May 2011 ~ Navy , Army , Airforce News and Technology

Monday, May 30, 2011

France hopes no more delay in India’s Scorpene project

NEW DELHI (PTI): France has said that delay in the Scorpene submarine project was because of inadequate infrastructure at Mumbai shipyard and price negotiations with India.

French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet, who was on a two-day visit to India, however, said there would not be any more delays in the Scorpene project as modernisation efforts at Mumbai shipyard have started showing results.

Edinburgh heads south for seven months

HMS Edinburgh is bound for the South Atlantic – at the height of the Austral winter – fresh from the final major overhaul in her proud quarter-century career.
The destroyer left a blustery but bright Portsmouth yesterday and won’t see the shores of the Solent again until the tail end of 2011.
In the intervening six or so months the veteran Type 42 will visit the Cape Verde Islands and West Africa in support of maritime security and counter-drugs/piracy operations (working with Cape Verde has already helped the RN bag £4m drugs courtesy of Edinburgh’s now-retired sister HMS Gloucester last summer).

STANDING to attention on the flight deck of HMS Richmond, today’s sailors honour the dead of 1941 – and remember one the greatest shocks in the Royal Navy’s history.

The frigate broke off from exercises with the Australian-Singaporean-New Zealand and Malaysian navies to make for 3° 33′ 36″ N, 104° 28′ 42″ E – the approximate last resting place of HMS Prince of Wales.
In December 1941 the battleship – the newest in the Fleet – and her accompanying battle-cruiser HMS Repulse were the firepower of Force Z, sent to the Far East to deter Japanese aggression.

The Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and the Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced the reallocation of construction work for the $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Project.

Australia is constructing three AWDs based on a proven design from the Spanish Navy. The ships are due to be delivered from December 2014. When complete, the AWD will be one of the more capable types of warship of its size in the world.

The AWD Project is an important element of Force 2030. The Government and Defence have been actively working with Defence Industry and the AWD Alliance, which is managing the AWD project, to deliver the project. The AWD Alliance consists of ASC, the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and Raytheon.

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Australia and Thailand Participate in Combined Naval Exercise

Regional security and stability in South East Asia will be the focus of a combined Navy Exercise between Australia and Thailand, being conducted this week in the Gulf of Thailand.

HMA Ships Parramatta and Ballarat, two Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class Frigates, will operate in the maritime exercise AUSTHAI 11 with two Thai ships HTMS Phutta Loetla Naphalai, a missile frigate, and HTMS Rattanakosin, a missile corvette, in the waters off Sattahip and Ko Samui.

Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore said that AUSTHAI 11 presented a great opportunity to work alongside the Navy of a regional partner.

KALININGRAD (BNS): Indian Navy's third and final Talwar-class guided missile frigate, INS Trikand, has been floated out at Russia's Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad on Wednesday.

The new frigate, being built under project 11356, was launched in the presence of Indian and Russian government and defence officials.

With almost sixty percent of the warship's construction work over, including its weapons complex, it will now enter the final stage of production, the shipyard said.

NEW DELHI (PTI): Marking a modernisation spree, Indian Navy is constructing 34 ships and submarines and is in the process of acquiring aircraft, destroyers and missiles to equip it to meet all challenges.

Addressing top Naval Commanders here, Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday said thrust was being given to indigenous capabilities while modernising the force.

Steel cut on second super-carrier

WORK has begun on the second of the biggest warships ever built for the Royal Navy with the first steel cut for HMS Prince of Wales.

Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox performed the honours at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard, pressing the button on a computer-guided laser to cut the first piece of hull for the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier.
In a decade’s time the ship and her older sister HMS Queen Elizabeth will be the hub of Britain’s global defence policy, the launchpads for F35 Lightning II stealth fighter-bombers and helicopters.
For now, however, the two £5bn carriers are very much ‘works in progress’; they are being built in giant segments at six shipyards around the UK under the banner of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance before being assembled in a gigantic dry dock at Rosyth.

