Website Maintenance 12/10/11

2011-10-08T19:30:00.001+01:00

Owing to a technical issue which is preventing updates being published to the main website at www.doverferryphotos.co.uk it will be necessary for me to take the site offline for a number of hours on Wednesday night (12/10/11).

I am planning on taking the site down at 22:00 and I hope to reopen it again by 02:00 on the 13/10/11. During the outage the forum will remain open but some of the graphical elements which are shared with the website may not display correctly.

If I encounter any issues during this downtime I will update the forum thread, Facebook and this Blog accordingly.

All the best

Ray

5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 day – Planning Finalised

2011-09-17T16:19:00.001+01:00

The planning for our 5 Ports, 4 Ferries, 3 Routes in 1 day excursion on the 20th October has now been finalised. Paul Cloke and myself will be undertaking the following sailings:

0800 - Dover to Calais with Seafrance - Seafrance Berlioz
1135 - Calais to Dover with P&O - Pride of Canterbury
1400 - Dover to Dunkerque with DFDS - One of them lol
2030 - Ostend to Ramsgate with TEF (arriving at 2330) – Larkspur

It should be an interesting day, not just for us but also the UK Border Agency, I am sure there will be lots of questions asked as to why we are travelling.

All the best

Ray

Autumn is here……….

2011-09-12T23:01:00.001+01:00

As another season sneaks up on us, well in this case comes howling through the front door with a force 9 gale, it’s time to share a brief blog update and a link to a few photographs of this Seasonal (some may unseasonal) weather with you.

As I am rather short of time for updating the website at present I will post a link to the photographs that our available on our Forum and Facebook at the end of this blog entry.

With regards to website updates it’s my intention to post an update when I am on leave from work in mid October. I have a number of photographic updates to post plus a few page updates as well. Additionally October should hopefully see the arrival of the Spirit of France which we will hopefully be covering.

On the 20th of October myself and Paul Cloke will be embarking on a day of sailings with the short sea operators. It’s our intention to sail on all four operators in one day. We shall be departing Dover for Calais with Seafrance at about 07:00 before returning with P&O Ferries. Upon arrival back at Dover it’s straight to DFDS for a sailing to Dunkerque. Upon arrival in France it’s a drive up the coast to Ostend for a return crossing with TEF to Ramsgate. It should certainly be an interesting day.

Finally as promised here is the links to the photographs.

Facebook Link to today’s photographs is here

Forum Link to today’s photographs (registration required) is here

Best Wishes

Ray

Planned Maintenance Sunday 28th August 2011

2011-08-22T22:50:00.001+01:00

I have been informed by our web hosting company that our hosting server could be off line on Sunday morning between 5am and 10am. This outage will effect both the website and the forum.

Quote: “Customers with Shared Hosting packages are advised of planned maintenance works on our servers on the morning of Sunday 28th August between the hours of 5am to 10am. This work is being carried out to update our servers and their performance to our customers. During this time some customers may experience a slight delay in the sending and delivery of their emails . Customers with our Site builder product will also notice a slight outage to the visibility of their sites and the ability to publish any changes made at stages during this time. No emails or information on customers websites will be lost during this planned maintenance. We wish to thank customers for their understanding whilst this essential work is carried out.”

All the best
Ray

Recent Website Updates

2011-07-31T00:37:00.001+01:00

I am just coming to the end of a two week break from work and during that time I have managed to get quiet a bit of work completed on the website and also squeezed in a couple of trips to the continent with DFDS Seaways to Dunkerque and with P&O Ferries to Calais.

All my photographs from both journeys are now available on the website.

Please click here to go to the `My Photography 2011’ section of the website.

Additionally there have also be a few page updates posted in the last couple of days:

Seafrance Renoir Past and Present – New photographs.

Seafrance Cezanne Past and Present – New photographs.

Pride of Dover Past and Present – New photographs from Paul Smith.

Best Wishes

Ray

Forum Team – Away Day – 26th July 2011

2011-07-25T16:15:00.001+01:00

The forum team will be setting sail to Dunkerque with DFDS Seaways on board the “Dover Seaways” for a day out in France tomorrow (26th July 2011).

We are hoping to get a few photographs of the Seafrance Cezanne and Seafrance Renoir in Dunkerque. As they have both recently been sold to an undisclosed buyer, there time in European waters is surely numbered.

