All posts tagged Burnett River

Doris Graces Us With Her Presence

“Doris” arrived from Sydney yesterday. At this morning’s high tide, the pilot steered the 182m vessel up the river aided by the tugs “Ballina” and “Wilga”.

In the Burnett River - left to right "Tharion", "Wilga", "Doris" and "Ballina" 11 Dec 2011 ©2011 JoWo12

 Now some of my blog followers may be asking about shipspotting in Bundaberg and how to find out the information of arriving and departing ships. My main source of ship schedules are various pages from the Port of Gladstone website. Remember that the Port of Bundaberg is under the control of the Port of Gladstone.

So for the longer forecast, the shipping companies nominate approx when the ship might be due – up to 3 weeks in advance http://www.cqpa.com.au/webscripts/ShippingNotifications/ShippingNominations.asp?terminalid=92   Remember that there are two berths in Bundy and sometimes they sneak in a molasses ship at the other berth.

Closer to the estimated arrival time, I check qships for finer information selecting the port of Bundaberg in the top right corner http://www.qships.transport.qld.gov.au/Public/PublicMovements.aspx

When 2 days out from estimated arrival, I check the Duty Pilot Vessel Movements, looking for notations “BDB” or “sugar” – sometimes it is not obvious!!! http://www.cqpa.com.au/webscripts/Pilots/Schedule.ASP

So there you have it – all you would be shipspotters, come on down and see it happen. The best viewing area is between the Bundaberg Port Marina and Wallace Creek – the ship channel is closest to the bank at that point.

One last thing – to find out about a ship that is coming into port, or anywhere else in the word goto http://www.marinetraffic.com/ . Here is a link to the page on “Doris”  http://marinetraffic2.aegean.gr/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=215080000

See you there next time.

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by jowo12 on December 11, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by jowo12 on December 11, 2011

https://jowo12.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/doris-graces-us-with-her-presence/

Bundy Port Happenings 6 Dec 2011

While waiting for the re-scheduled departure of the “Ocean Victory” today, I decided to have a look at the conditions in the open sea. It was very windy with quite a swell running.

But the best part of the detour occurred when I spotted a loggerhead turtle coming ashore at Oaks Beach at Burnett Heads.  She struggled for a metre or so, then rested, and repeated this routine many times.

Turtle coming ashore at Oaks Beach (Burnett Heads) 06 Dec 2011 ©2011 WoJo12

 With a group of people watching from a distance, she eventually got to the wooden steps up to the road. After nearly getting stuck under the railing, she gave up and returned to the sea. Hopefully she’ll be back later tonight.

Almost stuck at the steps, Oaks Beach 06 Dec 2011

 

Now, back to the original reason for this post. Laden with sugar and consequently much lower in the water, the “Ocean Victory” left the Port of Bundaberg, assisted by the tug “Ballina” late this afternoon.

 

"Ocean Victory" sailing down the Burnett River 06 Dec 2011 ©2011 WoJo12

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by jowo12 on December 6, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by jowo12 on December 6, 2011

https://jowo12.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/bundy-port-happenings-6-dec-2011/

“Ocean Victory” arrives in port

  Well, after the strong winds in the Wide Bay have subsided sufficiently, today finally saw the arrival in port of the “Ocean Victory” from Yokohama. Scheduled originally to dock on Friday’s daylight high tide, the 169m ship was escorted up the Burnett River by the tug “Wilga” from Brisbane, and locally-based tug “Ballina”.

The "Ocean Victory" entering the Burnett River 04 Dec 2011 ©2011 WoJo12

  The most technical part of the docking is turning the ship around in the confines of the river. At the swing basin, the ship dropped its port anchor, and then the tugs begin the job of swinging the ship about the anchor.

The "Ocean Victory" almost about, while the line boat awaits the mooring lines 04 Dec 2011 ©2011 WOJO12

 

 The final step is to ease the vessel to the Bulk Sugar Terminal, gently pushed by the assisting tugs.

Tug "Ballina" pushing the "Ocean Victory" to the dock, pilot vessel "Kareela" already tied up 04 Dec 2011 ©2011 WoJo12

                    If everything goes according to plan, loading should be finished in time for the ship to leave on tomorrow’s daylight high tide.

