MS Ryndam Cruise Ship before the Southern Breakwater, Dover Harbour, Kent, UK

A view of the MS Ryndam heading for the Eastern Entrance of Dover Harbour and English Channel beyond at 5.12 pm on Sunday, 1st of May, 2011 (1):


(Click this MS Ryndam Cruise Ship text link to see the largest size)

Harbour House
Western Docks at Night

The passenger ship is accompanied by two tugs, DHB Dauntless (left) and DHB Doughty (right), owned by Dover Harbour Board whose offices, located in Harbour House of Waterloo Crescent, overlook the harbour.

Behind the ship is the Southern Breakwater and the Dover Breakwater West End Light (2)

To the right of the lighthouse is the Western Entrance that lies between the breakwater and the Admiralty Pier (out-of-shot to the right: part of the Western Docks).

Cruise ships berth alongside the Admiralty Pier and then usually leave the Port of Dover by the Western Entrance. On this occasion strong winds have caused the Ryndam to opt for the same route a sister-ship, the MS Eurodam, took the previous year.

The photo was taken from the Prince of Wales Pier just as the Ryndam was passing the wreck site of the Spanish Prince (ex-Knight Bachelor), a World War I blockship scuttled/sunk in 1915.

Earlier in April, the Ryndam left the Gulf of Mexico by sailing south of the Florida Keys and then called at Cherbourg (France) and Zeebrugge (Belgium). The passenger ship is now beginning a 21-day Mediterranean Medley cruise and returned to Dover on Saturday, 21st of May, before the voyage finally ended in Rotterdam on the 22nd. Cruise itinerary (schedule):

Saxon Church and Roman Pharos on Harold's Earthwork, Dover Castle, Kent, UK

The East Roman Pharos (on the right: a lighthouse and watchtower) and Saxon church of St Mary-in-Castro sit in a shallow depression on top of a huge horseshoe-shaped mound called "Harold's Earthwork":


(Click this St Mary-in-Castro and Pharos text link to see the largest size)

The rampart is rimmed by a the ruins of a low parapet wall, visible either side of the buildings, that was once connected to the composite Norman and Saxon Colton Gate (behind the viewer; alt. Colton Gateway, Colton Tower).

Harold's Earthwork was raised by Henry III (Henry of Winchester, Plantagenet) and lies south of Henry II's Keep, or "Great Tower", out-of-shot to the left (1).

The photo was taken at 5.31 pm on Sunday, 26th of June, 2011.

Click to see all photos of the Pharos and St Mary-in-Castro; also see all Dover Lighthouse and Church photos.

Dover Castle is a Grade I Dover Listed Building and Dover English Heritage site; the Pharos and St Mary-in-Castro have separate Grade I listings.

The following notes are divided into three sections - Pharos and Church, Pharos, Church:

MS Saga Pearl II Cruise Ship and DHB Dauntless Tug, Western Docks, Dover, Kent, UK

An early morning view of the MS Saga Pearl II in the last minutes of berthing alongside Cruise Terminal (CT3) of the Admiralty Pier in the Western Docks of Dover Harbour:


(Click this MS Saga Pearl II Cruise Ship text link to see the largest size)

The photo was taken on a cycle ride (1) at 6.57 am on Saturday, 29th of May, 2010, from near the lighthouse end of the Prince of Wales Pier (western side).

The lighthouse in the photo is the Admiralty Pier Light. It was built in 1908, has a cast iron tower 72 feet high, and flashes a white light every 7.5 seconds when operational (see all lighthouse photos).

On the left is the Dover Harbour Board tug, DHB Dauntless. Behind the tug is the Western Entrance. On the far side of the English Channel the cliffs of France can be seen as a hazy line on the horizon.

The Saga Pearl II had to berth at CT3 (the furthest from shore) because CT1 and CT2 were already occupied by the MS Braemar and the MS Eurodam cruise ships, respectively. A busy day in the Port of Dover!