As a consequence of our outing we will be unable to authorise any new accounts on the forum during the day, these will be authorised upon our return.

Best Wishes

Ray and the Forum Team.

Southampton and Portsmouth – Photographs

2011-07-12T21:39:00.001+01:00

My photographs from my recent trip to Southampton and Portsmouth have now been uploaded to the website.

My Photography 2011

A Big Thank You :)

2011-07-03T23:35:00.001+01:00

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to all our forum members that have been posting over the last week since the forum re-opened.

It's great to see the forums active once again following our recent troubles. There was a time there that I thought the forums may die but thankfully I have been proven wrong on that one.

I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking all those members who have `liked' our Facebook fan page and have also added us as a friend on Facebook.

The launch onto Facebook was never intended to replace the forum but it has opened up new avenues of communication and spread the word further in the maritime community.

As some of you may be aware from my last blog posting, I shall be away from the website, forum and Facebook from the 8th until the 10th July as I am off to Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. I may also be popping down to Poole as well, that's if it can be fitted into an already tight timetable.

I shall be taking the Netbook with me, so whilst I am away I shall hopefully be posting a few photographic updates on here, on Facebook and on our forum.

Once again thank you for your continued support of our sites, it's greatly appreciated by all of us.

All the best

Ray

Ticket to Ryde

2011-06-25T01:56:00.001+01:00

This is just some advance notice to inform you that I shall be away from the website, forum and Facebook between the 8th and 10th July 2011.

I am having a few days away from White Cliffs Country where I shall be reacquainting myself with the Solent and the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton.

On Friday the 8th of July I shall be doing a bit of cruise ship spotting in Southampton, according to the provisional movements I should see the Queen Victoria & Balmoral. I might take a quick hop across Southampton Water on the Hythe Ferry before returning to Southampton.

Following an overnight stay in Southampton and probably a beer or two, it’s up early to see the Independence of the Seas, Oceana and the Crown Princess on their berths before heading across to Portsmouth.

From here I shall be taking the Wight Ryder from Portsmouth Harbour station across the Solent to Ryde on the Isle of Wight (hence the rather cliché title of this post, apologies for that lol).

After a couple of hours on the Isle of Wight it’s back to Portsmouth where I shall be taking in the Spinnaker Tower at 15:00 to hopefully observe the afternoon ferry movements from the Continental Ferry Port. After the tower it’s off into Gunwharf Quays for a bit of shopping and then home.

As for the 10th of July 2011, well that’s my Mum’s 60th Birthday so I shall be rather busy that day as the family is hatching a cunning plan, I have been told that this plan is so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a fox lol! (sorry, I really have to stop watching Blackadder).

As I am now fully mobile with a netbook and 3 wireless broadband I hope to post a few live updates of my activities via our Facebook Page, Forum and this Blog during my time away.

Best Wishes

Ray

Forum – Fully Operational

2011-06-24T18:42:00.001+01:00

The forum reopened last night following it’s recent downtime and so far everything appears to be operating normally.

I would just like to thank all those members who have contacted me over the last 24 hours with there kind comments about the forums return. It’s comments such as those received which make everything we do worthwhile.

Funnily enough It has been noted that I haven’t received any more `rants’ from people complaining that the forum has reopened so we must be something right

Best Wishes

Ray on behalf of the forum team.

Forum to Reopen at 21:00 local time (23/06/11)

2011-06-23T20:50:00.001+01:00

Good evening, Following successful testing of the forum over the last couple of days we would like to announce that the forum will reopen tonight at 21:00 local time, 3 days ahead of schedule.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Paul once again for his hard work in bringing the forum back online and once again we would like to apologise for all the issues that have been effecting members recently. Hopefully things can now get back to normal.

We kindly ask that if you do have any problems whilst on the forum could you please report them on the following thread http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1854

Best Wishes and Happy Surfing

Ray Goodfellow, Paul Bilbrough, DoverT, Paul Cloke, Marconista and Aqui_fan

Forum Update 21/06/11

2011-06-21T22:14:00.001+01:00

I have been in contact with Paul, our forums technical man, this evening and he has advised that the forum repairs are running to schedule and the testing phase has now started.

Paul has put in over 20 hours of work since the closure of the site and has now successfully re-installed the forums software to the latest version.

