W eventually stirred ourselves from our little cove on Garroch Head Bute. We weren't in any hurry and we sat on the water enjoying the misty view to the mountains of Glen Sannox on Arran.
Our indolence was distubed by
Julia and the...
....boys from the
Drumchapel and Clydebank Kayak Club who stormed past, putting us quite to shame.
Our embarrassment was short lived as another high speed craft arrived on the scene.
HMS Defender, D36, is the latests of the Type 45 destroyers to be undergoing sea trials on the Firth of Clyde. She was built in the Govan and fitted out in the Scotstoun yards on the River Clyde.
Despite her sophisticated early warning systems, I doubt we would have appeared on her radar...
...so we were pleased to let her pass, between us and the Little Cumbrae.
I talked with an ex-US Navy guy, and he said that kayakers wouldn't show up on the general radar system of the ship, but they could pick you out with their targeting radar...
ReplyDeleteWe also had to dodge around a couple of destroyers and subs around the 14-15 April in same area. So obviously a lot activity going on at the moment.
ReplyDeleteIt's hardly reassuring to learn that despite being invisible, you can be targeted. Alice
Hello Peter and Alice, apparently the Sampson targeting radar can pick up something the size of a tennis ball travelling at Mach 3.
ReplyDeleteAlice there has been a huge military operation up the west coast of Scotland during the last two weeks of April. We saw HMS Illustrious to the south of Luce Bay on the Solway on Saturday. During the day, heavy helicopters were making frequent flights from her deck then in the evening a series of bright flashes and smoke trails appeared to show she was firing missiles into the middle of the Luce Bay range. We were glad it was too windy for paddling.