John Jefferies
tracked the hovercraft down to Whitegate, on the east
side of the harbour. John says: "It was laid up on the
foreshore and while I was taking photos the owner came
out and we had a chat. Apparently he imported it from
Russia and has a Department of Marine licence to operate
it as a passenger ferry. It is a Mars 700 model made in
Novgorod. I checked it out and it's Russian owners have
a website with photos including one of the craft gliding
along the frozen Volga!
The owner's name is
Martin and he runs three scheduled tours of the harbour
a day, calling at East Beach in Cobh. He also has it on
hire for parties of up to 7 people with tours to
Crosshaven and to East Ferry and around Whitegate Bay.
He's setting up a website at though it's not online yet.
I attach one photo
of it at Whitegate, though I didn't get to see it in the
water.