We are now in the process of optimising the forums database and carrying out final tests before we re-open the forums to the general public.

We are happy to report that not a single posting has been lost during the repair process, unlike when our previous host crashed taking the entire forum and all posts with it.

As stated in the previous blog entry we are planning to re-open the forum on Monday 27th June 2011. Please check back here or on our Facebook site for further details towards the end of the week.

I hope you will join me in thanking Paul for his hard work and dedication in getting things fixed and I hope our recent problems are behind us.

Best Wishes

Ray

Important Information – Forum Closure

2011-06-15T19:25:00.001+01:00

As followers of this Blog and our website you will be well aware that we have been facing a number of technical difficulties with our forum of late which has resulted in a fair few people being unable to log in.

We have tried a number of fixes that have only been partially effective and as a consequence it has been decided to close the forums down temporarily to effect a more permanent repair.

In effect we will be deleting the forum from the internet and doing a clean install of the software on our hosting server. Please don’t be worried though, as all posts and membership details are stored in our database which will be re-uploaded once the forum software has been re-installed and tested.

At present we are expecting the forum to be closed until the 27th June 2011. Now this may sound like a long period of time but this will give us the the chance to test and rebuild the forum (not forgetting that we do all work full time outside of the forum and website) from our database.

Further updates on this situation will be posted to this Blog, our Twitter Feed and our Facebook Page.

Regards

Ray Goodfellow, DoverT, Paul Cloke, Marconista, Aqui_fan & Paul B

The Forum Team

Forum and Facebook Update

2011-06-15T00:40:00.001+01:00

Good Morning. I would just like to give you an update on the current forum situation and an update on our Facebook page which went live last night.

Forum Update

Over the last 48 hours I have received numerous messages from members stating that they cant log in to the forum but for all the negative messages I have received an equal number of messages stating that people now have access.

From a technical stand point we have tried things that have helped some people but not others and I want to assure you that we are well aware of these issues and we continue to try our hardest to get things fixed and back to normal. I can assure you the loss is just as annoying to us as it is to you.

On this note could I kindly ask that if you are going to contact me about the forum can you please not rant and rave at me please? I am well aware of the problems and shouting (typing in capitals and using lots of explanation marks) and using foul and abusive language is not going to get you anywhere I am afraid.

Please check back here or on our Facebook page for further updates.

Facebook Update

In an effort to try and keep our online community alive during the forum outage I have set up a Facebook `Fan’ page to enable people to still interact with each other, post news, photographs etc.

I have kicked off the page by uploading a series of photographic albums entitled “The life and Times of the Port of Dover”. All the photographs were taken by me between 2009 and 2011 and a lot of them have never been published before.

To add us as friend on Facebook please click here. To visit our Fan page please click here and please remember to hit the `Like Button’ to share the word across Facebook.

In rounding up I would like to apologise for the on-going forum issues and to thank you for all your messages (apart from the insulting ones).

All the best

Ray

Forum, Website and Facebook Update

2011-06-13T14:37:00.001+01:00

Forum Update - Over the course of the weekend we had continued issues with people being unable to log in to the forum.

This issue is currently not affecting all users but I do know that it is effecting a fair number of users by the amount of communication received, which I am grateful for, please keep your reports coming in.

Over the weekend the forum’s settings were checked by the support team at phpBB (they supply our forum software) and they were

unable to find any issues with our cookie settings but did suggest that we clear our servers cache, which Paul B has now completed. From a bit of search engine research it is evident that we may not be the first phpBB3 forum to suffer from this issue.

We will continue to monitor this situation but as things currently stand we have hit a bit of a brick wall where some members can get in and some can’t. Paul has put many hours into trying to get this issue fixed and I thank him for his time and patience, for what is at the end of the day a hobby. We are not Microsoft, we don’t have thousands of employees sitting there answering support queries, we have one technical support man and that’s Paul.

Website Update – Work on the website continues apace with another 15 Past and Present pages going over to the new page design. There are still a vast number of pages to complete but I am getting there. A website colleague has likened it to painting the Forth rail bridge in Scotland. By the time you get to the end it’s time to go back to the beginning and start again.

I made an investment yesterday in a netbook and wireless broadband which will enable the website and me to be more mobile instead of being tethered to my desk, it should hopefully mean that updates can be posted quicker rather than having to wait to get home.

