HMS Bulwark

[JonL]

Some of you may have seen the TV coverage last night of HMS Bulwark that is currently moored at Greenwich, described as the Navy’s “Swiss Army Knife” – I hope that doesn’t refer to the fact that it’s very expensive and full of stuff you are never going to need !

 

The arrival of HMS Bulwark has coincided with me moving to a new office that overlooks the Thames, between London Bridge and Cannon Street railway bridge. Got to say I’m hugely lucky, I’m on the 8th floor and have a great view of the river – very surprised at the volume of river traffic. If you ever want a wave as you are passing let me know.

 

All day long yesterday we were treated to various Royal Navy craft zooming up and down. Ribs with enough guns mounted on them to start a small war, six very flash black jet-ski’s and two large hovercraft that looked like scaled down versions of SRN4’s all topped off with a couple Lynx helicopters doing laps –( no fuel bill concerns in the Royal Navy obviously ).

 

Anyway about 3.00pm yesterday all of sudden there seemed to be a right old flap on, three ribs went flying up the Thames, closely followed by two Police boats with sirens and lights on, followed a few minutes later by the orange RNLI rib. I wish I had a handheld VHF so I could have listened into London VTS. About ten minutes later the cause of all the fuss came into view, one of the hovercraft had broken down. It came past me very low in the water, with the skirt completely deflated, smoke or steam issuing and being towed by two ribs on a fast outgoing tide. Can’t be easy to tow a hovercraft without power as it has no steering.

 

They had rafted up with the hovercraft, one either side angled in at about 15 degrees, I guess with good communication they could have steered the hovercraft by varying power.

 

I wonder what treats the Thames will have in store for me today!

[jelunga]

I was also next to the Thames yesterday at the Sir John Franklin pub in High Street, Greenhithe. The pub is owned by an aquaintance of mine, and we were having an old farts lunch with other members of my now defunct shooting club. It did not start out as an old farts lunch, just ended up that way with everybody there being retired / early retired!!

 

Anyway, the point was that the pub was the starting and finishing point of sir John franklins voyages in Erebus. Apparently he set sail from there more often than he returned. An interesting pub with some memorabilia from the Erebus and that era. Plus good pb food. The back of the pub leads down steps to the Thames. One day I plan to take Lily Maud down there and moor up next to the pub. But maybe too tidal there!

 

K

[koukouvagia]

 

I wonder what treats the Thames will have in store for me today!

 

I live just downstream from your office and have seen all sorts of interesting things on this part of the Thames.

 

They range from the very small craft – like this coracle: http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/thames010.jpg

 

to the very large like this cruise liner: http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/thames003.jpg

 

Sometimes beautiful, elegant yachts go by: http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/thames002.jpg

 

I've watched a sunken boat being craned out: http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/sunkboat065.jpg

 

and seen the police practising rescuing bodies. http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/P1000415.jpg

 

Once one of the largest floating cranes in the world went past our window: http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/Crane7.jpg

 

and HMS Ark Royal parked just round the bend from us. http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/IMG_1559.jpg

 

I watched some really nice narrowboats go by http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/hood003.jpg

 

and I've even discovered a sunken Kelvin on the foreshore! http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr156/koukouvagia1928/IMG_0221.jpg

 

 

Mind you the most exciting event I've witnessed was a RIB full of armed police pursuing a very fast cruiser which they stopped just outside my flat. They arrested the steerer – no, it wasn't Phylis.

 

(I've posted links so as not to infuriate those with slow connections)

[Strads]

Sounds like a plan...

one that i approve of (not that you need my vote!)

 

[Keeping Up]

The Daily Mail reports today just how serious that incident was. Apparently far from just breaking down, the hovercraft "struck engineering works at Southwark bridge and was holed beneath the water line."

 

My knowledge of hovercraft engineering is rather limited, so could somebody please explain to me how far up the side is the waterline on a hovercraft?

[FadeToScarlet]

The Daily Mail reports today just how serious that incident was. Apparently far from just breaking down, the hovercraft "struck engineering works at Southwark bridge and was holed beneath the water line."

 

My knowledge of hovercraft engineering is rather limited, so could somebody please explain to me how far up the side is the waterline on a hovercraft?

 

I'm guessing that it has a waterline when it's floating, but not when hovering- so, if it's prevented from hovering, it's just like a normal boat.

 

I wonder if they needed VHF, or were they less than 45'?