Raytheon gets US Navy contract for digital radar warning receivers

El SEGUNDO (BNS): Raytheon has received a contract from the US Navy to produce ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receivers for installation on F/A-18 E/F carrier-based fighters.

The contract, worth $84.7 million, entails continued production of the ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receivers which are the US Navy standard for digital radar warning receiver technology.

Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Panteleyev and salvage tug Fotiy Krylov called at Indonesian port Makassar on May 25; the unit is headed by Capt 1 rank Viktor Sokolov.

The meeting ceremony was held at 10.30 am (local time). Russian mariners were met on the pier by commander and staff officers of Makassar naval base and assistant of Russian military attaché in Indonesia.

Life is breathed back in Lusty

AFTER a £40m revamp, Britain’s only aircraft carrier will return to sea on June 3 to start down the year-long road back to front-line duties.

HMS Illustrious hasn’t been seen at sea since the beginning of 2010 when she sailed to Rosyth for a 16-month refit in the hands of Babcock.

Lusty was due to emerge from her refit as the nation’s strike carrier, taking over from HMS Ark Royal.

HMAS Manoora will be decommissioned on Friday after giving 17 years of distinguished service to the Royal Australian Navy, and a Sydney cake company has risen to the occasion.

Balmain based business ‘Planet Cake’ produced a 100kg cake model of anLHD: The helicopter landing platform being built to replace Manoora and bolster the Navy’s amphibious warfare capability.

The cake, which took 100 hours of labour to produce, was presented toManoora’s Commanding Officer Commander Stephen Dryden today.

CMDR Dryden said the cake represented the dawning of a new era for the Navy.

THE world’s newest and most powerful surface ship arrives in the Solent this weekend – after playing games with the best of British.

USS George H W Bush will be weekending in Stokes Bay on her maiden deployment, fresh from exercising in the Western Approaches with HMS Dauntless and Gloucester.

Exercise Saxon Warrior is one of the largest war games hosted by the Royal Navy in UK waters in recent years with other NATO forces, plus RAF and British Army units.

Airbus Military is keen to propose its aircraft range for the South African Air Force's Project Saucepan requirement for new maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Air Force chief Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano earlier this month said the programme had been “pulled to the left” by the increased threat of piracy in southern Africa's eastern littoral waters.

"I think we have the best product in the world and I believe we could win the programme if we are given the chance to compete," said Airbus Military CE Domingo Ureña. Speaking at a company trade media briefing (TMB) in Madrid on Wednesday he added "We will be ready to compete."

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Indian Navy's 3rd Talwar class frigate to be launched Wednesday

KALININGRAD (BNS): Russia’s Yantar shipyard will float out Indian Navy’s third Talwar-class guided missile frigate, INS Trikand, on Wednesday.

The new class of warship, being built at the Baltic Shipyard in Kaliningrad, under Project 11356, will be launched in the presence of high level Indian and Russian defence and other officials, according toRus Navy.

WASHINGTON (BNS): The US Navy’s F-35C Joint Strike Fighter has made its first public appearance at an air show at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Eric "Magic" Buus, the F-35C flight commemorated 100 years of naval aviation by highlighting the future of tactical air power, the US Navy said in its website.

Pakistan wants China to build a naval base at a deep-sea port in south western Baluchistan province, its defence minister said Sunday, while also inferring that Washington was a fair weather friend.

Ahmad Mukhtar, who accompanied Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during a recent visit to China, said the request was made during the trip, when Pakistan thanked Beijing for constructing Gwader Port, on the Arabian Sea.

Pakistan Commandos Remove Taliban Guerrillas From Karachi Naval Air Base

Pakistani commandos ended a Taliban siege of a navy base in the country’s largest city after a 16- hour battle that the militants said was in part to avenge the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Ten members of Pakistan’s security forces were killed along with four guerrillas, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters in Karachi. The “terrorists were 20-22 years of age and wore Western clothes with suicide jackets beneath them,” Malik said. They were armed with rocket launchers and grenades, he said.