The MS Saga Pearl II is shown returning from a round-trip 15-night "Gems of the Baltic" cruise that had began in Dover on Friday, 14th of May, 2010.

Itinerary: Copenhagen (Denmark, via the Kiel Canal), Travemünde (Travemunde, Germany), Stockholm (Sweden), Helsinki (Finland), St. Petersburg (Russia), Tallinn (Estonia), Visby (Sweden), Klaipeda (Lithuania), Glydnia (Poland), Rønne (Ronne, Denmark), and then back to Dover.

The Saga Pearl II left port again later in the evening. The following day (May 30th) Captain David Warden-Owen recorded the following (abridged) (2):

Night Panorama of Dover Castle overlooking the Seafront and Harbour, Kent, UK

A panoramic view of the south-western face of Dover Castle's Keep (or Great Tower) taken at night on New Years Day, Saturday, 1st of January, 2011:


(Click this Dover Castle & Harbour at Night text link to see the largest size)

The Norman Keep was once known as Palace Tower and "...was designed by Henry II’s architect ‘Maurice the Engineer’ (or mason) and built between 1180 and 1185".

Beneath the Keep are the towers of the Inner Bailey wall, or Inner Curtain Wall. There are two entrances to the Keep-yard: on the left of the inner curtain wall is a flanking tower of King's Gate (King's Gateway), and the twin towers of Palace Gate (Palace Gateway) are on the right.

Constable's Gate
St Mary-in-Castro

Below the Inner Curtain Wall are the towers of the Western Outer Curtain Wall, from left to right: Constable's Tower, Queen Mary's Tower, Peverell's Gateway, Gatton's Tower, Say's Tower (not illuminated), Hurst's Tower, and Fulbert's Tower.

On Harold's Earthwork near top left are the Roman lighthouse, or East Pharos, and Saxon church of St Mary-in-Castro (more Dover churches).

In daylight, part of the White Cliffs of Dover would be visible below and to the right of the church.

On the seafront in the lower-half of the photo, the Gateway Flats overlook Marine Parade, the beach and harbour, to the Straits of Dover and English Channel beyond.

Above the Gateway Flats on the left are lights from Victoria Park (with its turreted Lodge, or Gatehouse). To the right of the Gateway Flats is part of the Premier Inn.

The photo was taken at 6.43 pm from the Clock Tower end of the Prince of Wales Pier while on an evening cycle ride (1).

Excerpt from "The Port of Dover" (2):

MS Disney Magic Cruise Ship and Waasland Sea Barge at Sunrise, Dover Harbour, Kent, UK

The MS Disney Magic berthed at CT2 (Cruise Terminal 2) on the Admiralty Pier of Dover Harbour's Western Docks, her bow pointing in the direction of the Western Entrance and English Channel beyond:


(Click this text link to see the largest size)

The Dover Harbour Board tug DHB Dauntless is visible directly below the passenger ship's rear funnel.

To the left of the Disney Magic is the Waasland Sea Barge, in port to remove the wreck of the First World War (World War I) blockship, the 450-feet long Spanish Prince (ex-Knight Batchelor).

This Dover Harbour photo was taken at 5.47 am on Thursday, 24th of June, 2010, from a point between the Porthole Shelters (out-of-shot behind the viewer) and the Cafe and Lighthouse (in front) on the Prince of Wales Pier.

The MS Disney Magic has just finished a 12-Night Northern European Capitals Cruise which called at Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), Warnemünde/Rostock (Germany), St Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), and Stockholm (Sweden).

Later in the day, the ship began a cruise with a similar itinerary, except it lasted for 11 nights and called at Tallinn (Estonia) instead of Helsinki.

Ship information:

Rare view of the 1st Century Roman Pharos, Dover Castle, Kent, UK

The East Roman Pharos in the grounds of Dover Castle stands on a huge horseshoe-shaped rampart known as Harold's Earthwork:


(Click this East Roman Pharos text link to see the largest size)

The East Roman Pharos was built 46 AD during the reign of Emperor Claudius while Aulus Plautius was governor.

