HMS Bulwark

Having set my alarm for 5am, I headed up to Renfrew on the rumour of "something exciting" heading for Glasgow in the early hours.

Looking at MarineTraffic before I left the house, I saw that HMS Bulwark was the surprise visitor. That made the trip more than worthwhile. I had read that she spent her 11th birthday in Scottish waters a few days earlier, so I knew that she was in the vicinity.

She came up the river assisted by all three local Svitzer tugs.

Bulwark is expected to leave Glasgow on Monday morning.

Exercise Joint Warrior 16-1

Time has come around again for the first of NATO's Joint Warrior exercises for 2016.

There seemed to be less naval participants than in some previous gatherings, however I was pleased to have seen vessels which I have not previously photographed.

More pictures are available in my Picasa galleries.

Spanish frigate ESPS Alvaro de Bazan passing Roseneath

RFA Wave Ruler A390 being escorted up Loch Long

C130 Hercules flying low over US supply ship Robert E Peary at entrance to Loch Striven

Three ships lying at the Roseneath anchorages

German submarine U34 enters the restricted waters of Gareloch

A spot of fishing going on perhaps? Danish support ship Absalon heading for Glasgow

German support ship FGS Donau A516 leaving Faslane after the Sunday briefing

KDM Peter Willemoes passes the Rhu spit escorted by two Svitzer tugs