US Navy awards General Dynamics contract to develop advanced submarine technologies

The US Navy has awarded General Dynamics subsidiary Electric Boat a US$33.5 million contract modification for the development of advanced submarine technologies.

Under the terms of the contract modification, Electric Boat will perform advanced submarine research and development studies in support of a wide range of technology areas including manufacturability, maintainability, survivability, hydrodynamics, acoustics and materials. Electric Boat also will conduct research and development work in additional areas including manning, hull integrity, performance, ship control, logistics, weapons handling and safety. Additionally, the contract supports near-term Virginia-class technology insertion, identification of Ohio-class replacement technology options, future submarine concepts and core technologies.

Around 20% of ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, the epicentres of piracy, will carry armed guards by 2013, according to the Security Association for the Maritime Industry. This is an increase from 12% at present.

The Security Association for the Maritime Industry represents a fifth of private security firms offering services to shipping companies in the area off the coast of Somalia, according to spokesman Peter Cook. He was speaking at a presentation in London this week.

“There is a wish by some shipowners to have armed guards on board and you can’t dispute the fact they are successful,” Andrew Bardot, secretary and executive officer of the International Group of P&I Clubs, which insures 90 percent of the world fleet against liability claims, told Bloomberg.

NEW DELHI (PTI): India's 'Shiplift System', first of its kind in defence ship building yards in the country and the largest in the region, will become operational on Saturday when the Rs 400 crore project in Goa is dedicated to the nation.

The commissioning of the shiplift facility by Defence Minister A K Antony on May 21 will coincide with the launching of third in the series of Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) indigenously designed and being built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

LONDON (BNS): Royal Navy's next generation warship HMS Daring has successfully fired air defence missile system ‘Sea Viper’ for the first time.

The type 45 destroyer fired the new air defence system during a training exercise at the Ministry of Defence target range in the Hebrides, the UK Ministry of Defence said.

LORIENT (BNS): French Navy's first Gowind-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) has been floated out by DCNS.

The new ship, named L’Adroit, was launched on Wednesday just one year after construction work began on it.

From ‘first cut’ on 7 May 2010 to float-out on 18 May 2011 took just 12 months, DCNS said.

“The floating of Gowind-type OPV L’Adroit demonstrates DCNS’s ability to design and build a highly innovative ship on time – in this case less than 20 months – and on budget,” said Marc Maynard, the Group’s Gowind OPV programme manager.

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Thursday, May 19, 2011

NAVY PEOPLE: SPORT AND SEAMANSHIP

Alice Springs boy Luke Ettridge has managed to mix the sea and his passion for sport. He joined the Navy in 2004 and has specialised as a physical trainer. He’s already been promoted to Leading Seaman.

Aboard Anzac Class frigate HMAS Parramatta Luke is responsible for fitness classes, testing and recreational activities, as well as keeping watch on the bridge of the ship.

“I love that my job is based around sport and fitness. I am the only physical trainer onboard and, because of that, I have a lot of social interaction with the crew, “he said.

Luke is now based in Sydney with his brother and girlfriend, who are both in the Navy, while his parents are still at home in ‘the Alice’.

HAMBURG (BNS): German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems AG has officially marked the start of construction of German Navy’s first Type 125 class frigate F125 at its Blohm + Voss facility in Hamburg.

A large number of guests and representatives from politics, defence and industry gathered at the facility on May 9 to mark the start of production for the first 125 Class Frigate (F125) for the German Navy.

LEADING her much larger compatriot through the rather calm waters of the Gulf, minehunter HMS Grimsby meets up with HMS Iron Duke for a rare link-up.

Grimsby’s about to end her two-year-plus tour of duty in the Middle East and return to the cooler surroundings of Faslane.

Iron Duke is on making her first appearance in the Gulf and, in this instance, is shaking off the cobwebs after a fortnight in Dubai.

The UAE metropolis was the choice for the Type 23 frigate’s mid-deployment standdown, permitting essential work on some of the ship’s systems… and some essential R&R in the Gulf’s No.1 holiday destination for the ship’s company.

