Just one picture ...



Spolier - NOT in my home town to see the Flying Spotsman coming through, nor do I expect there to be any trains passing the window.

 
I'm glad to see that that's a calm sea.

But I don't know where specifically it is, nor can I identify the vessel.

 

"THE" Flying Scotsman? - Oh dear you will be in trouble when someone sees that! 

 

I was expecting to be pulled up on the "Spotsman" - the Scottish Mr Blobby ... even my spell checker baulked at it until I insisted ...

 
Well, I saw a cloud formation once just like that, but can't remember where . . .

I suspect not a cruise ship because of the tacky window surround. A ferry somewhere?

 

Indeed, and now that we have come down up for breakfast, there are more clues

 
The fittings and furniture that are functional rather than plush or posh do strongly suggest a ferry.

 
But not from Poole these days

 

Indeed - if you're looking at the South Coast, international ferries only from Dover, Newhaven, Portsmouth and Plymouth these days. Gone are Sheerness, Ramsgate, Folkestone, Southampton, Poole and Weymouth even in my memory.

 
As that figure in the Simpsons-themed dress looks like a Spanish one, are you crossing the Bay of Biscay on your way to Northern Spain?

 
I couldn't possibly have posted such an answer, as I have inside information. 

 

Yes, we are ... on the 22:00 last night (Friday) off Portsmouth, the "Salamanca" bound for Santander where we are scheduled to arrive at 08:00 tomorrow (Sunday).  Three buses, an overcrowded three carriage train, and now the ferry. Boarded on deck three; only telling you that because I'm looking for a three pattern through this post.  Long queue for the lifts to our deck; usual "survival of the fittest mode" which means that everyone else got up before we did, and after a pleasant chat with the ferry staff we had a lift to ourselves.

I can share a picture - taken within the last hour - that will give you a much closer triangulation onto us



I can show you some of the great features here and on open supply



And I can tell you the official view of transpotting in these parts

 

Indeed - passing la Pointe du Raz.

 
I just knew Coffee Shop forum member stuving would know that precise location. 

Going back to grahame's original post,



I happen to recognise those waves , as they were also there in the Bay of Biscay when I traversed it, on board the QE2 with my wife to be, some more than 30 years ago.

She was a Merchant Navy officer on the QE2 at that time, which gave me some rather privileged access to parts of the ship which were not available to other passengers - the engine rooms, and bridge, for example.

I was enjoying a conducted tour of the bridge of the QE2, in company with just a few similarly privileged passengers, when our guide suddenly broke off from his talk, leapt across a desk and grabbed a radio handset.  Fair play to him: while delivering his speech, he had also picked up a radio message on the loudspeaker on the bridge.  It was made from an RAF Nimrod reconnaissance aircraft, asking for permission from 'the Cunard ship in the Bay of Biscay' (like there was anyone else ) for permission to do a fly-past, for training purposes.

Our guide, Steve or Simon (and I also can't remember his surname, but he was First Officer, Navigation) promptly invited them to fly past - then went on the PA system to announce to all passengers that 'there will be an RAF aircraft flying past on the starboard side'. We could almost feel the QE2 leaning over to the right as passengers rushed to that side for a view 

My only regret is that I didn't have my camera / telephoto lens with me on the bridge at that time: I merely got a couple of snaps from my mobile phone with the Nimrod appearing as just a speck in the distance.

CfN.

 
Marine traffic link to Grahames ferry. It’s a fairly new ferry, lacking character versus previous Brittany Ferries vessels

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:6732128

 
The Bay of Biscay

On a rather more sombre note, from many years ago:

A retired couple, who were family friends of my wife to be, sailed their yacht out of Salcombe towards Gibraltar.  They didn't make it: I seem to remember that one body was found, but no wreckage, in the Bay of Biscay.

Never underestimate the power of the sea. 

 
A colleague from my teaching days in Dorchester was caught up in the 1979 Fastnet Race tragedy which resulted in 21 deaths. He was competing on one of the 303 yachts which were caught up in the unexpectedly severe storm.

 

Oh dear. Shoes on the seat. Youngsters today eh?

 

My uncle was also caught up in that incident - he was very grateful to be rescued by being picked up from the sea and winched up into a helicopter.

 
If no one has said it before - The Salamanca.

Co incidentally, I was on the Salamanca on Thursday evening this week, and travel back to Portsmouth on Friday week. I will keep a look out for those clouds.

 

Coincidentally, a former girlfriend of mine and her parents on their yacht were also caught out by the storm and had a pretty grim time of it going by her account.  Fortunately, they all made it back safely.

 

The Fastnet Disaster wason thew other evening.
I was on duty that Monday morning as it all really 'got going'.
The night shift we took over from just had a new yachts in trouble.
Never forgotten.

 
I have added the Fastnet race disaster to "On this day" for 14th August so we are reminded each year. I will NOT add a pointer to this thread; this thread is in "The Lighter Side" and the race disaster is about as far from that a light topic as you can get!

 

Interesting pictures on wall… is that Melania?

 

Yeah - the seats were very uncomfortable and it was just about the only way to be comfortable for long periods.  Heel of shoe you'll notice and not the potentially dirty sole.


A case of art that I would not chose for my home.  No idea why *those* were chosen, though I suppose there is something of a Spanish theme.

 
FWIW AI says:
https://www.klunderbie.com/clients/

 

Similar event when we were on the (new) Queen Elizabeth some years back (somewhere in the Channel) - excellent breakfast time entertainment !