MalinWaters

Basking Sharks Spotted Off Donegal Coast

malin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:10:18 +0000

Basking sharks have been spotted for the first time this year off Inishowen on the 6th April. Donegal’s coastline enjoys a great number of Basking Sharks who visit each year. Basking sharks which can grow to an impressive 13 metres long usually begin arriving long before now, but the cold weather has meant that their main food source has been missing from the sea. According to Basking Shark co-ordinator Emmett Johnson the sightings should be the first of many to come as temperatures begin to rise.

Basking Sharks Spotted Off the Coast Of Donegal

malin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:57:27 +0000

Basking sharks have been spotted for the first time this year off Inishowen on the 6th April. Donegal’s coastline enjoys a great number of Basking Sharks who visit each year.
Basking sharks which can grow to an impressive 13 metres long usually begin arriving long before now, but the cold weather has meant that their main food source has been missing from the sea.
According to Basking Shark co-ordinator Emmett Johnson the sightings should be the first of many to come as temperatures begin to rise.

MalinWaters set to Sail at the Scottish Series

malin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:45:49 +0000

MalinWaters are delighted to support the 2013 Scottish Series. This prestigious annual sailing event will take place on Loch Fyne on Scotland’s stunning West Coast and will run over the bank holiday weekend from the 24th to 27th May.
MalinWaters Marketing Officer Lee-Anne Doherty expressed her joy at being involved as a key sponsor. “MalinWaters are delighted to be investing £12,000 in the 2013 Scottish Series; we are particularly excited about having the previously named Round Inch Race become the MalinWaters Race. This high profile event has been the premier yacht racing event in Scottish waters for thirty eight years attracting participants from all over the British Isles, Europe and beyond and provides a perfect opportunity for us to showcase the MalinWaters brand and its offerings to our key demographic.”

Frank Mc Grogan, Sail West Project Manager added “MalinWaters the consumer facing brand of the Sail West Project is part-financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross Border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. Being part of one of Scotland’s most exciting outdoor events provides an excellent platform for the MalinWaters brand and is a great match for what the Sail West project is trying to achieve. We are delighted to support this event and know that it will be a huge success for everyone.”

Commenting on MalinWaters support of the Scottish Series, Stephen Bennie, Event Chairman stated “I am delighted that MalinWaters have chosen to support the 2013 Scottish Series, their assistance allows us to build on the success of last year to provide top class racing at Scotland’s premier regatta.”

For more information on MalinWaters visit www.malinwaters.com ; email info@malinwaters.com or join us on Facebook. For more information on the Scottish Series please visit www.scottishseries.com .

Tobermory Marine Visitor Centre

malin — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:07:11 +0000

The Tobermory Harbour Association, on the Isle of Mull has recently revamped part of their harbour building. The all new Marine Visitor Centre opened to the public in August this year. The centre provides an exciting, informative and interactive experience for both adults and children. It demonstrates the life of Tobermory community’s working harbour and local waters and the Sound of Mull. This includes information about the local history, local navigation and lighthouses, local RNLI, Coastguard, fishing, fish-farming, a virtual dive in Loch Sunart, safety at sea and many other informative displays.

The large salt-water aquarium is stocked with creatures from Tobermory bay on a regular basis, as all the crabs, fish, etc are returned to the wild after just 4 weeks in the tanks! Touch pool displays are run daily, giving children, and any willing adults too of course, the chance to hold the sea creatures. There is also a small digital cinema room, showing short wildlife films and other films of local interest daily.

The centre still has a few displays to complete, but will be open throughout the winter months and they will be holding a grand opening day on Saturday the 23^rd March, with celebrity guest Gordon Buchanan, the wildlife presenter and cameraman. There is no fixed entrance fee, they just ask for a kind donation as they rely on your donations to keep the centre running. For more details, please visit their website – www.tobermorymarinevisitorcentre.com

Attention Divers! Shipwrecks off the coast of Ireland!

malin — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:46:47 +0000

Startling images of ship and submarine wrecks in Irish waters have been published for the first time.
The wrecks including US Army tanks on the seabed 28km off Donegal are featured in a new book published this week by the Government Publications, called Warships, U-Boats & Liners.
Over 300 shipwrecks have been catalogued; the majority of them were known about, however a number of them were previously uncharted.
For more details on this article and to see some of the amazing pictures click here

MalinWaters Staff To Go Sail Training On The Derry/Londonderry Clipper Boat

malin — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:33:19 +0000

Our very own Marketing Officer Miss Lee-Anne Doherty is getting ready to set sail for three days sail training on the Derry/Londonderry Clipper Boat.
Lee-Anne Along with 11 other lucky individuals will be setting sail on the 28th of November. The sail training course is designed for twelve ‘non sailor’participants and is delivered under the expert tuition of an experienced captain with support from a skeleton experienced and professional crew. In essence the yacht will be sailed by the 12 non sailor participants with the expert assistance and guidance provided by the professional crew.

When asked how she felt about this experience Lee-Anne said; “I feel very privileged to have been given this opportunity and am very excited about the three day course, I am however a little frightened but this is to be expected as I have never done anything like this before. Given that my role is promoting marine leisure activities I think that it is important for me to experience what it is like to be out at sea and what better way to do it than on the Clipper boat in the Malin Sea Region. I am sure it will be a challenge but one I am definitely looking forward to. I would like to thank Derry City Council for the opportunity and also Donegal County Council for letting me take three days out of the office to take part in this once in a life time experience”.