Facebook Update – I would like to thank everybody who has added us a friend on Facebook, in just over 2 days we have nearly 50 friends already. I have started work on a fan page which I hope to have completed by the end of this week which will feature a wall for posting news, photographs and all of the other paraphernalia that is associated with Facebook.

Once again I apologise for the problems we have been having over the last few weeks but I hope that the measures I am putting in place will help maintain our community.

Best Wishes

Ray

We are now on Facebook!

2011-06-11T15:00:00.001+01:00

With the on going problems surrounding our forum I have introduced a contingency in the form of a Facebook Account.

As things stand the Facebook account will operate as a standard account, i.e. you can become friends with us, we will have a wall, you can `like’ and comment on posts, you can tag us in photographs, we can list events etc.

A community page maybe added in the not to distant future but it’s not currently my intention to go for a Facebook Group as we already have our own online community on our forum.

I have thought long and hard about using Facebook for website marketing purposes but it seems like the natural course of action to take as social networking, as much as we hate to admit it, is a big part of our daily lives nowadays.

I have to admit that I was initially worried that I would be taking on to much work by having the Web Site, Forum, Facebook, Twitter and Blogger but with the technical improvements which are rolling out across the site it shouldn’t be as bad as first feared.

When updates are posted to this Blog they are automatically forwarded on to our Facebook Page. Additionally when a Tweet is posted from our account this is also automatically forwarded to our Facebook account, so technically I am only still managing two websites.

One of the problems we have faced with the recent forum problems is getting the right information out to our visitors in a timely fashion and Facebook enables us to further extend our reach in communicating with you.

Once again I apologise for the recent issues but I would like you to know that we are trying are hardest to get things fully operational once more.

If you have any queries in regards to our Facebook page please contact me via fb@doverferryphotos.co.uk or webmaster@doverferryphotos.co.uk

Best Wishes

Ray

Dover Ferry Photos Forums – Forum Log In Issues

2011-06-10T14:30:00.001+01:00

There has been an issue regarding 'registered' users having difficulties logging into the forums and using the forums `auto login’ feature.

From investigation's undertaken it would appear that this is an issue with the sites cookie* and how they are handled by various computer systems.

*A cookie, also known as a HTTP cookie, web cookie, or browser cookie, is used for an origin website to send state information to a user's browser and for the browser to return the state information to the origin site. The state information can be used for authentication, identification of a user session, user's preferences, shopping cart contents, or anything else that can be accomplished through storing text data.

Last night at 21:00 (09/06/11) the forums cookie settings were changed to try and alleviate this problem but this in turn has caused a knock on effect of not allowing some registered members to log in.

In this instance and confirmed from users experience we recommend that you clear both you browsers temporary files (cache) and also cookies. Thus allowing our new cookie settings to take effect.

For this purpose I can highly recommend CCleaner from Piriform* for carrying out this task for you.

CCleaner is a system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history and cookies.

*This is not a product endorsement by the Dover Ferry Photos group, it is a personal recommendation by myself as I have used this software for a number of years to great effect. Please note that you use this software at your own risk.

Once again we apologise for any inconvenience caused by these technical issues and we kindly ask that you report back any issues by either leaving a comment on this blog, a message via our forums private message (PM) facility (if you can get in) or by sending us an email at webmaster@doverferryphotos.co.uk or username@doverferryphotosforums.co.uk (replace username with the username of 'paul').

Norman Trader

2011-06-05T18:43:00.001+01:00

The Norman Trader Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Norman Trader Past and Present

Norman Bridge

2011-06-05T18:35:00.001+01:00

The Norman Bridge Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Norman Bridge Past and Present

European Seaway

2011-06-05T18:30:00.001+01:00

The European Seaway Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

European Seaway Past and Present

Seafrance Nord Pas de Calais

2011-06-05T18:22:00.001+01:00

The Seafrance Nord Pas de Calais Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Seafrance Nord Pas de Calais Past and Present

European Endeavour

2011-06-03T21:48:00.001+01:00

The European Endeavour Past and Present file has been updated with new information. I am currently in the process of trying to find a few photographs of her on the Irish Sea. If anybody could help could you please contact me via webmaster@doverferryphotos.co.uk

European Endeavour Past and Present

Error Codes 500, 501 & 503

2011-06-02T16:00:00.003+01:00

UPDATE: Things seem to have resolved themselves once again. Please see the comment to this post.

