View allAll Photos Tagged Refreshing
After a ten day work-up on-board HMS Illustrious around the Cornish coast, the Merlin Carrier Air Group (MCAG) prepare to “Go Deep” as they sail westwards out into the Atlantic in pursuit of Submarines.
Exercise Deep Blue has so far seen the Merlin Mk 2s from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose put through their paces in the South West Approaches, exercising and practicing before they get a sniff at a live target.
That will come as they move westwards where they expect to find UK and Dutch submarines trying to penetrate their tight anti-submarine shield around HMS Illustrious and the two Type 23 Frigates who are joining the Task Group for the exercise.
“We have nine Merlins Mk 2s onboard,” said Commander Ross Spooner, CO of 820 NAS and Commander of the MCAG. “What we anticipate to deliver throughout this exercise is protection for the Fleet. Three aircraft will be in the air at any one time, two of them on station 24 hours a day.”
The role of the Merlins is to keep the Submarines away from the Carrier. High tech sonobouys are dropped in the water at intervals to form a barrier or screen to detect the enemy.
The aircraft also has a dipping sonar to “Ping” a signal out and listen to returns should a adversary get near to the Task Group. Torpedoes and Depth Charges can then be deployed to persecute and destroy the targets.
Aircrews and Engineers work to punishing schedules to keep the momentum up. Pilots, Observers and Aircrewmen work a “Sleep – Eat – Fly – Sleep” rotation, constantly planning the next stage of the routine with little concept of the 24 hour clock.
Engineers work an eight hour watch system that allows them to carry out maintenance on the Merlins which are not in the air or waiting to go onto the flying programme, either on deck or in the Ship’s large but crowded hangar.
“The primary role of the Merlin is ASW,” (Anti-Submarine Warfare) said Lieutenant Alex Best, an Observer with 820 NAS. “Upgrades to technology on-board have made this a phenomenal aircraft that is the best Sub Hunter in the world.”
All this is a hair’s breadth away to when HMS Queen Elizabeth begins operating with the Fleet and the skills and routines practiced today will be vital to the ship’s defence.
“The day to day business of ASW is something we have always practiced,” continued CDR Ross Spooner.
“What we are doing here is refreshing the pace and tempo, getting ourselves back onto the deck with large numbers of aircraft and large numbers of people, making sure we can maintain those 24/7 operations.”
Press Release, June 17, 2014; Image: UK Navy
Swanage Railway
Apparently the first train to Swanage ran on the line in 1885. British Rail closed it in 1972 and took away the line. The Swanage railway trust have resurrected it and replaced the line and improved all the buildings. Now Steam trains and on evenings the diesels ply the line again. Amazingly on time we took a return ticket from Norden Park and ride to Swanage, stopping on the way back at Corfe Castle. We had time to visit a local pub for a refreshingly cool drink before finishing our return to Norden. I can't imagine the line been this good in its heyday. The care and love the volunteers put into this venture is brilliant.
"Falling Water" SS Submission:
Lens: 50mm F/1.8 D
Focal Length: 50mm
1/125 sec - F/11
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Thought this would be cool to try. Set up one of my Bowens studio lights at 45/45 and away we go...
the last significant rain happened on February 11th
the temperature is arround 40ºC and i can't stand this no more...
does anyone knows a rain dance ????
: )
The heat of the day does not only have an effect on Man but also on the animal world. Here we see two horses led into the refreshing azure sea for a much needed cool down. If they have to horses can swim as any other mammal, even the elephant which is the largest land mammal can swim for miles between one island and another. The Law of Displacement keeps them afloat as it keeps afloat the massive naval vessels - MALTA
VIP NOTES TO ANIMAL LOVERS
REPORT ANY WITNESSED CRUELTY ON ANIMALS TO THE DISTRICT POLICE ON 2122 4001.
EMERGENCY VETERINARY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK / 24 HOURS DAILY CALL ON 5004 3888 ONLY FROM FIXED LINE, THE CALL COST AROUND €4.65.
FOR THE ANIMAL AMBULANCE SERVICE WHICH RUNS 7 DAYS A WEEK ON 24 HOURS DAILY, ONE MUST FIRST CALL THE POLICE ON 2I22 4001, THE POLICE WILL THEN CALL THE AMBULANCE THEMSELVES.
I'M ALSO HERE...
30/118 My Precious.
I enjoy spending time with my children.
For six word story.
Amy has arrived for her annual visit to Southern California... Hooray! We've gotten a lot done 'at home'... Yesterday we went
for a drive. We got a look at the Pacific! I got some flower pix,
too! The sun was shining and temperatures were on their way
up to summertime range. Then today she'll take me to a doc's appointment. And this afternoon Amy will be on her way to downtown LA for a visit with her brother.. A great escape from snow and cold!
Taken in Orange County, California. © 2018 All Rights Reserved.
My images are not to be used, copied, edited, or blogged without my explicit permission.
Please!! NO Glittery Awards or Large Graphics...Buddy Icons are OK. Thank You!
Scavenge Challenge
January ~ What you Enjoy
1) A "quiet time" activity
2) Something you do which others might consider unusual
or novel
3) Something you find pleasing to the eye (a landscape, a
flower, etc.)
4) Something you enjoy sharing
January ~ Some of the things I enjoy
1. Playing in PhotoShop
2. Abstracts, mine and others'
3. Finding archived images that still thrill me
4. Taking pictures in extreme lighting conditions and
delighting in the result
5. Dawn, watching the day break
6. Chocolate
7. Finding interesting ways to fill a challenge
8. Unplanned coincidences
9. Flowers close up
10. Photographing them
11. Spending time with my children
12. Gentle refreshing rain
13. Spending time at a beach
Many thanks for every kind comment, fave, your encouraging words, and the inspiration of your fine photography, my Flickr friends! You make my day every day!
The air was very cold. X3 but i love't hehee :p__ الجو كان مره بارد ،،لكني حبيته خخ
very simple edit ,, تعديل جدا بسيط(عزل لبعض أجزاء الخلفيه)ـ
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T^Tعنوده ياقلبي تذكرين هاليوم يازيييييييينه =الله يعيد هاليوم على خير
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أحبائي إذا كان هناك اي إنتقاد للصوره فلا بأس أرحب بها ـ^-^ـ لا أريد مجاملات
ارجوكم لا تردون علي(عربي ع كلام انجليش-بأمسحها)مفهوم كلامي نعتز بلغتنا العربيه+ولا الزخرفات المبالغ فيهاوالنايسات فضلا وليس أمرا