Unusual movements

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, tring said:

 

No need, looking at the map it is not even as much as 3 miles as I thought (more like one or two), so a very easy bus ride.  Now a boat trip in the harbour to get a closer view of the naval ships - that may be in is a possibility as long as it does not interrupt other harbour movements of which there are many.  Some years back my FIL took DH and our our son out in his fishing boat to get a closer look at The Royal Yacht, which was in port, and they said it was so shiny, it was like a mirror.

A boat trip may be more appealing than a.bus ride. The walk from the cruise terminal to the historic dockyard is not that picturesque.

[Arachnid]

A few years ago Portsmouth City Council, who own the terminal and the international port, laid on a free boat service from the Port to Gunwharf Quays (next to the Historic Dockyard) for visiting cruise ships to try and encourage more frequent calls.

Edited February 4, 2021 by Arachnid

[Ataraxia]

There already is a boat trip that goes from The Submarine Museum in Gosport to Portsmouth Harbour Station, HMS Warrior and a tour of the naval ships.

[tring]

50 minutes ago, Arachnid said:

A few years ago Portsmouth City Council, who own the terminal and the international port, laid on a free boat service from the Port to Gunwharf Quays (next to the Historic Dockyard) for visiting cruise ships to try and encourage more frequent calls.

 

I did not know that, all we have done on cruises is to start and/or finish there.  I do suggest though that the funding may well have been at least partly supplied by McAuthurGlen, who are the owners of the Gunwarf site. Of course there are a lot of restaurants there as well and a pleasant place to linger a while.  I think the Spinnaker Tower is council owned though, as I remember there was some scepticism from the local community when it was first proposed/built.

 

 

23 minutes ago, Ataraxia said:

There already is a boat trip that goes from The Submarine Museum in Gosport to Portsmouth Harbour Station, HMS Warrior and a tour of the naval ships.

 

Must be Naval operated then, would make sense they would not want a lot of private boats lurking around their nice big, pricey ships these days, though an elderly local managed to get fairly close in the past.  Gosport is a bit further to get to of course from the terminal, so they may well consider something direct from the cruise terminal . 

 

We have not been to the submarine museum - strange how you can spend loads of time somewhere to visit relatives and miss things that are almost on the doorstep.  In fact the first time DH had been on The Victory was just before we were married and MIL told him to take me there on our way back from a family walk/ferry ride to Southsea and back, yet he was brought up in Gosport and went over to school in Portsmouth from the age of 11.

 

There is a lot in the immediate area so I could see it as a popular day stop if round UK cruises take off in popularity this year.  Although we no longer have connection with the area, I am sure we will still return from time to time, to do some touristy things as well as meet up with some of DH's school friends.  I have a couple of cousins in Southampton as well.

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, tring said:

Must be Naval operated then, would make sense they would not want a lot of private boats lurking around their nice big, pricey ships these days, though an elderly local managed to get fairly close in the past.  Gosport is a bit further to get to of course from the terminal, so they may well consider something direct from the cruise terminal . 

Access to/from Port Solent Marina takes you right past the dockyard.  Not too sure how close the exclusion zone is, but you can get closer than you can to Faslane.

 

[P&O SUE]

3 hours ago, Ataraxia said:

There already is a boat trip that goes from The Submarine Museum in Gosport to Portsmouth Harbour Station, HMS Warrior and a tour of the naval ships.

l’ve been on a boat trip round the harbour viewing the ships, we boarded near the Gunwharf Quays.

[tring]

20 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Access to/from Port Solent Marina takes you right past the dockyard.  Not too sure how close the exclusion zone is, but you can get closer than you can to Faslane.

 

 

Nice pic.  Port Solent is to the north of the harbour so quite a way beyond the cruise terminal, but yes, as you go into the harbour the naval ships are docked on the waters edge quite easily visible from the water and also from Gosport.  I do not know if there is an exclusion zone as such, but from what I understood FIL took his fishing boat right up to The Royal Yacht.  Since Port Solent was developed, as well as marinas to the north and south of Gosport, there are a lot of smaller boats about, though it has always been described to us as thousands of pounds just left sitting there and never used.

 

FIL's boat was kept in a creak, which became one of the swanky marinas, so the local bods were given access to a pontoon there to get to their boats.  There was (and still is as far as I know) a shed nearby which is painted green.  FIL and two other locals used it for their fishing paraphenalia and had gained squatters rights to do so.  Fancy flats were built there and the builders expected to demolish the shed, but the three blokes asserted their squatters rights legally, so it could not be touched.  FIL sold his third to one of the others before he passed away a few years back as the man's son had hoped to replace it with a flat with garage space underneath.  The shed was still there last year, so not sure what happened after that - perhaps he did not get planning permission for what he wanted.

Edited February 4, 2021 by tring

[molecrochip]

You need to remember that when the biggest naval ships pass through the port entrance, there is not (relatively) much clearance on either side. The pleasure craft don’t get that close when a ship is docked.

 

Also worth noting that there is always a navy police boat active as the port is under the control of the Queens Harbourmaster rather than private control such as Southampton.

[tring]

14 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

You need to remember that when the biggest naval ships pass through the port entrance, there is not (relatively) much clearance on either side. The pleasure craft don’t get that close when a ship is docked.

 

Also worth noting that there is always a navy police boat active as the port is under the control of the Queens Harbourmaster rather than private control such as Southampton.