I would like to apologise as it appears that the website is suffering from a number of technical and performance issues again today. Presently the site is displaying Error codes 500, 501 & 503 that all appear to be issues with the server yet again.

Performance wise there were a few issues last night due to issues with the Facebook `Like’ button. All these technical issues are currently under investigation and I hope to report back soon.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Motorcruisers Collide In The Dover Strait

2011-06-01T23:52:00.002+01:00

Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office: MOTORCRUISERS COLLIDE IN DOVER STRAIT

"Dover Coastguard requested the Dover and Walmer RNLI lifeboats to launch and the rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham to divert from a train..."

Dover RNLI Launched to powerboat collision

This evening (02/06/11) the RNLI have released some video footage of this incident via there YouTube channel. The footage was captured from the Dover Lifeboat, City of London II.

Seafrance Moliere

2011-05-31T21:19:00.001+01:00

The Seafrance Moliere Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Seafrance Moliere Past and Present

Seafrance Rodin

2011-05-31T21:05:00.001+01:00

The Seafrance Rodin Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Seafrance Rodin Past and Present

Seafrance Berlioz

2011-05-31T20:54:00.001+01:00

The Seafrance Berlioz Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs from Paul Smith and Schichau.

Seafrance Berlioz Past and Present

Pride of Dover

2011-05-31T15:19:00.001+01:00

The Pride of Dover Past and Present has been updated with a new tribute video courtesy of the HDferryChannel (Michaël Moons).

"A tribute to the Pride of Dover, one of the most successful cross channel ferries that served on the Dover Strait. This video is dedicated to the ship and the crew. The movie features some unique footage of bridge operations. Some scenes feature the Pride of Dover's sister ship the Pride of Calais."

Page Updates 31/05/11

2011-05-31T01:14:00.001+01:00

The Pride of Calais Past and Present file has been updated with new information and new on board photographs courtesy of Paul Bilbrough.

Pride of Calais Past and Present

The Pride of Burgundy Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs courtesy of Aqui-Fan.

Pride of Burgundy Past and Present

The Pride of Canterbury Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs.

Pride of Canterbury Past and Present

The Pride of Kent Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Pride of Kent Past and Present

The Delft Seaways Past and Present file has been updated with new information.

Delft Seaways Past and Present

The Dunkerque Seaways Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs.

Dunkerque Seaways Past and Present

The Dover Seaways Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs.

Dover Seaways Past and Present

Resolved - 500 Internal Server Error

2011-05-30T18:48:00.001+01:00

UPDATE: Normal website services have now been restored.

The website currently appears to be suffering a few technical issues displaying a `500 Internal Server Error’.

At the moment it looks as if this is a problem with the server rather than the website itself (that means I haven’t broken it, which makes a change lol)

I will see what happens over the next couple of hours, if there is no change I will raise a support ticket with our website host, Webfusion. With it being a bank holiday I don’t think anything will happen until tomorrow at the earliest.

Apologies for this outage which is beyond my control.

Ray

Web Store Now Open

2011-05-30T02:24:00.001+01:00

This evening I have added an Amazon web store to the site.

Initially it will be offering a range of ferry related books but I am looking to expand it to include camera’s, camera accessories and a few other items that may come in handy along the way.

Now I know a few of you may be thinking “Oh no he is going commercial!” but that is not the case at all.

Running a website such as this and our community forum costs a considerable amount of money each year (a lot of money for a hobby anyway) and with the current recession my disposable income is not as great as it once was. As things currently stand this is not a cost I can sustain forever.

Any items purchased by you through our store will earn us a little bit of commission to put towards the sites running costs. Don’t get me wrong, I am not expecting to make hundreds of pounds from this but to coin a phrase from a well known British supermarket chain “every little helps”.

The web store is supplied/powered by Amazon with me selecting the product lines that are available to purchase through it.

Now for the legal bit, I have to state “Ray Goodfellow is a participant in the Amazon Europe S.à r.l. Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk”

I would appreciate any feedback in regards to this move. Please feel free to leave a comment on this blog by clicking on the `Comments’ link below or via email or forum PM.

Spirit of Britain

2011-05-29T23:39:00.001+01:00

The Spirit of Britain Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs.

I would like to thank Marconista, Michael Moons and Paul Bilbrough.

