30th July: HMS Queen Elizabeth
After the last watch on 30th July I stayed in Lepe Country Park for a short while to take photos of HMS Queen Elizabeth. She was returning to Portsmouth after repairs at Rosyth and, presumably because it is Cowes Week, she detoured to the Prince Consort cardinal mark area to fire a salute to the Royal Yacht Squadron.
HMS Queen Elizabeth approaching from the NAB Tower channel with Navy tugs fore and aft. The Navy personnel on board made a show of lining the ships “rails” but she clearly did not have had a full complement. In Cowes there were crowds on the beach and the esplanade in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron’s castle Headquarters to view the carrier’s visit.
I had been amused by the Local Notice to Mariners issued for the event which stated that there would be a 250m exclusion zone around the carrier when two diamond shapes were displayed. “Escort personnel will be armed” and any unauthorised vessel not moving out of the exclusion zone when warned would be “deemed to have the intention of committing a hostile act against the warship”. However I did not hear anyone being fired at!