Proposed Harbour in Doolin

rodento

Won't mean anything to most people here but for those that understand it

Three world class was under threat

kodute

Don't know exactly where the waves are on that map unfortunately.

Need me to ring my local councillors and give out? I love doing that!!

OuterBombie

Bizarre,

I understand the difficulties the ferry companies have at low tide, plus the fact that several of them are trying to operate at once, leaving generally at the same time and from one small pier. If anyone has used them, they are pretty much an embarrassment to the tourist industry

So now they get a plan for a new pier, as if that will solve the issues.

I thought that the area, the current gravel carpark, which should not be there as it was created by a ferry company without planning permission, was a Special Area of Conservation? No? Ah well sure now its there and we'll all forgot that it shouldn't be, lets develop it again and lob in a new pier .

Hopefully there will be some backlash to this development....

OldGuysRule

Do you mean that you hope someone else will get involved and make the effort?

OuterBombie

OldGuysRule wrote: »

Do you mean that you hope someone else will get involved and make the effort?

No, I'll be right there beside you when you chain yourself to the rock in front of the bulldozers.

Joking, of course, hopefully it won't come to that.

I guess I'm hoping that there will be an environmental reason for this development not to go ahead and even then hopefully there won't be the funds nationally for this development. I say this cause thats all Clare CoCo seem to focus on at the moment. The height barrier in Fanore as an example, lots of public outcry, petition, newspapers, letters/emails to Councillors/CoCo, and still the barrier is up.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be writing a letter to both Councillors and CoCo when time comes to object on this development, plus getting behind whatever else gets running.

However, the pragmatist in me see's local Councillors campaigning for this though on the basis of jobs that it will provide plus the increased tourist dollar it will bring to the area.

After all that hot air, it looks like it will only affect one of the three mentioned waves from the original post, and how much would be debatable based on the plans. Still wouldn't like to see it go up though.

Where are the details outlining the plan? I'll do an online search....

rodento

I think it'll effect crab island as well, the proposed pier will block half the channel making currents stronger in the open channel. Also looking at the proposed line of the pier I'm guessing that a south west swell will bounce off it creating a nasty rip at crab making positioning a nightmare at the break

paudie

There is absolutely no way to tell what effect it will have on the waves.
There's no sand to be moved so I doubt much will change.

And three world class waves? Really?

OuterBombie

Hmmm, no sand to be moved, what are they planning on dredging:

The proposed new harbour development works comprise a new pier up to 60m in length, an access road of 115m, and sea dredging of the Doolin Harbour area, which will involve some 5,000 cu/m of dredged material.

From:

http://www.maritimejournal.com/features/marine-civils/port,-harbour-and-marine-construction/outlook-positive-for-doolin-pier-development

Look like the councillors are all behind it:

http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2431:co-operation-call-for-doolin-pier-development&catid=66:north&Itemid=56

But the ferry companies might scupper the whole lot yet! From above article:

County manager Tom Coughlan said that for the project to go well there would be a need for co-operation from a number of stakeholders.
He said that ferry operators will need to work with each other and added that they couldn’t be forced to do so. “The way forward needs to come from the ferry operators and if they can’t co-operate, I don’t see how the council can make them.”
He said that while there is €6 million available it would be “premature” to move until there is co-operation among the ferry operators.
Councillor Martin Conway agreed that they have to take responsibility. “What’s gone on has been a shambles and it’s quite right that it be put back on the ferry operators themselves,” he said.
The town manager said that the saga surrounding the pier has been going on for 20 years and that it needed resolution. “It’s time we had a product that everyone can be proud of,” he said.
He said he is hoping to get a comprehensive proposals from the ferry operators and that he would be committed to progressing the development.

If the development does go ahead hopefully there would be some assessment done on the impact of the pier on the existing waves in the area. I guess standing with the ISA (seeing at they are the governing body here) and the local surf club might get some concession to at least an assessment being done.

Anyhow, off to the kingdom for the weekend, forecast looks decent, hopefully get some waves....

paudie

People might want to go sign the petition to have the plan altered.

http://www.petitiononline.com/Doolin10/petition.html

OldGuysRule

Done and posted in the Clare section

golfball37

Rodento should edit the opening post. "3 world class was". People may not read any further.

kodute

Signed.

Do these online petitions really have any effect though?

OldGuysRule

When they are printed off and presented to the planners, engineers and especially the councillors, as part of the overall submission being prepared, they will have an impact. The key thing is to get as many signatures, comments etc so that when printed, they will have an impact.

gumbynation

***bump**
more info & photos here

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/crab-island--doolin-point-in-danger--landmark-irish-waves-threatened-by-harbor-development_45439/

http://magicseaweed.com/Save-Crab-Island-Content/2581/

It seems the council have positioned the proposed pier at the location which makes it cheapest with regards to "dredging" (blasting of limestone reef).
By placing it further out to sea in deeper water, it reduces the cost as less submarine excavations are required, which will make up a large proportion of the overall construction cost.
They could move it towards the existing pier, but the costs will skyrocket as it is shallower, and would require more excavations.

