Maritime Flavour

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Fifer

A touch of milk and no sugar please Jeff. I reckon I'm sweet enough, but the Boss doesn't agree.

That did make me laugh when I logged in.

Ouch! The mind boggles.

It's not the mind that will be boggling after sitting on that throne

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by coolcat

It's not the mind that will be boggling after sitting on that throne

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Fifer

Just for comparison and not to navigate your thread off course (see what I did there )

This is our rather less palatial 'Heads' on our boat

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by coolcat

Just for comparison and not to navigate your thread off course (see what I did there )

This is our rather less palatial 'Heads' on our boat

Yes, keeping it nautical Jeff. Ha ha. Elegant and functional, so perhaps bijou? Ask any submariner and he would tell you it was the height of luxury!


Low morning clouds over the northern end of the Oldedalen valley on the southern shore of the Nordfjorden.

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Fifer

Yes, keeping it nautical Jeff. Ha ha. Elegant and functional, so perhaps bijou? Ask any submariner and he would tell you it was the height of luxury!


Low morning clouds over the northern end of the Oldedalen valley on the southern shore of the Nordfjorden.

Great photos

I was born in Helensburgh as my Dad was indeed a submariner .
He was on underwater detection on the HMS Resolution Polaris Ballistic missile Submarine at Faslane

We later moved to Rosyth and then after that all the way down south to Plymouth .......When Dad left the Navy he joined the London Fire Brigade and we moved to the smoke.

My Dad's Brother lives on the Isle of Wight and is a mad keen yachtsman and retired Chief Superintendent of Hampshire Police

Must be where I picked up my interest in boats and water

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by coolcat

Great photos

I was born in Helensburgh as my Dad was indeed a submariner .
He was on underwater detection on the HMS Resolution Polaris Ballistic missile Submarine at Faslane

We later moved to Rosyth and then after that all the way down south to Plymouth .......When Dad left the Navy he joined the London Fire Brigade and we moved to the smoke.

My Dad's Brother lives on the Isle of Wight and is a mad keen yachtsman and retired Chief Superintendent of Hampshire Police

Must be where I picked up my interest in boats and water

Ah, so the sea is in the blood Jeff. Where about in Rosyth did you live?

Memories come flooding back. I was trained at HMS Caledonia, then worked on surface ships and subs at Rosyth. The subs were mainly conventional "P & O" class, but I also worked on the reactor change on our first nuclear sub, the Dreadnought. It was an eye opener, just to be able to walk upright without fear of banging my head on a pipe flange or other overhead nasty! We used to say that if we saw a chap walking through the yard bent double, he was a submariner.

It was great in the Falklands, as it was possible to see some of the older ships doing their last tour before being sold, especially the very elegant "Leanders". The last of the "P & O" subs such as Osiris and Opossum did their last tours there too, and I enjoyed a few beers in the messes! It was good to see the changes in the more modern ships, from the Type 21s, and Type 22s, right up to the Type 23s especially "Montrose". The new nuclear subs are so different inside to the old conventional boats, though they are hot for the watch-keeping engineers. I tried to get a Zippo lighter from each ship and boat that came down and have quite a big collection.

Getting to the Falklands involved taking the RAF Air-Bridge from Brize Norton to Mount Pleasant, with a welcome stop for a beer at Ascension.

On arrival (weather permitting) we would be escorted in by a couple of the resident fighters. In this shot we get a wave from the pilot and the navigator holds up his "Hello" sign. They come right in under the wing.



I can see both aviators clearly and each time I take a photo I give a "thumbs up" and the aircraft comes in a bit closer.



The view is so clear I can see that the fighter's name is Charity.



Another "thumbs up" from the navigator.



A last wave from the navigator and they were gone.

[coolcat]

F4 Phantoms........lovely looking war birds

I'll have to ask my Dad exactly where it was, I was only three at the time lol

We were going to have a look around when we were up in Scotland last August for the BTCC at Knockhill but time got the better of us.
The nearest we got was South Queensferry where Dad and I met up for dinner at the Bamboo Chinese restaurant with George, Ann Marie, Graham and Ravinder from here.

Hoping to be up there again soon although will probably be next year as the new boat purchase has knocked funds somewhat

Edit.......

Just heard back from Dad......he's in Barbados at the moment!

We lived in Cunningham Road if that rings any bells

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by coolcat

F4 Phantoms........lovely looking war birds

I'll have to ask my Dad exactly where it was, I was only three at the time lol

We were going to have a look around when we were up in Scotland last August for the BTCC at Knockhill but time got the better of us.
The nearest we got was South Queensferry where Dad and I met up for dinner at the Bamboo Chinese restaurant with George, Ann Marie, Graham and Ravinder from here.

Hoping to be up there again soon although will probably be next year as the new boat purchase has knocked funds somewhat

Edit.......

Just heard back from Dad......he's in Barbados at the moment!

We lived in Cunningham Road if that rings any bells

Cunningham Road is just off the Ferry Toll Road that I took to work in the mornings. The locals called it the Tank Road, as the fuel tanks were visible at the roadside. No, you wouldn't remember much about it if you were only three years old. Your Dad is in the right place at this time of year. You never know, we might have that cup of tea in Bonny Scotland.

The new boat will have dented the wallet, but it will be worth it.

HMS Montrose just over the harbour from Montrose, berthed at Ferryden.

[Fifer]

Clouds lit up over a channel marker, Hjeltefjorden.



Near Bergen, Norway.

[Gate Keeper]

Originally Posted by Fifer

Ah, so the sea is in the blood Jeff. Where about in Rosyth did you live?

Memories come flooding back. I was trained at HMS Caledonia, then worked on surface ships and subs at Rosyth. The subs were mainly conventional "P & O" class, but I also worked on the reactor change on our first nuclear sub, the Dreadnought. It was an eye opener, just to be able to walk upright without fear of banging my head on a pipe flange or other overhead nasty! We used to say that if we saw a chap walking through the yard bent double, he was a submariner.

It was great in the Falklands, as it was possible to see some of the older ships doing their last tour before being sold, especially the very elegant "Leanders". The last of the "P & O" subs such as Osiris and Opossum did their last tours there too, and I enjoyed a few beers in the messes! It was good to see the changes in the more modern ships, from the Type 21s, and Type 22s, right up to the Type 23s especially "Montrose". The new nuclear subs are so different inside to the old conventional boats, though they are hot for the watch-keeping engineers. I tried to get a Zippo lighter from each ship and boat that came down and have quite a big collection.

Getting to the Falklands involved taking the RAF Air-Bridge from Brize Norton to Mount Pleasant, with a welcome stop for a beer at Ascension.

On arrival (weather permitting) we would be escorted in by a couple of the resident fighters. In this shot we get a wave from the pilot and the navigator holds up his "Hello" sign. They come right in under the wing.



I can see both aviators clearly and each time I take a photo I give a "thumbs up" and the aircraft comes in a bit closer.



The view is so clear I can see that the fighter's name is Charity.



Another "thumbs up" from the navigator.



A last wave from the navigator and they were gone.

You have led a fascinating and active work life. Your photos inspired me to post up the Loch Fyne visit, thank you. I never had the chance to visit the Falklands before I hung up my boots, but have been to BATSUB in Belize to do an air ambulance, a Medi-Vac back to RAF Valley. I enjoyed looking at your maritime photos and reading the stories behind them. Please do keep them coming.