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by jowo12 on December 4, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by jowo12 on December 4, 2011

https://jowo12.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/ocean-victory-arrives-in-port/

NEWSFLASH – African Puma seen in Bundaberg

This morning, just after first light, I was driving in Burnett Heads when I first sighted it. A slender svelte sinewy shape it was not – alas it was much larger than I had anticipated. 

Enough of this – now that I have your attention, the “African Puma” finally sailed/steamed/motored up the Burnett River to the Port. After several false starts due to engine problems and the prevailing winds, at this morning’s high tide the conditions were good.

"African Puma", aided by the tug "Ballina" 23 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

 The most dramatic part of the arrival of any ship in a port is turning the ship around. In Bundaberg, with most ships with a bow thruster, this can be achieved with just one tug when conditions are right (depth of water, wind etc). As this is the longest ship for some time, today two tugs were used – the “SMIT Leopard” came down to Bundy from Gladstone earlier in the week for the occasion.
 

Swinging the "African Puma" 24 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

 
In an earlier post I described the situation with the former “HMAS Aware”. By crikey, I just got those first photos in the nick of time – have a look at this ………………… 

The former HMAS Aware 22 Nov 2011 ©JoWo12

 That’s it from me – you have a great day

 
 
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by jowo12 on November 24, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by jowo12 on November 24, 2011

https://jowo12.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/newsflash-african-puma-seen-in-bundaberg/

22 Nov 2011 – This week at the Bundaberg Port

It has been some time since I have had a good look around the port. Today’s visit was planned to capture the docking of the “African Puma” which arrived offshore from Zhangjiagang in China today. I knew I had the correct day as I had been “watching” the “SMIT Leopard”, a tug based in Gladstone, progress down the coast this afternoon on a shiptracking website (www.marinetraffic.com). When I arrived at the port precinct, sure enough, the “SMIT Leopard” was tied up beside the Bundaberg-based tug “Ballina”. The normal procedure would be that the pilot on board the pilot vessel would head out towards the ship, checking the currents and wind along the way. He would then board the ship and follow the pilot vessel into and up the Burnett River to the sugar terminal. The ship had engine troubles, and so the pilot vessel “Kareela” came back up the river alone. The arrival has been re-scheduled for tomorrow afternoon’s high tide, providing the problems are rectified in time.

Tugs "SMIT Leopard" and "Ballina" at the Port of Bundaberg 22 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

 

Pilot vessel "Kareela" 22 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

 
 
 

For many years, the former Attack Class patrol boat , “HMAS Aware” has been rusting away in the Burnett River between the Sugar Terminal and the Bundaberg Port Marina. Launched in Brisbane in 1967, the “HMAS Aware” was based at Darwin for a time, seeking Vietnamese refugee boats, and later transferred to Adelaide. It was decommissioned and sold to private ownership in the 1990’s. For sometime it was used as a dive boat and then arrived in Bundaberg in 2006.  It had been an ugly sight – it was listing to one side and there had been some very unsympathetic additions above the deck (believed to have been added in Melbourne). At one point, it was advertised for sale for a mere AUD$85,000. See photo below, courtesy of www.boatsamillion.com

Former "HMAS Aware" with ugly additions, prior to destruction

In 2010, the surviving owner, a former crewman from the vessel, was fined $10,000 for failing to keep the vessel insured. This action has probably prompted the removal of the vessel from the river. Here are a couple of photos I took today of the 33m beauty as she lay awaiting the cutting torches.

What absolutely beautiful lines - the former "HMAS Aware" 22 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

 
 

The last resting place of the "HMAS Aware" 22 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

The last resting place of the former “HMAS Aware” 22 Nov 2011                             © JoWo12
 
 
Also moored at the Port is the dredger “Everglade”, having finished its contracted work on the river near the Sugar Terminal. Unfortunately, there’s no pretty angle of the dredger, but this is the part that does all the work – the cutting head and suction pipes.

The bits that do the work!! 22 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

 
Now finally back to the “African Puma” – for some reason the docking did not happen this afternoon as planned. Now this is a long shot – here is the ship riding high, off the coast awaiting tomorrow afternoon’s high tide at around 5:15pm.
The long shot (full zoom) “African Puma” 22 Nov 2011 © JoWo12

That’s it for now.

 
JoWo12
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by jowo12 on November 22, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by jowo12 on November 22, 2011

https://jowo12.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/22-nov-2011-this-week-at-the-port-of-bundaberg/