Second half 2006
Seafair Haven 2008
The last week of 2006 saw the formation of a committee to develop and launch Seafair Haven 2008....... Watch these pages for the date of Wales' foremost classic boat event and the UK's equivalent of the Semaine du Golfe festival from the Morbihan.
Pembrokeshire's Historical Traders
Celtic Maritime Connections has recently had the privilege of being loaned the papers of Captain John George of Trevine and latterly Solva. These include the ships logs and papers of the SS Ben Rein, which was probably the last ship to trade around the Pembrokeshire coast with regular visits to Haverfordwest and Carmarthen.
Celtic Saints
The Arts and Culture area of this web site is available for local artists with a marine or celtic theme to their work, we have great pleasure in adding to our pages the writings of Andrew Dugmore of Pembrokeshire Paths, who is researching the connections, the myths and the legends that form the foundations of the cultures of Pembrokeshire and South east ireland.
Old Photographs of Milford
Here are some old photographs of Milford, I will be adding further Photographs from all around the coast, to the Pembrokeshire History pages.
If you have photographs or stories to include, please contact me, Richard James.
I believe this is Roberts Ship Yard in Huberston pill, however if anyone can advise me differently, I would be grateful.
Project update
It has been an interesting month for the project, with no let up as we move into the late autumn period.
Pembrokeshire College's MITEC students have been over to New Ross in County Wexford for a week, to work on the Dunbrody.
We will publish details of their visit as soon as we get their reports in, but it seems that they had an interesting and enjoyable time, it is a very special opportunity for them to get the chance to work on a traditionally built Tall Ship!
The West Wales Maritime Heritage Society has been working tirelessly to support the Project and key meetings are due to occur with them in the near future.
As you can see from these pages, Celtic Maritime Connections has been in contact with Maritime Historians and Maritime Heritage groups across Wales and each link to these, is the result of a request, which has been supported whole heartedly.
I know there are many people who visit these and other Maritime history and heritage web sites on a daily basis. Many of you have a thought or comment you would like to say, but if we are going to highlight the importance of our Maritime Heritage then we would ask you to take a few minutes to have your say here.
The Celtic Maritime Connections FORUM is there for this purpose, it is meant for comments on Welsh Maritime Heritage, no matter how diverse. Click here to enter the forum or go to the forum page and follow the link there.
Maritime Heritage in Wales Forum
North Wales links
As with trading links along the coasts of Wales, it has always been considered important that Celtic maritime Connections has ties throughout Wales.
I am pleased, therefore to link this site to the Gwynedd Maritime Database which provides considerable information from the North coasts. Look at the Charts of Lewis Morris, rig illustrations and the anecdotes to name but a few areas that Robert Dafydd has covered in his expansive site.
The Continuous development of Maritime History links
Adding to the increasing list of links to Historical resources we have been delighted by the response from historians both amateur and professional.
Terry & Heather James's site TERRA DEMETARUM — THE LAND OF DYFED is a fascinating view of Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire, in particular look at "Carmarthen Bar and its shipwrecks"
New links to Mariners and Marine History sites
As a part of the process of involving groups from all over Wales, we are continuously adding links to sites of interest.
Quite often serious study and research into maritime history is undertaken by individuals, often as a result of starting on their own family history. Celtic maritime Connections is working to join all these individuals and their dedicated and considerable work together in one place, thus creating a start point for those interested in Welsh Maritime history.
The Swansea and Cardiff Mariners sites are the work of Bryan Richards, his sites include a stunning quantity of information with easy to use search tools.
The Glamorgan Index, that I have linked to, is the not inconsiderable work of Bob Sanders.
I am sure you will all join me in thanking them for allowing us to share the amazing data that they have worked tirelessly to produce.
Semaine du Golfe
For those of you that enjoy classic boats and yachts of all sizes, here is a wonderful event in the Morbihan, a sister event to our own Sea Fair Haven which was run in June.
Running for the 4th time, this event is rapidly becoming more and more significant in the classic boat calendar, for more details follow the link on our links pages.
Milford Trawlers
Celtic Maritime Connections is pleased to be able to provide you with a link to a significant web site on the history of Pembrokeshire Trawlers
This website is intended to provide family historians and other researchers with details of Milford-based trawlers and other fishing vessels, especially their official numbers (where applicable) and the dates between which they operated from the port, together with information on losses, accidents and incidents involving the ships and the men who sailed in them - www.milfordtrawlers.org
Welsh Master Mariners
Following on the theme of family history and geneology, our links pages also contain a link to Reg Davies's amazing database of Welsh Mariners. Try a search here, you might be quite surprised. www.welshmariners.org
*** All these contacts and connections can be found on the links pages, if you would like your web site or research to be linked, contact Richard James ***
Celtic Maritime Connections trying to save Classic Yachts
CMC have become aware of a couple of classic Norwegian yachts which, whilst still afloat, are in need of restoration. The real concern is, that the threat of destruction hangs over these lovely craft.
Neptune and Dragon
As an organisation interested in all things maritime, to destroy a lovely classic yacht, no matter how poor the state of repair, would be tragic. Keep watching these pages to follow their story and If you are interested in knowing more, contact Richard James
Maritime Heritage in Wales Forum
Celtic Maritime Connections has now launched its new forum site, called Maritime Heritage in Wales.