It appears its simply a case of doing it as cheap as possible and ignoring the wishes of other ocean users.

Please forward to anyone who may be interested.

This is a hugely important issue folks so please get behind it, the two waves at doolin are excellent and Crab is world class. They all need your help.
Please dont sit on the fence on this one, so far there have only been a handful of posts on this from members on this forum. It takes 2mins to sign the petition.

It would be great to see the boards surfing community get behind this campaign. If you have signed the petition please let us know. by posting in this thread

MODS: surely this is a thread worth Stickying?

rodento

This is a clip of Crab

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ5maLZ4YQU

And some photos of this iconic break and place







A true gem of a wave and place

Mickeroo

Signed it the other day.

kodute

Some amazing pics and really cool vid there. Makes me want to surf there right now!

gumbynation

bump

CRenegade

There are a lot of surfers on this forum - I hope ye have all signed the petition.

Also some of ye may be beginners/intermediates and not surfing the likes of Crab island yet (like me) or ya may not surf in clare but you will/may want the opportunity to in years to come.

So send a submission to Clare Co. Co. referenceing the Planning Number: 10/8006 and outline a small objection before 13th August.

Its free and only costs you a few minutes and a stamp whereas the harbour could cost two top waves!

rodento

Its 20 euro

CRenegade

rodento wrote: »

Its 20 euro

There is no fee. €20 fee only applies to submissions on planning applications made by the general public.

This is a Part 8 application made by the county council and hence there is no fee required.

cornbb

Stickied for a while.

stevire

Signed.. Up to c.8800 signatures so far!!

All that support it should add it to their own boards signature

rodento

Closing date for submissions is next friday, there are only 29 objections lodged to date.

Submissions is free, so there is no excuse for anyone involved in surfing not to send in an objection

Some good grounds for objections are as follows

Surfers safety

Crab Island is listed as of the 100 best waves in the world

Closure of car park & increase demand/capacity of harbour = traffic management nightmare

Safety of Ferry passingers, due to swell movements at doolin point, emarking/disembarking will be dangerous in rough seas

Infrastructure at Doolin Village, the small bridge of the village will not be able to cope with the increase of coachs etc heading to new pier

Risk of millions of euro invested in surfing in clare over the last number of years...

Putting it into context, there was over 700 objections agains't a playground in Meath

Think we could do better than 29

paudie

Please print off this letter and post it in.
Wednesday is the last day to do this.

To whom it concerns,

I write in objection of p108006, the current proposal to build a new pier at Doolin, Co. Clare.

I believe the current plan is grossly negligent in its current state and wildly underestimates the impact the proposed structure will have. The existing pier is inadequate for its current usage, but simply building a bigger pier will not solve the existing problems. A new pier will attract more visitors which will lead to traffic chaos in Doolin village. The bridge and narrow road through the village will cause horrendous traffic problems and lead to an overall bad feeling from visiting tourists to the area. Also, the plan proposes to remove the current area that is used as a car park by ferry passengers.

Doolin experiences regular storms throughout the year, building the pier at the proposed location will increase its exposure to larger, more consistent and more powerful waves and thus will increase the chances of it being damaged. One possible solution to this is to move the site back towards the existing pier. This extra distance will allow the wave more time to expend its energy on the existing reef and decrease the impact on the pier. Another alternative is to move the pier to the north side of the bay. There already exists an under-utilised car park as well as public toilets at this location.

Surfing generates a lot of income for the local economy. I regularly travel from Cork to surf both Crab Island and Doolin point. The proposed development has not taken into account the impact the pier will have on these two waves. Crab Island is an internationally recognised world class wave and it is possible that the new pier will affect the wave to such an extent as to make it unsurfable. It is one of the few waves surfers travelling from other countries will always mention when they talk about waves to surf in Ireland. Even in the unlikely chance that the wave is unaffected, the proposed location of the new pier will make it impossible or extremely dangerous for surfers to access the wave at Crab Island as they will have to paddle through the route taken by the ferries. Surfers are now recognised as a target market for Irish companies, with surfing being regularly featured in adverts by Discover Ireland, AIB and Denny. It is highly likely that the income generated locally by these surfers will be completely destroyed by this new pier.

In conclusion I again object to planning application p108006 in its current state and ask the council to reconsider the proposal.

Sincerely,

paudie

Ok people last day for sending in objections, print off the letter above sign it and send it, no cost but a stamp.

kodute

paudie wrote: »

Ok people last day for sending in objections, print off the letter above sign it and send it, no cost but a stamp.

Done, takes 30 seconds with that template.

gumbynation

http://www.clarecoco.ie/idocsweb/ViewFiles.aspx?docid=261529&format=djvu

Current World Champion Mick Fanning has lodged an objection.
(you need DjVu plugin and have to opne it in Internet Explorer!)

What a champ!:D:D:D:D