Coming back into Portsmouth.

August 10, 2024August 10, 2024 / Andy Finnegan / 1 Comment

Into the Solent – continued part 2.

After visiting the forts we turned and headed back towards Portsmouth. In the distance out towards the nab tower, we could see ships waiting at anchor to enter the port.

Tuesday had been wet and windy but Wednesday the day of our trip was sunny and flat calm.

There is a passenger Hovercraft service from Southsea to the Isle of Wight. Hovertravel provides the fastest Isle of Wight ferry it is said to be the world’s only year-round passenger hovercraft service. The service takes you directly to the shore at Southsea or Ryde in just 10 minutes.

Outside Portsmouth Habour are 2 rows of 3 lights these mark the channel for HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship HMS Prince Of Wales.

The harbour entrance into Portsmouth Harbour is only around 200 m wide. A tight squeeze for our Aircraft Carriers!

Once into the Harbour, we proceeded past the Spinnaker Tower and historic dockyard into the Naval dockyard.

The Spinnaker Tower is a 170-metre (560 ft) observation tower A landmark it is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour, Its building was supported by a National Lottery grant. there are viewing platforms near the top.

HMS Warrior is Britain’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship, she was launched in 1860, {around the same time as the forts}The pride of Queen Victoria’s fleet she was powered by steam and sail, – the largest, fastest and most powerful ship of her day and had a massive effect on naval shipbuilding of that time. Warrior was, in her time, the ultimate deterrent however within a few years, she was obsolete. Today, she is restored and back afloat and open to the public.

We were escorted into the Naval Dockyard. MOD police which ensure no craft gets too close the warships.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was in port the 1st of our 2 Aircraft Carriers which are the largest and most powerful vessels ever constructed for the Royal Navy. They each weigh 65,000 tonnes, have a top speed of over 25 knots per hour and a range of 10,000 nautical miles. Her Length is 284 m (932 ft)

HMS Dragon Type 45 is a Daring-class air-defence destroyer. She was launched in November 2008 and commissioned in 2012

HMS Diamond D34 another Daring-class was undergoing replenishment, further in the dockyard.

Note the barge with crane alongside, the signal flags read -top one CODE, then ROMEO then YANKEE – this means “slow down and no wash as you pass. The ship is being replenished.” I guess not munitions as no explosive flags were flying.

The 3rd Daring-class in port was HMS Dauntless {D33}

Decommissioned Royal Navy Type 23 Frigates HMS Monmouth F235 and HMS Montrose F236 stand awaiting their fate or scrapping on the “trots” at Portsmouth.

Leaving the Naval part of the dockyard we passed this old Lightship, now a nightclub and a Border Force patrol boat.

The tour ended from where we started,- a great day out on this Gosport ferry cruise.

Into the Solent.

August 8, 2024August 8, 2024 / Andy Finnegan / 3 Comments

On Wednesday I took an afternoon small boat cruise into the Solent taking in No Man’s Land, Spitbank and Horse Sand forts, designed and built in the 19^th century by Lord Palmerston to protect the eastern approaches to Portsmouth Harbour.

Leaving from Gosport on one of the Hythe ferry boats The ” Spirit of Portsmouth” the trip gave a good close-up of the forts.

Below is a picture of one of the other ferries similar to the boat we were on.

One of the fortification Towers at the entrance into Portsmouth Harbour.

Heading out of Portsmouth we passed Fort Gilkicker one of the shore forts {which I have posted about in the past} This fort is being restored and redeveloped into apartments.

A pilot boat headed out to meet an incoming ship into the Solent.

Spitbank Fort.

No Man’s Land fort.

Horse Sands Fort.

Returning to Portsmouth Harbour we passed the now no longer used Submarine training escape tower – I understand the tower was filled with water and the crew could practice emergency escapes from a stranded submarine there.

Further pictures from the boat trip will be posted later.

Male Kingfisher.

August 6, 2024 / Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

The bottom of the beak is a different colour for females. The male Kingfisher’s beak is entirely black. The female’s beak has a pinkish-orange tinge on the bottom.

To remember it is a female, many people say she is wearing lipstick.

How Green is your grass?

August 4, 2024 / Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

Southampton Old Bowling Green, situated on the corner of Lower Canal Walk and Platform Road, Southampton, England, also claims to be the world’s oldest surviving bowling green. It was first used in 1299.

My City.

August 3, 2024August 4, 2024 / Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

I revisited Southampton City yesterday to see more of the “Light the South art trail”. A public art event consisting of 40 painted lighthouse sculptures each standing 8ft tall. {there will be a further 30 mini lighthouses.} The art trail is to raise funds for Southampton Hospital Charity.

Below is the link to my post of my 1st visit.

https://wordpress.com/post/skylid.travel.blog/11751

Some different lighthouses seen yesterday.

Below 5 of the mini-lighthouses.

While walking around I took some general views of the town centre.

Civic Centre.

Forest stream.

August 1, 2024August 2, 2024 / Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

Another hot weather walk in the New Forest this morning found us following a small stream on the flat which helped us keep cool. There were many Dragonflies – Emperor Dragonflies were “dipping”. An action where they lay their eggs.