On the right-hand side of the photo is part of a low perimeter wall that runs all the way around the edge of the earthwork.

The reason the above view of the Pharos (a watchtower or lighthouse) is rare - if not unique, at least as far as the internet is concerned - is because it was taken from the west and from outside of the perimeter wall.

Behind the Pharos is the Saxon church of St Mary-in-Castro.

A replica remnant of the West Roman Pharos, known as the Bredenstone, is located on the other side of the River Dour valley on the Drop Redoubt (part of a vast Napoleonic and Victorian hidden fortress embedded into the Western Heights).

MS Costa Magica Cruise Ship, Admiralty Pier, Western Entrance, Dover Harbour, Kent, UK

The MS Costa Magica passing through the Western Entrance of Dover Harbour into the Straits of Dover and English Channel beyond:


(Click this MS Costa Magica Cruise Ship text link to see the largest size)

The Western Entrance lies between the Admiralty Pier on the right and the out-of-shot Southern Breakwater to the left.

The above photo was taken at 6.02 pm on Monday, 17th of May, 2010, from the lighthouse and cafe end of the Prince of Wales Pier. The Dover Lighthouse in the photo is the Admiralty Pier Light (built 1908; cast iron tower 72 feet high; white flash every 7.5 seconds).

The Costa Magica arrived in the Western Docks from Santander (Spain) and is shown sailing for Kiel (Germany) to begin an 11-night "Northern Europe Cruise" on the 19th of May calling at:

Stockholm (Sweden, via the Kiel Canal), Helsinki (Finland), St. Petersburg (Russia), Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), Klaipeda (Lithuania), Glydnia (Poland), and Rønne (Ronne, Denmark). From Rønne the passenger ship returned to Kiel via the Kiel Canal.

A Costa Magica video from Costa Cruzeiros of Brazil:

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The Costa Magica (1) (2)

The Costa Magica is a cruise ship for Costa Cruises. She debuted in 2004 as a sister ship to Costa Fortuna, built on the same Carnival Cruise Lines' platform as the Destiny-class.

MV Braemar Cruise Ship and Admiralty Pier Light, Western Entrance, Dover Harbour, Kent, UK

The MV Braemar entering the English Channel via the Western Entrance of Dover Harbour at 4.48 pm on Thursday, 1st of July, 2010:



The Western Entrance lies between the Admiralty Pier and the Southern Breakwater (out-of-shot to the left). The photo was taken from the public walkway above Cruise Terminal 3 (see the MS Minerva photo) on the Admiralty Pier, Western Docks.

The lighthouse was built in 1908 and is a 72 feet high cast iron tower with a white flash every 7.5 seconds when in use: click to see the Admiralty Pier Light photo for more information.

The Braemar has just left Cruise Terminal 2 (CT2) on the Admiralty Pier after arriving earlier in the day from Stavanger in Norway at the end of the 13-night BM1013 "North Cape Navigator" cruise. The ship is now embarking on the 7-night BM1014 "Norwegian Summer" cruise. A round-trip with the following itinerary: Bergen, Olden, Flåm (Flam), Gudvangen, and Stavanger (all in Norway, of course!).

The distant ferry to the left of the Braemar is the Pride of Canterbury (P&O Ferries) which arrived in port about 15 minutes later. The Pride of Canterbury also appears in a Seafrance Nord Pas de Calais photo.

MS Braemar details:

MV Braemar Cruise Ship, DHB Dauntless Tug, Admiralty Pier, Western Docks, Dover Harbour, Kent, UK

The MV Braemar reversing past CT3 and CT2 (Cruise Terminals 3 and 2) on the Admiralty Pier of Dover Harbour's Western Docks, her bow pointing in the direction of the Western Entrance and English Channel beyond:



The passenger ship is about to berth at Cruise Terminal 1 and is being escorted by DHB Dauntless, Dover Harbour Board's sister-tug to DHB Doughty.