Spirit of Britain Past and Present

Blogger Trial

2011-05-29T20:13:00.001+01:00

Over the last couple of days I have been experimenting with placing Blogger within the main website by embedding it within the Site Updates and Announcements page in what we call an `IFrame’.

This was partly effective but I had a number of problems with page links opening up in a new window each time. This resulted in numerous windows being opened at the same time. Just a quick overview of the website resulted in having six or seven pages open at once, not the best thing for a tidy desktop or conserving valuable system resources!

Another work around to this was to use the Blogger page outside of the websites domain (the doverferryphotos.co.uk bit of the web address).

As you can now hopefully see this has been completed. I have decided to theme this blog to look like the main website. From your perspective the page should hopefully look the same as the main website except it will not have the websites menu system built in (I haven’t worked that one out yet lol).

Instead there are a series of hyperlinks under the page banner which will take you to the important bits of the main site such as the Home Page, Forum, AIS, Past and Present and Link sections of the site. This blog has now been implemented into the websites menu system in place of the old update page.

So far I am very happy with using Blogger for site updates due to it’s ease of updating compared with having to use my web editor each time. Plus being outside of the main website it gives me a bit of continuity in the event of a website failure.

Spirit of France

2011-05-29T02:25:00.004+01:00

The Spirit of France Past and Present file has been updated with new information and photographs. AIS tracking via Marine Traffic has now also been activated on this page.

Spirit of France Past and Present

Internet Links

2011-05-28T23:31:00.004+01:00

The Internet Links page of the site has now been updated with a few new links and a new page design.

The links page is now easier to navigate thanks to a menu bar on the left of the page which takes you to your desired section.

One interesting link that I wished to share with you is that of a new venture here in the town called `Dover Sea Safari’.

Dover Sea Safari, working in partnership with Dover Water Sports, offers a unique experience with a coastal tour like no other from there base, the very impressive new Dover Sea Sports Centre located on the foreshore of the Port of Dover.

I will now quote from there website:

“Sit back in our padded seats and let our highly professional Skipper and Crew take you out through Dover Harbour, passing the huge cross Channel ferries and heading out to sea on the Safari of your choice.

Our Skipper and Crew will provide a professional fun and interactive voyage that is suitable for all ages and abilities.

We offer a range of scheduled guided Sea Safari’s ranging from a 1 hour Discovery Safari passing the historic White Cliffs of Dover. Or the 2 hour Seal Safari to visit the Grey Seal colonies on the infamous Goodwin Sands.

Your expert Skipper and amusing Guide will personally ensure your voyage is a unique entertaining Sea Safari experience.

We can tailor a Sea Safari to suit your requirements.”

I wish Dover Sea Safari the best of luck with there endeavours and I hope to experience one of there tours soon (I will probably be as sick as a dog but it will be worth it).

My Photography 2011

2011-05-28T21:55:00.005+01:00

I am happy to report after a hellish few months following recent events in my life things are starting to get back to normal. With that in mind I present my first photographs to you since January of 2011.

My Photography 2011

Site Search

2011-05-27T16:08:00.002+01:00

In my last update I commented upon the websites search system being inoperative.

After investigation it appears that Bing have removed the API which was powering the site search. Bing have introduced a new API but I am afraid it's implementation is way above my technical knowledge (I am an amateur not a rocket scientist after all).

I am looking at a replacement with Google search but this will be an advertising supported service in which I have no control over the adverts that are generated, which I am not keen on in the slightest.

I can go advertisement free for $100 a year but to be honest it's just not worth it based on the number of people who used the old site search.

Going forwards I will be removing the site search until such a time that I can find something that is mutually beneficial to all.

Interesting Voyage Report

2011-05-20T14:37:00.001+01:00

One of our forum members has posted a rather interesting voyage report showing the contrasts of crossing the Channel in 2011.

Taking in the Gardenia and Larkspur of TEF and P&O's latest vessel the Spirit of Britain. Please click on the link below to access the report (please note that registration is required to access our forum).

Dover Ferry Photos Forums • View topic - 4 crossings - 3 ferries - 2 routes - 1 day

I would like to thank forum member `Oleander' for sharing his report with us.

Things to do

2011-05-18T21:00:00.001+01:00

Having spent the best part of yesterday going through the website code it would appear that there a few technical gremlins to fix.

