Spirit of france
- 28 January 2012 12:55149865Yes that weblink was a terrific help above there..I saved it to my favourites when Peter gave us the nod a while back.
Here is the new ship..Spirit of France arriving just after 11 am today...shadowed by the other channel operator....DFDS.
SEE ALSO THE PICTURES ON THE FRONTPAGE.email: dover7@msn.com - 28 January 2012 13:15149867Hurray! she has arrived, in weak sunshine but nonetheless in sunshine! Well done that man at the coalface, great arrival pic on the front page
- 28 January 2012 14:34149873Another couple to add to the mix..
and this one below taken with a different camera a bit later...
email: dover7@msn.com - 28 January 2012 14:40149874I went out on the Dover Sea Safari RIB. Despite the peculiar light, the sea spray and the motion I came away with quite a good number of pictures, but I'll have to thaw out before I sort them. Here's just one taken near the East Goodwin buoy.
Many thanks to Dover Sea Safari for a very enjoyable trip!
- 28 January 2012 15:47149885great stuff from paul and john with those, i saw it from st martin's battery - no decent shots from there without professional equipment.
- 28 January 2012 15:47149886PaulB, given the location of your gaff, it might be worth putting a webcam up there.I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
- 28 January 2012 17:03149896On a calm sea and in watery sunlight The Spirit of France sailed into Dover, a few lingered on the seafront to watch, and from a high vantage point you could see a few people standing on deck.
As the pictures here and on the front page show the Boss man and his camera were ready as ever
Umm....not so sure about the webcam Peter.
- 28 January 2012 17:14149902Yes indeed there were a few standing at the very top level...maybe the P&O Chairman etc..you can just make them out on the top shot frontpage. Yes well done John, good one there...brave man going out to meet it.
In the meantime I have had the following press release in hot off the wire from P & O themselves, as the frontpage is already set as it were, thought it best to put it here...its all linked through from frontpage anyway. Many thanks to P&O for sending us here on Doverforum the information direct..
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P&O Ferries' second new €180 million ship Spirit of France arrived at Dover for the first time today (Saturday 28 January) following a four-day delivery voyage from her construction shipyard at Rauma, Finland.
The ship arrived at the port at 11.00hrs and will now start final preparations for entry into service on the Dover - Calais route from Thursday 9 February.
She joins her sister ship, Spirit of Britain, on the service. The combined cost of €360 million for the two ships represents the largest investment ever made by P&O Ferries.
At 47,500 gross tons these ships are the largest ever constructed for operation on the Dover Strait, each ship capable of carrying 160 articulated lorries which is twice the freight capacity of the vessels they are replacing. In addition they can also carry up to 250 cars, caravans and motorhomes on a separate vehicle deck.
Their passenger accommodation with capacity for 2,000 offers unrivalled levels of comfort and convenience including luxuriously appointed lounges, bars and restaurants plus a separate and extensive rest and relaxation facility for freight drivers complete with its own restaurant, showers, DVD seat back entertainment and a private outside deck.
Wideangle picture from P&O below shows the ship posing outside the harbour..
email: dover7@msn.com - 28 January 2012 18:17149922Great photos - well done guys.
Now where have I seen a ship just like that ?????
Roger - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
28 January 2012 19:13149933Great pictures Paul and John, much better than the official P&O one.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 28 January 2012 19:23149937Great effort guys, Doverforum on the pulse yet again.......... great stuff indeed
- 28 January 2012 23:54150012just been sent these pics of todays' event.
- 29 January 2012 00:00150013more than one stunning visitor today.
- 29 January 2012 00:04150014he/she was quite busy at lunchtime.
- 29 January 2012 00:05150015last but not least an atmospheric shot.
- Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
29 January 2012 01:00150018Lovely photos Howard, especially the seal ones. - 29 January 2012 08:37150025I love the seal ones meself...might be after them for the frontpage afore long ...they are so cheerful, cheer us up mid january so they do.
Have also had a great set of pictures in from Paul Sampson, well done Paul...Ive added two of these to the frontpage. Ive elongated the page to squeeze them in. Thanks for sending them in Paul - always welcome.
We have certainly given this event very good coverage from all angles..even if I do say so myself!!lol...but a very well done to all for contributing to the overall effort.
Dont Forget : We're all in this together !
email: dover7@msn.com - 29 January 2012 23:51150225Just a couple more of the SOF from Saturday. After sorting over 300 frames I've had enough of this ship for a while - and she hasn't even entered service yet! (good job I'm being paid).
Last year when the Spirit of Britain arrived the tugs also greeted her with their water cannon. The problem being was that they were a bit closer then and a host of corporate glitterati standing on the open deck got very wet!. So this time the tugs kept their distance.
In the second picture you can see a nice little rainbow forming under the water jet - lovely!
I'm going back to landscapes and architecture for a while. At least the subjects keep relatively still and I don't bob up and down in the freezing cold.
- 30 January 2012 09:45150236Well done John with those additional pictures. I hope you are okay after the effort made, as Im sure going out there in the elements is not ideal healthwise. As you say it was very cold on the day and being out at sea in a small RIB is not ideal. But the pictures are just fine and great to see. Many thanks again.
Ah yes I noticed the tugboats kept their distance which didnt help with the photography and only the one was spraying.
email: dover7@msn.com - 30 January 2012 13:06150259rather you than me john, great shots though.
feel free to brave the elements again .
