With 12 days to go untill the first Euroferries sailing from Ramsgate by The Bonanza Express, a staff photographer dropped into Ramsgate Port this morning to take some pictures of the preparations afoot for the 'dedicated Euroferries terminal'.All a bit odd really. No signs; no evidence of a dedicated terminal; no reserved Euroferries lanes; no staff running through procedures etc etc. Clearly a lot will have to be done in the next 12 days. All a bit disappointing as we had hoped to report on a Euroferries set up like the Trans Europa chaps shown in the pic below.
Tried to make a reservation and couldn't on line but got flicked to a general ferry ticket site but no mention of Euroferries. I then started wondering..
Does anyone know of staff recruited to run Euroferries operation in Ramsgate? Has anyone started training? Have uniforms been decided yet? When will the dedicated terminal be ready? Has anyone succeeded in booking a journey? Where is Bonanza Express? Have any plans been made to have training runs across the briney so ferry skipper and crew practice getting into and out of berths and the hazardous business of crossing the busiest shipping lanes in the world?
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As Bertie isn't a jolly jack- tar sort of guy and barely knows starboard from port, he can only assume that the way ferry services get set up is all in a last minute rush or if that is not the case, then is the 14th November going to see Bonanza loading and departing?
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Rumour has it that BBC South East are taking an interest in the start of the service and Maritime affairs at Ramsgate in general, as their Inside-Out Prog visited last spring and chatted to 'Woger' down at the Port. Well we know TDC have had all sorts of odd financial 'goings on', going on, in its Maritime Services in general recently and at Ramsgate in particular, with a major sacking involved but with no explaination, so a continuing muddle is to be expected perhaps. Hope Beeb doesn't ask too many embarrassing questions this time round.
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Off to LD in Dover instead, as they seem cheaper and at least have real ferries up and running; rather glad I couldn't make a booking with Euroferries as I still have nagging doubts; this is after all the THIRD start date so far this year - "Left hand down a bit"!
12 comments:
...is it possible to see the contracts signed with both ports, Bertie ?
Watch and wait - this enterprise isn't what it wants us all to believe it is.......
But it does have to start and pdq.
Ken, I tend to agree with you that this enterprise isn't what it seems. In regards to contracts, no go; excuse is business confidentiality etc.... Rumour has it that financial bonds have not even been deposited. As we get closer to the 14th, I just hope that 'joe public' who have reserved bookings and parted with hard cash will be moving out of Ramsgate on Bonanza Express; at the moment, sadly, this looks to be un-likely.
Does Ken know something the rest of us don't?? All smells a bit fishy to me - there is no way it will be starting before the next millenium!!
Ah Neptune watcher the waters are not only troubled they are decidedly murky?
I do hope that when the b-beeeeebies come a calling, some individuals will be good on Camera?
D8
According to the latest pictures from the canaries she is being made ready for the trip to Ramsgate leaving on the 6th of November so it looks as though it is going to start
When were pics taken. 19.13? According to pics from the summer she had been painted as Euroferries Express before and then this was painted out! I don't know how high the sun is in sky in Sta Cruz in October but pics seem to show shadows from high sun? Anyway, even with 'paintcoats on, paintcoats off', I for one will not believe Ramsgate has a new ferry service until I see Bonanza negotiating the sand bars out of Ramsgate.
The Canarian port website says the vessel left for the UK with no destination listed so who knows, it could be going anywhere.
It says it is going to Los Cristianos on the 22nd November..... still on Localizatodo
Bertie,
Been out of circulation for a bit but just seen IOTG article about the harbour master's dismissal been upheld - whats the info about that then? Not seen anything on the blogs apart from a councillor getting a shed rent free for ages down there, heard a whisper about fuel going missing - what's the story?
22.15, you might like to look in Strife 'archive' for the item we ran in July 2009 (26th) about Ramsgate harbour and odd goings on. Have a look in February's archive for my first takes on Euroferries! Not good at links etc but just click on the archive list to right of main items. Hope that helps.
Paint on - Paint off says the Bonanza kid
Bertie
New pantomime to start in the open air port theatre - entitled "has it left yet". Oh no it hasn't comes the cry - its behind you...oh how we larfed at TDC.
E.U.R.O Bond
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