HMS Edinburgh encounters heavy seas in the South Atlantic

gCaptain -

The Portsmouth-based destroyer faced some mountainous seas on the 4,000-mile passage from Cape Town to Mare Harbour, her base for the next five or so months as she patrols Britain’s South Atlantic territories.

We’re told that all aboard the Type 42 suffered at the hands of Nature, but Lt John Jackson steadied his nerve to capture this wall of water seen through the bridge window.

It was a far cry from the rather benign weather the ship experienced in Cape Town where even in the depths of the austral winter, it’s typically in the mid-60s˚F by day.

Aside from giving her ship’s company a break after a lengthy sail down the West African seaboard, the chief reason for the visit to South Africa’s famous port was to support British defence firms at a trade and industry day.

The companies used the destroyer as the backdrop for their displays and demonstration of their products to members of the South African Armed Forces and government.

Meanwhile, one fifth of the ship’s company made the 20-mile trip to Simon’s Town, home of the South African Navy, who were holding their Navy Winter Sports Day.

Edinburgh’s sailors were invited to take part in six events, including basketball, rugby and netball.

Honours were even between the two nations as each was victorious in three of the disciplines.

There were also opportunities for Edinburgh’s sailors to explore the Western Cape, including climbing Table Mountain and the (strangely) popular winemaking region of Stellenbosch.

Full story...

Posted via http://batavia08.posterous.com batavia08's posterous