Offshore Visit Today
- 2 November 2011 17:42134609This Naval vessel suantered slowly into our immediate waters late this afternoon. He was going rather slowly...then something disgorged from the rear..and headed straight for shore. One of those naval RIBs. Whether it was some of the guys making a run for it..all that seasickness!...or were they sending in for KFC..who knows, but good to see them. Conditions were very grey at the time but took the following shots. Not great but just about legible.
Coming towards Dover above.
Then something slips out the rear.
The main vessel turns around and watches the guys heading for shore.
You can just about see the RIB struggling through the choppy waters.email: dover7@msn.com - 2 November 2011 18:42134614That is a River class offshore patrol vessel. HMS Severn of this class is a fairly frequent visitor to Dover, generally in her fishery protection role.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Severn_(P282)
Also one of the Duke class Type 23 frigates, HMS Iron Duke, passed Dover late this afternoon. We passed her on a reciprocal course as we headed down towards Dover after leaving the traffic lanes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Iron_Duke_(F234) - 2 November 2011 21:29134624i never see any of these interesting ones, have to be content with cruise liners and the "spirit of britain".
- 3 November 2011 08:28134642Great stuff there again from Ed...HMS Severn, well I never. I didnt see the other one, the Iron Duke, a brilliant name that. The name alone would scare the pants, iron or otherwise, off the opposition.email: dover7@msn.com
- 3 November 2011 13:43134694Good set of pix above of the HMS Severn (thanks again Ed) showing the step by step exiting of the guys heading for shore, the water does indeed look very choppy, my money is on the guys heading to the nearest pub for a hot toddy
Great name for a ship 'The Iron Duke' and a very impressive ship too. It was probably named after the Duke of Wellington but I would prefer the 'Duke' himself, John Wayne, but he wouldn't scare the pants off anyone , big softie that he was
- 3 November 2011 13:52134695I did hear that The Iron Duke got his name by way of his solution to the problem of stone-throwing mobs gathering outside his home (Number One London. if memory serves) and knocking his windows in.
He had iron shutters fitted.
Funny what the passage of time brings about.Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - 3 November 2011 16:15134726Ah..well now.. could this be The Iron Duke?
Its several miles out and lighting conditions are very poor as its a miserable day but got a shot of sorts. HMS Severn is still patrolling too although a long way out..wonder whats afoot...?
email: dover7@msn.com - 4 November 2011 01:05134866HMS Severn is alongside the Eastern Arm tonight together with an arrested French trawler.
Too dark to take photos, here is a photo of a similar occasion in 2007.
Re HMS Iron Duke, here is a photo of one of her sister type 23 frigates, HMS Monmouth, in Dunkerque during the Operation Dynamo commemorations.
- 4 November 2011 01:17134868The 'Iron Duke' was also a 'Brittannia' Class Locomotive- no.70014 which hauled the 'Golden Arrow' in the fifties for a time. Here she is passing Folkestone Junction with the down Arra' en route Dover Marine.
Never give up... - 4 November 2011 09:19134885Once again very interesting news there Ed. Great pictures guys all round. I saw HMS Severn hovering directly off Calais yesterday, or to put it another way..a long way out from Dover and right in the shipping lane...so clearly was watching for someone, and now it looks like it's got its prey.
Love the train picture too...another Iron Duke.
email: dover7@msn.com - 4 November 2011 09:57134887The Golden Arrow,now that is a blast from the pass,in 1964 My first job was a lorry driver for Gilberts the bread bakery in Dover,and part of my round was to take bread to the ferry boats who in them days were going in on the Marine part of the port.
It was very dark one mornning and the fog was down,and I could not see athing in front of me,well I had left the bread on the ships and was coming back along the pier, as I said I could not see where I was going, so I keep very close to the buildings because I did not want to end up in the sea, but at the end of the building was the railway track and I drove on to it and that was it,I could not move,there was up roar,and the Golden Arrow had to be stoped for about two hrs while they got a crane to lift my lorry off the track. All part of my life story .
- 4 November 2011 10:01134889"It was very dark one mornning and the frog was down" did the frog survive Vic
Audere est facere. - 4 November 2011 10:15134891Thnks for that Martin,I have now put it right.
- 4 November 2011 11:41134901Did you get much stick on the day Vic? no fun driving in fog at the best of times let alone on a pier.Audere est facere.
- 4 November 2011 19:03134981HMS Severn with arrested French fishing boat Nicolas Jeremy alongside the Eastern Arm at lunchtime today.
- 4 November 2011 19:05134983what was it arrested for ed?
doesn't look like it could do much damage to the fish stocks. - 4 November 2011 19:15134985I am assuming they have been arrested, Howard. Would not imagine that they are tied up alongside a Royal Navy fishery protection vessel for the fun of it. Think the usual reason for arrest is fishing with nets with too small a mesh.
- 4 November 2011 19:29134987When I first saw the fishing boat it was tied up some 50yds or more the protection vessel, then we saw her come longside and tie up to the P/Vessel.
Going back to the day I stoped the Goldern Arrow coming into the marine Martin asked did I get any stick over it. ? It was more then that it nearly cost me my job,but also made me over two hrs late with the rest of my round, and the cafes and shops were not happy about that. 
,All still to come in my life story which can be seen. Thank you. - 4 November 2011 21:46135010I'm sure that your autobiog will be a best seller Vic-as long as its written in your usual lyrical style of prose!Never give up...
- 4 November 2011 21:54135013would be more fun than the usual autobiographies from sports and pop stars, wouldn't need a ghost writer either.