Britain has agreed the design of new nuclear submarines, even if the politically-sensitive decision on whether to build them will not be taken until 2016, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said Wednesday.

The first preparations have begun on replacing the ageing submarines in the Trident system when they expire in the 2020s, to ensure there is no gap in Britain's nuclear deterrent if it is approved, Fox said.

The first interim maritime helicopter, the CH-148 Cyclone, arrived at 12 Wing Shearwater, Nova Scotia, last week to support training of Canadian Forces (CF) aircrew and technicians for the Maritime Helicopter Project.

The Royal Navy’s flagship Type 45 destroyer, HMS Daring, has successfully fired her groundbreaking new air defence missile for the first time, the MoD announced today.

HMS Daring, the first of the formidable next generation warships to be built, fired her world-leading air defence missile system, Sea Viper, during a rigorous training exercise at the MOD’s target range in the Hebrides.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, said:

"This is another important achievement for the Type 45 project. Sea Viper is one of the most advanced weapons systems in the world and this capability, combined with the might and speed of the Type 45 destroyer, will provide the Royal Navy with a fearsome fighting force with unparalleled protection from air attacks.”

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India developing Karwar as 3rd major naval base on west coast

NEW DELHI (PTI): India is moving fast to set-up its third major naval base after Mumbai and Cochin on the western coast at Karwar in Karnataka.

Defence Minister A K Antony will inaugurate an integrated defence-civilian township at Karwar on May 21 with 326 dwelling units under "Project Seabird", also known as Karwar Project.

"The township will accommodate defence and civilian employees posted at Karwar. It is part of the Project Seabird which was aimed to transform Karwar into a state-of-art major naval base on western coast with docking facilities for an aircraft carrier-size vessel," Navy officials said.

GROTON (BNS): US Navy has awarded a $33.5 million contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat to develop advanced submarine technologies for current and future undersea platforms.

Under the contract, Electric Boat – a fully-owned subsidiary of General Dynamics – will perform advanced submarine research and development studies in support of a wide range of technology areas including manufacturability, maintainability, survivability, hydrodynamics, acoustics and materials.

Australian Amphibious Ship Update

Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today provided an update on the Royal Australian Navy’s Amphibious Ship capability.

Purchase of Largs Bay

The Government announced on 6 April that Australia had been successful in its bid to acquire the United Kingdom’s Bay Class amphibious ship Largs Bay at a cost of £65 million (approximately $A100 million).

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NAVY PEOPLE: I WANTED TO SERVE THE NATION

This ANZAC Day Nakara couple Maria and Ian McCutcheon will be glued to the TV, waiting to see the memorial service at Villers-Bretonneux in France.

Maria’s son, Able Seaman Nino Libiran, will be part of the official Australia’s Federation Guard contingent at the service.

“After Year 12 at Casuarina Senior College, I wanted to serve the nation, to travel, and to do something different. Before joining the Navy I had one year break from school,” said Nino.

Tireless lives up to her name on ten-month tour of duty

THIS is something you’ve not seen since July 9 last year: HMS Tireless in sight of Plymouth Hoe.

The submarine returned home to Devonport yesterday after the longest deployment by a Royal Navy submarine in ten years.

Some 150 loved ones and a Royal Marines band welcomed the nuclear submarine home after 307 days away from the UK.

Since sailing Tireless has spent 253 days at sea, mostly carrying out counter-piracy/terrorism/smuggling operations east of Suez – the first time the submarine has passed through the legendary canal.

The nature of much of her work meant her 130-strong crew had no contact with families at home and operated in punishing conditions.

In addition to her intelligence gathering missions, the Trafalgar-class submarine worked with other Allied naval forces in the Indian Ocean.

Northern Fleet (NF) large ASW ship Vice Admiral Kulakov called at Norwegian port Tromso on May 16. The visit is associated with Norway's national holiday – Constitution Day – and will close the 2-day joint exercise Pomor-2011.

The exercise has been conducted since May 11 in the Barents Sea with participation of Vice Admiral Kulakov and Norwegian frigate Helge Ingstad.

