News

Hollywood movie star visits port

Published

11 years ago

June 16, 2014

MILFORD HAVEN welcomes Hollywood royalty for the next two weeks, in the form of a ship called the Earl of Pembroke. The recently refurbished schooner has taken time out of a hectic movie schedule to take part in a Beagle Trust activity.

The Herald spoke with the ship’s captain, Gerith, who gave some background on the boat and the reason why Pembrokeshire has the pleasure of her company. “The boat was a timber trader before but it sank, then in the early 80’s it was revived in Gloucester. The person who bought it decided to build a replica of the Endeavour (the vessel James Cook commanded). The Endeavour was bigger but he liked the shape and the rigging of it, and his intention was to put it in movies. He wanted to call it the Endeavour, but he couldn’t get the name because the Royal Navy still owned it. “Before it was the Endeavour it was the Earl of Pembroke, hence the name. For the last 20 years it has been used in movies, being docked in Charlestown and Bristol. We are here for the Beagle Trust, filming a documentary with under privileged adults to do scientific experiments in the bay; pollution orientated experiments with Southampton University, then we are off to Londonderry. We have some movies in hand but I haven’t signed the deals so far!” The Herald also spoke with second engineer Kenny, who gave a little bit of information about some of the films in which this celebrity boat has starred. “Unlike a lot of movie boats, she is a fully functional boat rather than just made-to-look-like one. She has been used in quite a few movies, Cutthroat Island, the first Alice in Wonderland film, Cloud Atlas, Hornblower, the Count of Monte Christo, the Three Musketeers, Moll Flanders and Longitude. “If we use her in a film all the stuff for safety has to be kept on deck so the props department have to do quite an amazing job. The films aren’t as well paid as you think. We still rely on donations. Even £100,000 just disappears, it’s absorbed very quickly”. He added: “On board we have a permanent crew of seven, but to do something like a trans-Atlantic voyage we would need a full crew of 15. The guys who are on here now actually live here; this is their home.” Commenting on the sea legs needed for a boat with no stabilisers, as you would have on a modern cruise ship, he said: “It’s harder for me to stand here on the quayside than it is on the boat. To me the land is moving! She does roll, especially in a swell. At 3am this morning I woke up head butting the hull! Everyone has their own coping mechanisms on sea sickness, for me, I just come and sit on deck for ten minutes.” There is a possibility that the boat could re-enact the Darwin journey which would involve a voyage around the world that could take two years, a voyage which has never been repeated since Darwin completed it. Kenny finished by saying he hoped the boat would be ready and prepared to take visitors on board this weekend: “We will have a gangplank on and visitors can come on for a pound and also donate. Get the kids down, we are dressed as pirates. We get them playing with the wheel, get them involved, and it gets the adults involved too.” The Earl of Pembroke will be docked in Milford Port, adjacent to Pirate Pete’s for the next two weeks.

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

5 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

5 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

6 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”