Storm Gate Structure arrives safely on Cape Clear Island

Sunday 28 September saw many early risers on Cape Clear Island as  locals gathered before dawn on the cliffs above North Harbour to see the tug Celtic Isle approach the harbour towing the 1,000 ton construction that is the be the new entrance to the Inner Harbour. Around 7.30 am, just outside the harbour mouth the diminutive Barracuda Bay from Baltimore, operated by Vince O’Driscoll took over the tow for the remaining 500 meters or as the larger tug would have no room to maneuver inside the harbour.  It seems almost impossible that the small Barracuda could move should a large structure but together with an accompanying pilot boat the impressive structure continued to move closer and closer to its destination.  At the harbour mouth itself a number of guidance buoys were placed and the structure was brought surely and skillfully right alongside these buoys as was surely well planned and intended. At this point various lines were put ashore and two excavators were then used to continue towing the structure into position. At this stage the operation clearly became much more complicated and slowed down considerably because of the need to place the structure in the exact position and at various points both excavators and the two boats needed to work in tandem maneuvering the structure in various directions and bit by bit teasing it into position. At one point it seemed some kind of snag may have arisen which seemed to cause a delay of twenty minutes or half an hour and onlookers remarked on the very calm and apparently well practiced manner in which all the team involved conducted themselves.  In the end the structure seemed to move the final few meters to its intended position quite easily and fluidly and the end of what was clearly a very successful operation came almost as an anti-climax. By 9.30 am the operation was well completed with time and tide to spare and there was no disruption at all to the ferry timetable as the Dun an Óir 11 departed as scheduled at 10.am.  The structure remains in position as it slowly falls with the receding tide whereupon the rising tide will be left in and it will remain in its final position. Congratulations to all concerned.

Photos taken as the mornings events unfolded.

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