As we were waiting for the ferry last weekend we spotted the dredger the David Allen as he waited for the channel to clear of bulk carrier ships and tugs before he bedded down for the night.
Maintenance dredging of the Port of Newcastle is undertaken on a continual basis to provide safe, deep-water access to the port.
Port of Newcastle’s dredge, the David Allan, operates 12 hours per day, seven days per week. It collects the silt from the channel and takes it out to sea so the container ships and bulk carriers have a safe passage in and out of the Port of Newcastle.
Tomorrow I will post a photo of the bulk carrier and tugs the David Allen was waiting for to clear the channel into the port.
In the distance is Nobby's Head lighthouse
I am posting early today because we have got a friend visiting this afternoon.
@casablanca It does look as though it is heading out to sea but it is just steering clear of the three tugs and the bulk carrier coming into the port of Newcastle. After they had cleared the channel the David Allen followed them in and moored near the wharf for the night.
A beautiful scene & a very interesting read about dredging! We live near the river Wyre & we are having big problems wraith flooding rivers in the Uk. The river Wyre & other rivers were always dredged years ago but now they say it makes no different to flooding rivers….I have no idea why they think if you let rivers get shallower because they are full of silt dredging is not the answer!
@happypat the Hunter needs dredging all day and every day because the ships come and go all the time. It is a very busy waterway for coal ships, grain and container ships. You don't want any of those stuck in the silt and mud.
I will post the bulk carrier and tugs tomorrow
Ian