You can go to the forum site by clicking Forum on the navigation bar and following the link.
Here is your chance to become interactive and have your say about Maritime Heritage across Wales.
Tenacious sets sail
The Tenacious has now set sail having had all her repairs and maintenance completed at the Milford Haven dry Docks
(see below for tenacious information)
Update on the project
The next phase of the Celtic Maritime Connections Project is underway, we are looking at the maritime history of Pembrokeshire, peeling away the pages of history to reveal the true Maritime Heritage of the County.
Contributions have already been promised by theTenby Museum, the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society and Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks to name but a few.
In the past three weeks the project has been in South East Ireland ( where links with the Wexford friends of Tall ships have been formed ), the Southampton Boat Show ( where we have been in talks with the Celtic Goodwill Raid) and in our home county, where we have been meeting with cultural groups of musicians and artists, linked to this project by the sea and the people who worked on the coasts.
Please visit our pages where we hope to highlight Pembrokeshire's and South East Ireland's artists and musicians and our links pages for connections to Clubs and other Marine web sites throughout the area.
If you wish to be included on these pages or you have news or interesting information, please contact cmc@mhpa.co.uk
Wexford's Friends of Tall Ships
In October 1994 a group of maritime enthusiasts got together and formed an organisation called Wexford's Friends of the Tall Ships.
The main objective of this small group was to promote and enhance the seafaring tradition which was synonymous with the county for centuries.
In order to achieve their goal they set out to bring tall ships into Wexford Harbour.
Over the years the committee has gathered a wealth of information on Wrecks off the Wexford Coast, on the Commodore John Barry Legacy and on ships and on people who helped to create national and international fame for the south east corner of Ireland.
Like all active organisations they looked at other ways to encourage local involvement, the most significant being the introduction of an annual seamen’s mass at which service medals are presented to wartime mariners or to their next of kin.
As a group they are very pleased with the public response to their endeavors and they certainly take great pride in the knowledge that they have learned so much more about the many brave sailors who have gone before them.
For more information contact Michael Murphy at: wftallships@eircom.net
Tenacious returns to Milford
The ship is in Milford Dry Dock after having suffered an engine room fire on route here.
Make sure you come and see her here as she is arguably one of the best handling Tall Ships, under sail, afloat.
I have included her details below, but anyone who has seen Tenacious sail in a good breeze will agree what a wonderful spectacle she makes.
Here are some Tenacious facts:
Designed by Tony Castro, TENACIOUS is the largest wooden tall ship of her kind in the world. The innovative wood epoxy laminate build started in 1996 with a team made up of skilled designers, engineers, shipwrights and fitters headed up by ship building director Howard Mackenzie Wilson. These were supplemented by a volunteer force of over 1500 able bodied and disabled people who came on working "Shorewatch" holidays from all over the UK and abroad.
The Jubilee Sailing Trust’s, Patron, HRH The Duke of York laid the keel in June 1996. The hull was built upside down and in November 1998, the 280-ton hull was rotated upright prior to fit-out. Tenacious was launched in February 2000, and was named on April 6th by the Honorable Jacquetta Cator, the wife of the president of the JST, in the presence of the Patron. She set sail on her maiden voyage to Jersey from Southampton on 1st September 2000.
Length 213ft, Beam 34ft, Crew 50
Further information contact Jubilee Sailing Trust, Jubilee Yard, Woolston, Southampton SO19 7GB. Tel 013 8044 9108
Dunbrody Schools Competition
Some wonderful pictures and paintings have started coming into the office, obviously a lot of hard work has taken place by the children taking part. Judging will be difficult as standards are so high, but with a little help from our sponsors we will hopefully reach our decisions as the month progresses.
Many thanks to the help from all the teachers who have found time in their busy schedule to make this happen.
Pembrokeshires Atlantic Challenge Gig
It would be remiss of me not to mention the Atlantic Challenge Gig that we have in Pembrokeshire, a Gig is almost a mini tall ship! It is a traditional 36 foot boat used for rowing and sailing for groups of up to 10 people and there are competitions all over the world.
Anyone interested can become a crew member with the chance to take part in the fantastic events both locally and abroad, you can even train up to be a full coxswain on it!
I will provide readers with more information contact the CMC email address
or go to www.pembrokeshiregig.org.uk
Discovery of Bronze Age Boat at Milford Haven
Archaeologists working on a gas pipeline near Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire have unearthed what they believe to be a 3,400-year-old canoe.
Work has stopped on a section of the pipeline near St Botolphs to allow the Bronze Age oak relic to be recovered.
It is the first such discovery in Wales and only 150 exist across Europe.
Senior archaeologist Neil Fairburn said:
"You could never have expected to find anything like this in this small wetland area, it's just awesome. Everybody here is excited and it's unlikely they'll ever work on anything like this again."
It was found six weeks ago less than a metre below the surface in a marshy area of land, but archaeologists have only just had it confirmed what the find was and work was stopped immediately.
A fragment was sent to experts in Miami, who radio carbon dated it to 1,420 BC.
The canoe is carved from a single trunk of oak, and measures 4.5m x 0.9m (15ft x 3ft).
It is being kept continuously wet to prevent it from rotting. It will take another two weeks before the team is ready to move the canoe, which will be handed over to the National Museum of Wales
BBC NEWS 24 August 2006