Currently the `search' option on the site is inoperative and some of the graphic elements are not loading properly. Hopefully I should have these up and running again by the end of this week.

Once this has been completed I will then start to go through the Past and Present files for the local fleet and bring these up to date.

Another priority for me is to get back out with the camera and take some `Marine' photographs, having only used the camera once in the last four months to cover my friends graduation from Canterbury Christchurch University.

I think a sea journey is also in order at some point in the not to distant future, I have missed my old friend :)

If anybody else has noticed any significant issues with the website over the last four months I kindly ask that you report them to me via the email link at the top of the page or by leaving a comment on this blog post.

The Long Road Back

2011-05-17T15:59:00.004+01:00

Following my earlier postings back in March with regards to the loss of my Dad following his battle with Cancer I have taken a couple of months out from a lot of my website activities, both on here and our forum.

Loosing Dad was a massive blow to all of us and even though we knew that day would eventually come, it didn't make it any easier. I think we all felt that we had been in limbo for two years but if we had to do it again we would without question.

Over the last two months I have taken stock of quiet a few things in my life and have managed to rebuild my confidence and faith in life once again.

Those of you that are friends with me on Facebook will know that I have spent a lot of time with my friends recently and I cant thank them enough for the support they have given me during one of the hardest periods in my life.

Additionally I would like to thank the forum staff of Nigel Thornton, Paul Cloke, Marconista, Paul Bilbrough and Aqui_fan for there untiring support during the last couple of months. It is testament to these guys that the forum continues to go from strength to strength with nearly 700 members.

Going forward I am happy to say that I am returning to website and forum activities with immediate effect.

The website email address will be re-opened later on today and I have started to go through the site on the PC to relearn some of the skills that have been forgotten over the last couple of months (apparently its like learning to ride a bike, you never forget, yeah right! lol)

It just leaves me to thank you all once again for your support.

Blogger Trial

2011-05-16T16:44:00.003+01:00

I am currently conducting a trial of `Blogger' to see how it can be implemented into the main website function in place of the `Site Updates' page. As your reading this post via Blogger embedded within the website it appears to be working thus far.

There are a number of advantages to using Blogger compared to the old page on the website and the main one is the ease of updating.

Currently to list site updates I firstly have to be at home, I then have to open my web client, manually update the webpage then publish it. The beauty of Blogger is that I can update the site on the move from any available web connection, in this case a HTC Desire Z Android powered smart phone.

Additionally during recent site downtime/forum issues it was evident that information was hard to come by due to me being unavailable. By implementing Blogger other members of website staff will be able to update this page accordingly.

Using Blogger also gives the you the website visitor the ability of sharing the information via social plugins such as Twitter and Facebook without me having to implement additional code on the website, which to be fair can be quiet tiresome. You also have the ability to comment on posts made on Blogger.

A message from Ray

2011-03-18T20:00:00.004Z

It’s with great regret sorrow and a very heavy heart that I announce the death of my father, Raymond Goodfellow (Senior) following his two year battle with lung cancer.

Since his diagnosis in April 2009 he has battled and overcome so much and I am not just proud of his courage but the courage shown by my entire family during this very hard time. Even until the end Dad was fighting a loosing battle but he did it with a wink and a smile and I will always remember that for as long as I live.

My dad and I have had our differences over the years, which resulted in us not talking for nearly 7 years but we overcame that and I am proud to not only be his son but to bear his name. I think the morale here is that life is way to short for fussing and fighting and that it’s always the bigger man that say’s he is sorry, even if neither party can remember what caused the argument in the first place!

The last two years have taken a great toll on the entire family in more ways than one, myself included. Not only have I lost my father in what I consider to be a very cruel unjust way but I have also seen my relationship disintegrate.

With dad’s condition I haven’t really had time to deal with that mentally and I need some time alone to deal with the fallout of the last two years and to rebuild not only my life but also my faith in life again.

As a consequence I am going to be taking some time out and will be unavailable on the Forum, via Twitter and via website email until such a time that I feel that I am ready to return.

I am happy to leave the forum in the capable hands of your Admin and Moderator team who will continue to maintain the high level of service you have all become accustomed to.

The website will remain open but there will not be any updates until such a time that I have the will and the time to do so.

I would just like to take this opportunity of thanking my friends, my family, my website partners and you my site visitors for all your support over the last two years.

God Speed Dad, love you always.