NF Band which is on board the Russian ship continuing to practice added solemnity to the event. Rescue of distressed ship with participation of NF aircrafts was conducted in the last day of the exercise.

NAVY PEOPLE: NAVY LIFE FOR MOUNT CLAREMONT ACTION MAN

Mount Claremont local Steed Wilson has now clocked up five years in the Navy, he’s seen the world, and as a member of his ship’s boarding party, he rappels down ropes from helicopters as easily as most people walk to the corner shop.

Steed has specialised as a Marine Technician, but he has always been pretty fit. Even at Scotch College he played water polo and touch rugby. He currently plays in the Australian Defence water polo team and recently played at the Australian countries in Albury, New South Wales.

Like many locals, Steed started life somewhere very different. He was born in Zimbabwe and moved to Perth eight years ago with his sister and parents. His parents currently live back in Zimbabwe but his sister and friends still live in Mt Claremont.

Aboard HMAS Parramatta, Steed is specifically responsible for electronic testing and lighting for the crew of 170 sailors and officers.

“I see most of the crew during my working day,” he said. “My reward is getting a thank you from someone when I have fixed the defect in their compartment”.

During his five years in the Navy, Steed has been involved in maritime exercises with the US Navy off the coast of Hawaii, in border protection, and soon he and his shipmates are heading to south-east Asia.

Source

Russian fleet feels comfortable in Sevastopol – VADM Korolev

Black Sea Fleet (BSF) feels comfortable in Sevastopol land, said BSF Commander Vice Admiral Vladimir Korolev appearing at solemn ceremony near the monument to Catherine the Great associated with 228th anniversary of Black Sea Fleet.

According to him, the fleet has mutual understanding and constructively co-operates with Sevastopol city authorities.

Afterwards, Korolev said to reporters: "Time after the Kharkov agreements is a special period in the history and life of Black Sea Fleet and Ukrainian Navy. We're preparing for serious exercise Fairway of Peace-2011.

TWO Swedish fast attack craft have been loaned to the Royal Marines as the Navy looks at patrol boats of the future.

The first two of four Combat Boat 90s have been handed over to 1 Assault Group Royal Marines for several months of intensive trials.

The Royal Navy is looking at acquiring a new class of ‘force protection craft’ capable of fending off enemy fast boats and dealing with threats on land. As a secondary requirement, the future boats will be expected to carry up to eight Royal Marines ashore during amphibious operations.

NAVY PEOPLE: KEEPING COMMUNICATIONS OPEN

The Navy has come a long way since they used signal flags, and Gosnall’s man Leo Vredenbregt is part of the latest generation of communicators.

After Gosnells Senior High School, Leo turned his Navy cadet time into a permanent career.

23 years later, Leo is a Chief Petty Officer who manages communications and information systems aboard HMAS Parramatta, one of the Navy’s latest warships. He and his shipmates are recently back from pirate patrol in the middle east.

Ukrainian military delegation headed by Ukrainian Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Maksimov visited St. Petersburg in May 13-15 and conducted meetings with Russian counterparts. Ukrainian Navy's top officers visited the Kuznetsov Naval Academy and familiarized with training process and facilities of the academy.

While visiting the academy, Ukrainian mariners got acquainted with training system applied to personnel of different ship's departments and NBC protective procedures. The guests saw demonstrative torpedo attack at a surface target. Also, Ukrainians attended tactics course of submarine's safe navigation, diving, surfacing, calling at naval base and leaving it.

During the visit, Admiral Viktor Maksimov held working meeting with Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky. Counterparts discussed possibilities of training Ukrainian submariners in the Kuznetsov Naval Academy. Besides, commanders of Russian and Ukrainian navies discussed matters related to bilateral naval exercise Fairway of Peace-2011to be conducted in May 23-26.

The visit was held at the invitation of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky.

Source

SLBM Bulava tests to be continued mid-June in the White Sea

Next test launch of Russia's newest submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava is scheduled in mid-June in the White Sea, reported Friday RIA Novosti referring to a source in defense ministry.

