A long, proud, cold day

Just got back after a long slog up the M5 from Plymouth.

My eldest daughter has just set off with her 250 shipmates on HMS Cornwall on a tour of duty which will take them to some nice places, and then on to the Gulf – not so nice!

A substantial part of this morning was spent, with many other families and friends of the ships company, on the wind-blown Devils Point on the edge of Plymouth Sound.  There were a couple of false starts as sister ships of the Cornwall left the Tamar estuary, but it at least gave us some camera practice.

It was well worth the wait, though.  When the prow of the F99 appeared around the end of the Davonport dockyard you could feel the wave of anticipation ripple through the assembled crowd.  Watching, and waving madly at, the assembled ships company lining the decks was an emotional and very proud moment that I wouldn’t have missed for the world. 

A jog along the cliff top path, then ensued as she rounded the point so that we could do a bit more waving.  She then turned her stern towards the fine City of Plymouth and headed out to sea for the next few months.  We eagerly dived in to the car park  and got the car heater going in an attempt to remove the chill from our bones – I don’t think I’ve really warmed up yet several hours later.  I can’t help wondering how cold they were when they got stood down from lining the deck.

Plymouth Sound has been the starting point for many important sea journeys, not least Charles Darwin and his captain Robert FitzRoy in their ship HMS Beagle in 1836, as a plaque on the cliff top wall helpfully informed me.  Hopefully Kerry’s trip will not be as momentous, but it will be as important to the close friends and family that lined Devils Point today.  - Bon voyage!