Boats, Boats, Boats......

Its friday so that means I get to fly out and catch the ships coming into port,  sadly today for the first time there wern't any.



Taken with Mini 3 Pro.


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DAFlys Posted at 11-10 04:53
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Amazing shots!    Looks like a brand new buoy and not a refurbished one.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-10 04:53
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The London Titan is a really well equipped boat.  Nice heavy duty crane with a lot of other various equipment throughout the deck fore and aft.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-10 15:04
The London Titan is a really well equipped boat.  Nice heavy duty crane with a lot of other various equipment throughout the deck fore and aft.

We have a theory that they stopped shipping whilst it was working,     do you things thats a possibility?  High tide there is usually a busy time and there was nothing.

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-10 15:02
Amazing shots!    Looks like a brand new buoy and not a refurbished one.

Definitely going to be easy to see for a while with that shiny red paint job.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-10 04:53
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Great shots of the buoy replacement work.

DAFlys Posted at 11-11 01:43
We have a theory that they stopped shipping whilst it was working,     do you things thats a possibility?  High tide there is usually a busy time and there was nothing.

Yes, that's a distinct possibility.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-11 01:44
Definitely going to be easy to see for a while with that shiny red paint job.

It will indeed.  The red buoys are so much easier to see than the green buoys at certain times of the day.  

Blériot53 Posted at 11-11 06:30
Great shots of the buoy replacement work.

thanks MR B,   considering it as high tide I was expecting to see some actual ships but nothing was moving,  we wondered if they paused shipping for the installation.

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-11 09:11
It will indeed.  The red buoys are so much easier to see than the green buoys at certain times of the day.

The green in the mercy Thames is pretty terrible, but then the larger ships all need pilots on board these days.

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-11 09:09
Yes, that's a distinct possibility.

I was trying to recall where they publish closures like that,  and unlike NOTAMs are really cant think where the notice to shipping is published.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-12 00:04
thanks MR B,   considering it as high tide I was expecting to see some actual ships but nothing was moving,  we wondered if they paused shipping for the installation.

I wouldn't have thought that the replacement of a single buoy would have been reason to suspend all shipping?

Blériot53 Posted at 11-12 00:26
I wouldn't have thought that the replacement of a single buoy would have been reason to suspend all shipping?

Can you imagine it swaying around though when a container ship comes past.

DAFlys Posted at 11-12 00:52
Can you imagine it swaying around though when a container ship comes past.

I'm sure they're used to that. And no doubt marine traffic would be advised to keep their distance AND moderate their speed.  We need a mariner to give us the skinny on this one. RDB, where are you?

Blériot53 Posted at 11-12 01:01
I'm sure they're used to that. And no doubt marine traffic would be advised to keep their distance AND moderate their speed.  We need a mariner to give us the skinny on this one. RDB, where are you?

So far Ive found two sources.   But neither go out far enough it seems

https://www.pla.co.uk/Safety/Reg ... Notices-to-Mariners
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rive ... ctions-and-closures

DAFlys Posted at 11-12 06:07
So far Ive found two sources.   But neither go out far enough it seems

https://www.pla.co.uk/Safety/Regulations-and-Guidance/Notices-to-Mariners/Notices-to-Mariners

Maybe, for larger craft, such information gets graphically displayed automatically on their radar screen.

Blériot53 Posted at 11-12 07:12
Maybe, for larger craft, such information gets graphically displayed automatically on their radar screen.

That a possibility,  AIS can broadcast all sorts of information.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-12 07:23
That a possibility,  AIS can broadcast all sorts of information.

I'm just guessing.

DAFlys Posted at 11-12 00:20
The green in the mercy Thames is pretty terrible, but then the larger ships all need pilots on board these days.

Yeah, can't say as I blame them for using a harbor pilot.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-12 00:21
I was trying to recall where they publish closures like that,  and unlike NOTAMs are really cant think where the notice to shipping is published.

Here in the US they have navigation publications (i.e. U.S. Coast Pilot, Sailing Directions, Coast Guard U.S. Light List, List of Lights, Notice to Mariners, Local Notice to Mariners, Notices to Navigation, Vessel Traffic Services User Manual, tide-current and river-current tables.  

For example, if I take my mini-yacht up the Intracoastal waterway I would get a recent copy of the Local Notice to Mariners which would detail any closures or temporary barriers to safe operations.

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-12 08:53
Yeah, can't say as I blame them for using a harbor pilot.

They dont have a choice if they are over 55ft I think the limit is.    Some shipping companies have someone on board that has passed the pilot exams for that area,   like ferry companies.  

DAFlys Posted at 11-13 05:56
They dont have a choice if they are over 55ft I think the limit is.    Some shipping companies have someone on board that has passed the pilot exams for that area,   like ferry companies.

Harbor pilots and tug boat captains make some serious money here in the US.  Of course they are taking on a ton of responsibility as well.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-13 09:09
Harbor pilots and tug boat captains make some serious money here in the US.  Of course they are taking on a ton of responsibility as well.

I think it's the same here as each of the shipping companies had to pay for them.

DAFlys Posted at 11-14 00:31
I think it's the same here as each of the shipping companies had to pay for them.

Not a job I'd like to do.  Way too much stress.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-14 08:51
Not a job I'd like to do.  Way too much stress.

It's like all things you get used to it,  and it's a fairly short trip each time I bet.

DAFlys Posted at 11-15 00:51
It's like all things you get used to it,  and it's a fairly short trip each time I bet.

That's true but the cost of their liability insurance here in the US is close to what Surgeons pay.  Just think of the damage you could do in having a mishap while piloting a large tanker to its  berth.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-15 09:34
That's true but the cost of their liability insurance here in the US is close to what Surgeons pay.  Just think of the damage you could do in having a mishap while piloting a large tanker to its  berth.

Yeah that could be a huge bill.

DAFlys Posted at 11-16 01:13
Yeah that could be a huge bill.

Definitely a high stress job.  

Nice captures David!

Montfrooij Posted at 12-24 03:27
Nice captures David!

many thanks Peter.  

DAFlys Posted at 12-24 06:52
many thanks Peter.

You're welcome!