"Date of the next test of SLBM Bulava has been already set. It will be conducted in June 15-17. As is expected, the launch will be performed by SSBN Dmitry Donskoy, although new submarine Yury Dolgoruky is also ready for tests", said the interviewee.

He said that test launches by the missile's standard carrier – SSBN Yury Dolgoruky (Project 955) – would start after two successful launches made byDmitry Donskoy (Project 941U).

Russian Pacific Fleet's destroyer Admiral Panteleyev will visit Singapore and Indonesia on May 16-27 to take part in IMDEX-2011 naval exhibition and hold joint drills with the Indonesian navy.

The biennial IMDEX Asia International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) is held in Singapore on May 17-19.

"Russian warships have taken part in this exhibition several times in the past," the fleet's spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said. "

MOSCOW (BNS): Russian Pacific Fleet's destroyer Admiral Panteleyev will take part in IMDEX-2011 naval exhibition and hold joint drills with the Indonesian navy.

Admiral Panteleyev, an Udaloy class destroyer, will visit Singapore where a three-day biennial IMDEX Asia International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) will begin tomorrow.

The Russian destroyer will stay in Singapore until May 20 and then depart for Indonesia to take part in anti-piracy drills with the Indonesian navy from May 25-27.

The simulated mission would involve the rescue of a tanker seized by pirates, Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov was quoted as saying.

Admiral Panteleyev took part in the international anti-piracy mission off the Somali coast in 2009 and seized a boat carrying 29 suspected pirates, a Ria Novosti report said.

US Navy plans to deploy carrier-based drones in Asia

YOKOSUKA, JAPAN (AP): The US is developing aircraft carrier-based drones that could provide a crucial edge as it tries to counter China's military rise.

American officials have been tightlipped about where the unmanned armed planes might be used, but a top Navy officer has told The Associated Press that some would likely be deployed in Asia.

"They will play an integral role in our future operations in this region," predicted Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, commander of the US 7th Fleet, which covers most of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

El SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA (BNS): Raytheon has received a contract from Boeing to produce and deliver the APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for the US Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters.

Under the contract from Boeing for the second procurement in the four-year Multi-Year III programme, Raytheon will provide 42 next-generation APG-79 radars that will be equipped on the F/A-18 tactical aircraft.

The APG-79 AESA radar hardware has 10-15 times greater reliability over the APG-73 mechanically scanned array radars which were installed on the initial batch of F/A-18 fighters.

The upgraded APG-79 radars will provide high level of aircrew situational awareness and feature multi-target tracking capability.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Baltic Fleet ships returned home from Poland

Baltic Fleet task group consisting of small missile ships Zyb andGeizer returned to Baltiysk Naval Base after informal visit to Polish port Szczecin on May 12. The cruise was headed by Baltiysk Naval Base Commander RADM Alexander Nosatov.

In the call port RADM A. Nosatov met with Szczecin station commander Brigadier General A. Gwadera who also holds the post of 12th Mechanized Brigade Deputy Commander, and Szczecin Mayor P. Krzystek.

During celebration of 66th anniversary of the Victory Day, Russian mariners and their Polish counterparts laid wreath to the monument "Brotherhood in Arms", and at Gryfino memorial cemetery of Soviet soldiers fallen in WW2 battles.

Minehunters sail on protracted mission to the Gulf

FOR the second time in her career, HMS Ramsey has begun the 6,000-mile journey to the Gulf for an extended tour of duty in the Middle East.

The ship left Faslane on Wednesday as the Navy starts to rotate its four-strong minehunting force based in Bahrain.

As befits a protracted deployment – up to four years – the ship was given quite a send-off: friends and families were invited aboard and a short religious service was held, led by Fr Andrew McFadden, chaplain of the Faslane Flotilla, to wish the ship well during the lengthy passage to her new home. Upon sailing tugs squirted their fire hoses in appreciation.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Monday, May 23, 2011

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Purchase of Largs Bay

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Friday, May 13, 2011

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