 

I have never seen the navy police boat, but am sure you will be correct and is why I thought it would not be so easy to get as near as was possible by a local craft more than 30 years ago.  Yes, not much clearance when the big ones pass.  Some great views from the Still and West though, which you may well know.  Quite some vibration felt in that pub when the channel ferries pass, especially the older ones which vibrate quite a lot at the best of times.  We went there for a drink in October when we went down for the internment of MIL's ashes.  She spent her last 18 month's in a home up here, but is now with her husband's ashes in Haslar naval cemetery, Gosport.

 

Also some good views from Gunwarf, but the Still and West in Old Portsmouth is nearer.

Edited February 4, 2021 by tring

[john watson]

23 hours ago, molecrochip said:

As you know, I'm keeping an eye on our little fleet of ships and a couple of unusual movements occurring.

 

One for the locals this. Aurora will be calling at Portsmouth International Port tomorrow from about 0930 to 1600. This is a curious movement.

 

Without wishing to sound pedantic Moley,  was this Aurora movement curious or was it unusual?  Just need to know to record it in the correct column on my spreadsheet. If you cannot be definitive on this it will need to go into my intriguing column.

 

Regards John

Edited February 4, 2021 by john watson
clarification of movement

[zap99]

2 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

l’ve been on a boat trip round the harbour viewing the ships, we boarded near the Gunwharf Quays.

We have been on the harbour tour from Gunwharf. We were there in about October, Christmas shopping and lunch in Carlucios, which is still trading. I don't like Gunwharf, every time we go it seems to cost me £100+ in the Michael Kors shop. DW likes it there,🤔

[zap99]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

You need to remember that when the biggest naval ships pass through the port entrance, there is not (relatively) much clearance on either side. The pleasure craft don’t get that close when a ship is docked.

 

Also worth noting that there is always a navy police boat active as the port is under the control of the Queens Harbourmaster rather than private control such as Southampton.

Last time we did the harbour tour one of the new aircraft carriers was docked. Police boat was in attendance.

[P&O SUE]

11 hours ago, zap99 said:

We have been on the harbour tour from Gunwharf. We were there in about October, Christmas shopping and lunch in Carlucios, which is still trading. I don't like Gunwharf, every time we go it seems to cost me £100+ in the Michael Kors shop. DW likes it there,🤔

I was going to say I like it there 😆 Last time we went up the Spinnaker Tower - loved the views!

[jeanlyon]

We lived in Port Solent for 15 years when we had our sailing boat.  You could always get quite close to the moored ships.  In fact we had a conversation one day with some of the crew of a US Aircraft carrier, shouting up to them.  I suppose they may have tightened things up now.

 

I note Aurora and Arcadia are back in Weymouth and Torquay.  They must be so bored 😞

Edited February 5, 2021 by jeanlyon

[molecrochip]

On 2/4/2021 at 9:43 PM, john watson said:

Without wishing to sound pedantic Moley,  was this Aurora movement curious or was it unusual?  Just need to know to record it in the correct column on my spreadsheet. If you cannot be definitive on this it will need to go into my intriguing column.

 

Regards John

Turns out just unusual! 😉

[jeanlyon]

Well Queen Victoria and Arcadia came round below Salcombe yesterday evening and anchored off Hope Cove to escape the nasty Easterly winds where they had been off Brixham.

[grapau27]

4 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Well Queen Victoria and Arcadia came round below Salcombe yesterday evening and anchored off Hope Cove to escape the nasty Easterly winds where they had been off Brixham.

I think the captain's must have been reading cc and seen your wonderful photos Jean and decided to see them themselves.

😎

[jeanlyon]

5 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I think the captain's must have been reading cc and seen your wonderful photos Jean and decided to see them themselves.

😎

It will make a change for them!  Arcadia just heading south and 'Queen Vic above her.

Edited February 9, 2021 by jeanlyon

[Son of Anarchy]

I wonder whether they are heading over anchor off Normandy for shelter as they did for a few days last year?  Maybe they haven't updated AIS.

[jeanlyon]

They both came round yesterday to anchor off Hope Cove.  

[zap99]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

It will make a change for them!  Arcadia just heading south and 'Queen Vic above her.

As long as they stay out of the race off bolt tail.

[Son of Anarchy]

Queen Vic now anchored off Hope Cove.  Arcadia and Ventura still out and about.

[alpha whiskey]

On 05/02/2021 at 2:33 PM, jeanlyon said:

We lived in Port Solent for 15 years when we had our sailing boat.  You could always get quite close to the moored ships.  In fact we had a conversation one day with some of the crew of a US Aircraft carrier, shouting up to them.  I suppose they may have tightened things up now.

 

I note Aurora and Arcadia are back in Weymouth and Torquay.  They must be so bored 😞

Port Solent, Portsdown Hill and the foreshore along by Portchester Castle have been our saviour this past year. All within easy 'lockdown' walking distance from our house. So happy that others on this forum have enjoyed our local area too. ❣️

[pete14]

53 minutes ago, alpha whiskey said:

Port Solent, Portsdown Hill and the foreshore along by Portchester Castle have been our saviour this past year. All within easy 'lockdown' walking distance from our house. So happy that others on this forum have enjoyed our local area too. ❣️

I’m not envious at all...well perhaps a bit ...maybe a lot 😞

[ann141]

We are hoping to have a holiday in Weymouth this year It might be the closest we get to seeing a cruise ship (if they are still in the bay) but may have a day trip to Southampton, just so we don't forget what it looks like!