This post-sunrise Dover Harbour photo was taken at 6.29 am on Saturday, 29th of May, 2010, from the lighthouse and cafe end of the Prince of Wales Pier. The Dover Lighthouse in the photo is the Admiralty Pier Light (built 1908; cast iron tower 72 feet high; white flash every 7.5 seconds).

The Braemar arrived from Invergordon (Scotland) and sailed later in the day for Copenhagen (Denmark) at the start of a Baltic Seas cruise.

Ship's details:

The Bredenstone, West Roman Pharos, Drop Redoubt, Western Heights, Dover, Kent, UK

The Bredenstone, or "Devil's Drop of Mortar", is all that visibly remains of the Roman West Pharos located on the Drop Redoubt:


(Click this Bredenstone text link to see the largest size)

The Drop Redoubt is a 5-sided polygonal fortress embedded into the Western Heights above the town of Dover, England.

The basic structure, with sides between 70 and 100 yards long, was completed by the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Four caponiers were subsequently added in Victorian times. The Drop Redoubt caponiers (alt. caponier) are two-storey chambers extending into the moat that surrounds the fortress.

In the background of the photo are the five bomb-proof arches of the Soldiers Quarters. The lefthand arch has a tunnel and steps at the back leading down to Caponnier 2. Access to Caponier 3 is via the 2nd arch from the right; the rightmost arch itself originally housed a cookhouse. Access to Caponier 4 is via an opening set in the wall approaching the right of cookhouse.

Between the Bredenstone (alt. Bredon-stone) and the Soldiers Quarters is a "sunken road" leading to the bridge entrance to the redoubt (out-of-shot to the left). The Bredenstone sits above the Officers Quarters on one side of the road; on the far side are a guardroom and prison cells.

The photo was taken on the Drop Redoubt Open Day of June 10th, 2007.

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The Bredenstone (1)

MS AIDAcara Cruise Ship at Sunset, Admiralty Pier, Western Docks, Dover Harbour, Kent, UK

The MS AIDAcara passenger ship leaving the Western Docks by the Western Entrance for the English Channel with the Admiralty Pier on the right:



Lighthouse: Admiralty Pier Light.

Sunset view taken from the Prince of Wales Pier.

From Le Havre (France), going to Hamburg (Germany).

Passenger ship's details:

Name: AIDAcara
Owner: AIDA Cruises
Operator: AIDA Cruises
Port of registry: Italy
Builder: Kvaerner Masa-Yards (Finland)
In service: June 1996
Refit: 2005
IMO: 9112789
Call Sign: IBNR
MMSI: 247117300
Tonnage: 38,531 gross register tons (GRT)
Length: 634.2 ft (193.30 m)
Beam: 90.5 ft (27.58 m)
Draft: 20.3 ft (6.19 m)[1]
Decks: 11 total, 9 passenger
Installed power: 2 diesel-electric (21,720kW)
Speed: 20-knot (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity: 1,186 passengers
Crew: 360 crew

A Dover Harbour photo.

More information (including sources used and a Google Earth satellite map) can be found on this photo's original webpage at:

MS AIDAcara Cruise Ship at Sunset, Admiralty Pier, Western Docks, Dover Harbour

Also see:

MS AIDAcara Cruise Ship, Western Docks, Admiralty Pier, Dover Harbour
MS AIDAcara Cruise Ship near Cruise Terminal 1, Admiralty Pier, Dover Harbour
MS AIDAcara Cruise Ship in an Early Morning Sea Mist, Dover Harbour

A new vessel from AIDA Cruises for 2011:

MS AIDAsol Cruise Ship in Dover Harbour on her Maiden Voyage

Links to the main Images of Dover website:

Click to see all Cruise Ship photos (related tags: Boats, Ferries, Lifeboats, Navy, Sailing Ships, Ships, Tugs, and Workboats).

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town