capnsensible
Active member
Opportunity to see HMS Prince of Wales departing Pompey around 1300 today . Off on deployment to far flung, due back towards Christmas.
Anyone in the Solent today?
- Thread starter capnsensible
- Start date
Sandy
Active member
It was pretty quiet before Easter. I did see the two big grey funnel line tied up as usual.
There must have been a whip round for fuel.
There must have been a whip round for fuel.
capnsensible
Active member
There's lots online about Carrier Strike Group 25.
You'll be pleased to know how your tax poonds are being spent!
capnsensible
Active member
capnsensible
Active member
If you're not in the Solent but have an interest, try this.
Blue Seas
Active member
Brought tears to my eyes, I've always had a soft spot for great big freshly painted targets.
Last edited:
Chiara’s slave
Active member
Been out in the western end. Not really enough water for aircraft carriers down here, so missed it. 5 boats launched today though, so all good.
capnsensible
Active member
They need 11metres. Back in the day, the western entrance to the Solent was very often used by warships, tankers, cruise ships etc.
Perhaps smaller warships still do as a navigation exercise? Aeons ago I dipped to a Type 42 heading out that way. I was on the south side of the channel about opposite Hurst Castle.
Chiara’s slave
Active member
They’ve been jumpy about it since HMS Gladiator. I have not seen any national ship bigger than a border force boat down this way. The odd cargo ship, rude buggers they are, but nothing Navy.
dunedin
Active member
Last time I passed there was a large cruise ship squeezed into South Haven at Fair Isle - if you take a look at that on the chart, the Western Entrance to the Solent is a complete dawdle by conparison, like a 6 lane motorway vs hill track.
Last edited:
Chiara’s slave
Active member
If they get money from landing 1000 fat tourists, they'll squeeze in anywhere. There’s nothing for cruise passengers here, so they don’t take any chances. Thankfully. It’s busy enough with dinghys, yachts and ferries.
Never Grumble
Active member
A T42 does make it a long time ago. Used to go through there all the time, but then we were the last Leander class frigate used purely for nav training, after that I tried to persuade my next CO on a T22 to go that way but he wouldn't have it, he preferred to run for the open sea.
DJE
Active member
QE2 used to go out that way in her day.
capnsensible
Active member
I used to know an ex T22 skipper very well. As RNSA members we became friends. As an ex SSN captain, im sure he would have been up for it!
Blue Seas
Active member
Indeed she did.
I was at one time I was Michael Palin's boat skipper when he was making a series about the Isle of Wight, Count Dracular and ghosts were involved IIRC. We were drifting with engines in neutral (22' Rib) just outside of the shipping channel off Calshot / Hamble exit whilst he was speaking to mike/camera with BBC film crew and producer onboard.
I noticed QE2 coming down Southampton water, radio'd her and VTS to explain that I had Palin and the BBC team onboard and could I enter the channel ahead of them to film. I said that I would scoot out of the way as she approached (40knot boat). They agreed and I started to track across QE2 bows and went back to neutral.
5 mins later the whole crew and passengers of the QE2 were lining the rails filming us (Michael) the ship having presumably broadcast it.
When the time came to scoot, I put each engine back into gear and both coughed and died!
One engine never did restart, the other took five attempts - I lost a lot of body fluid.
We escaped by 5-10 meters or so, Palin, the BBC and the QE2 bridge team thought I had done brilliantly - if they only knew!
She then proceeded to the Western Entrance with masses of footage all round.
I still have the sweats thinking about it.
Feckety, feck, feck, feck.
capnsensible
Active member
Great dit!!!!
Blue Seas
Active member
Actually it's true, some may remember that Michael Pali stayed onboard one of those B&B barges in Bembridge. He was there for about 6 weeks iirc. Maybe someone can find it, all about Vampires and spooky things.
DJE
Active member
lustyd
Active member
There was one parked across the channel at Falmouth (St Mawes side) when we arrived. Regal Princess, much larger beast than PoW yet couldn’t manage the easterlies in the bay and blocking the channel was the “only option”.
We’ve seen PoW and Rob going and out on many occasions when berthed at Haslar. I actually find the entry lights more interesting than the ships these days. There’s a YT video of how they navigate the entrance that’s interesting.
Anyone not local, if you approach the harbour and there are yachts just milling around, it might be that the entrance is closed for the carriers to manoeuvre so approach slowly!
capnsensible
Active member
No insult, perhaps I should have said true dit! Like.
Other threads that may be of interest