Lee-Anne will provide an update on the MalinWaters Facebook page and Twitter feed detailing this fantastic experience. Check them for updates!

We would like to wish Lee-Anne and the other participants the best of luck on their voyage and we look forward to hearing all about it!

Stranraer Marina Shore Block Opens

malin — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:02:49 +0000

The official opening of a new shore block at Stranraer marina took place on Monday the1st of October. The new building boosts facilities at the waterfront and features a permanent harbour office, coastguard base, drying facilities, showers, toilet facilities and a community education room. The building is part-funded under the Sail West Initiative that has secured grant aid from the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

Mr Alistair Speedie, Director Planning & Environment Services at Dumfries and Galloway Council welcomed the guests to Stranraer and extended his thanks to the funders and all involved in the completion of the shore building. He commented that £380,000 was awarded to Dumfries and Galloway for completion of the shore building under the Sail West project and was matched by £430,000 from Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Following the formal ribbon cutting by Cllr Roberta Tuckfield, the public were invited on a tour of the new facility, and were asked for comment on the other plans to regenerate the waterfront which were on display in the community education room.

The aim of improvements at the Marina is to boost the number of marine leisure users coming to Stranraer. This fits in with the MalinWaters marine tourism initiative which encourages marine leisure enthusiasts to enjoy the coastlines of Western Scotland, NW Ireland and the North Coast of Northern Ireland and the wealth of activities available to them.

Chair of Wigtown Area Committee Cllr Roberta Tuckfield said,

“The ongoing development of the marina is key to branding Stranraer as a marine leisure destination. Plans to add more pontoons and another breakwater should bring in additional pleasure craft, increasing tourism numbers benefiting the whole town.

MalinWaters project partners were represented by members from Larne Borough Council and Donegal County Council who are lead partners of the Sail West project. Both representatives were keen to show their support.

Lee-Anne Doherty, MalinWaters Marketing Officer from Donegal County Council expressed her delight at being present at the opening and wished Dumfries & Galloway Council every success with the ongoing regeneration of the Marina at Stranraer. She stated that “This fantastic new facility will undoubtedly strengthen the reputation of Stranraer as a destination for visiting boats”.

Chairman of the SAIL WEST steering committee, Mr. Garry Martin, Director of Finance & Emergency Services with Donegal County Council sent his congratulations and best wishes to Dumfries & Galloway Council on the formal opening of the block. “Having recently attended a meeting at this building and seen the emerging development of the harbour area I am no doubt that this facility will compliment the work of the Council in its re-generation efforts.”

Additional information

SEUPB

• The Special EU Programmes Body is a North/South Implementation Body sponsored by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland and the Department of Finance in Ireland. It is responsible for managing two EU structural funds Programmes PEACE III and INTERREG IV designed to enhance cross-border co-operation, promote reconciliation and create a more peaceful and prosperous society. The Programmes operate within a clearly defined area including Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland.
• The INTERREG IVA 2007-2013 Programme is worth €256 million and aims to address the economic and social problems which result from the existence of borders. It has two distinct priority measures to create co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable cross-border region
• For more information on the SEUPB please visit www.seupb.eu

Sail West Project

Sail West is a marine tourism project led by Donegal County Council designed to promote the west coast of Scotland, Northern Ireland and North West Ireland as a world-class sailing destination. The twenty partners behind the project secured a €7.4m funding package in early 2010 for a series of specified projects. The new shoreblock in Stranraer is one of several that were approved for the South and West of Scotland

Causeway Coast Surf Festival -Postponed until 20th-21st October 2012

malin — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:58:10 +0000

The Circle One Causeway Coast Surf Festival has been postponed until the 20th & 21st October due to the poor swell forecast for this weekend. Event organisers have taken the decision to re-schedule the festival putting it back two weeks to give an opportunity for an improved wave forecast for competitors and fans.

The event will continue to be supported by Malin Waters, Coleraine Borough Council and all sponsors. All the additional events planned to run in conjunction with the festival at the West Strand Portrush, will also be re-scheduled for the 20th & 21st.

Fans can still get along to see music artists Scorpion Jack and Justin Black in the Atlantic Bar and Kiwis this weekend.

For further information, please keep at eye on their website www.causewaycoastsurffestival.com or on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/CausewayCoastSurfFestival!

Congratulations

malin — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:52:00 +0000

Congratulations to the winners of our competition which took place at the Clipper homecoming festival in Derry/Londonderry and the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway. The lucky winners of a MalinWaters branded jacket are :

Mr Paddy Carr, from Derry/Londonderry

and

Mr John Quigley, from Derry/Londonderry

All winners have been contacted by e-mail, so if you visited our stand at either of the two events check your e-mail…it could be you!

New Marina Building opens in Ballycastle

malin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:36:11 +0000

The official opening of Portnagree House, Harbour & Marina Visitor Centre at Ballycastle harbour on 22 February 2012 will strengthen the reputation of Ballycastle as a destination of choice for visiting boats from Ireland, Scotland and beyond. The new £600,000 council owned facility provides a range of facilities for boat owners and users of the adjacent award winning marina. The building is part funded under the Sail West Initiative, which secured grant aid from the European Unions’s European Regional Development Fund through theINTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

Speaking on behalf of Donegal County Council, Mr Garry Martin, the Chairman of the Sail West project steering committee expressed his delight at being present at the Ballycastle launch and suggested that;

“from a County Donegal perspective the marina at Ballycastle is vital to the future success of sailing and cruising tourism in the wider North West of the island and therefore the new marina building was an important addition to the regional infrastructure.”.