Evening pictures

Enjoying the improvement in the weather recently along with longer evenings, I came back home with these two pictures, both taken on separate days.

The first picture was taken at the last full moon earlier this month, when we had a beautiful clear evening with very little cloud in the sky. This was taken with a 500mm lens with the contrast and sharpness adjusted in Photoshop.

The view of Gourock from Lyle Hill is instantly recognisable but is still one of my favourites. For this sunset I took 3 exposures and combined them into a HDR image but I decided not to exaggerate the effect. A grey grad was used to stop the sky from being over exposed.

HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl

After completing her role in the  NATO Joint Warrior exercise, the Norwegian Frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl spent some time in Glasgow.

She passed Greenock in the early morning sunshine on her way upriver.

MacBrayne's buses

At one time MacBrayne buses would have provided a vital link for the many residents in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

They were taken over by the Scottish Bus Group in the early seventies.

Some of their buses have been restored by enthusiasts and they are brought along to events and rallies throughout Scotland.

Two of these buses were at Glasgow's Riverside Museum and passengers were taken for a short trip through the west end of Glasgow.

Operation Joint Warrior 28/3/14

More ships arrived today to take part in the first Joint Warrior exercise of 2014.

Today's highlight was the arrival the US contingent, five of which went to Faslane with a sixth ship anchoring off Roseneath.

The last arrival of the day was the Danish Thetis class frigate, HDMS Triton.

CG72 USS Vella Gulf escorted by a police rib

Arleigh Burke class destroyer DDG95 USS James E William

FFG58 USS Samuel B Roberts escorted by SERCO tugs

CCG55 USS Leyte Gulf, a Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser

DDG67 USS Cole, the second Arleigh Burke destroyer to arrive

Danish Thetis class frigate F358 HDMS Triton

L3007, RFA Lyme Bay anchored off Kilcreggan

DDG71 USS Ross anchored in the Clyde

Operation Joint Warrior 27/3/14

The first of the 2014 Joint Warrior exercises takes placed over the next two weeks.

Warships from the participating navies are on their way to the exercise.

Most of the ships are expected to gather in the Clyde, with the first of them already here.

An early trip to Rhu for HMS Bulwark's arrival was followed by a couple of pictures of HMS Kent and the Dutch frigate HNLMS Van Speijk anchored off Greenock.

L15 HMS Bulwark approaching Rhu narrows

L15 HMS Bulwark

Aft deck of HMS Bulwark

F78 HMS Kent at anchor off Greenock

Frigate F828 HNLMS Van Speijk of the Royal Netherlands Navy

Argyll Flyer

I took a run down to Gourock for a change of scenery. Argyll Flyer presented an opportunity for a couple of pictures as she crossed the Clyde.

The Argyll hills aren't yet ready to shrug off their covering of winter snow but the nights are starting to lengthen and we are now past the spring equinox.

Bianco Venture

Bulk carrier Bianco Venture passing Greenock on her way to Shieldhall Quay in Glasgow with a cargo of animal feed.