Here’s some cool video footage we captured of the Cork Pilots in their Interceptor 48 pilot boat ‘Failte’ undertaking pilot transfers off Cork

Harbour during the recent days of strong SE gales. Roches Point lighthouse recorded 50kts of wind on the 13th as the Cosco bulk carrier passed and the Cork wave buoy 2nm off the harbour entrance recorded waves to 6.7m at the time.

The pilot boat coxwain managed to get alongside and safely disembark the pilot despite the challenging sea state.

Afterwards on the 15th conditions moderated, with the Gramaldi car carrier able to depart which we caught again nicely by drone. Respect for the Ports pilots and pilot boats crew in keeping the Port working and shipping moving in such bad sea and weather conditions.

I can’t get enough videos from Safehaven Marine, very impressive and addictive. The local sea pilots in my part of the world, Port Phillip Sea Pilot’s, have been operating since around the 1830s and they operate in some conditions. Their launches are hugely impressive too but there aren’t many videos of them

brutal weather its always bad all around the south coast and up along the west coast durng the winter months , im glad im not doing that kind of work its not an easy job at all ,thank you for the video Frank and reminding us what its like off the coast of ireland,, more videos please even of finer days just to see some drone footage and big ships on the high seas

Dicey stuff. I’ve had some nasty moments at sea with pilots getting on and off in this sort of weather and some of them would be on the boat for 40 min before they boarded. I never understood how they weren’t throwing up all over the place when they reached the bridge. Sometimes they were ladies. Gutsy persons job! Have to respect them for it.

I used to carry marine pilots to and from the docks in Port Talbot steelworks, South Wales UK, in my taxi. I often wondered what it was like getting on and off a ship, especially in heavy seas and in the dark. Not for the faint hearted