HMS Diamond's Affiliation

A wander down the docks yesterday morning to have a look at Aberdeen's newest 'affiliated' warship: HMS Diamond. We've written about Aberdeen's previous affiliation to the frigate HMS Scylla before but Diamond is altogether different, being a Type 45 'Daring' class air-defence destroyer this ship is said to be the world's most advanced [sic!] warship (at the time of writing). It's a big boat.

Little did we know that we were going to be sort-of too late, and Diamond was actually 'at sea'. But hold on, there it is, tied up at Telford Dock.

A word with the Harbourmaster security guard at the dock gate let us know that the warship had been scheduled to sail at 9.00 am, but - lacking the sheer grunting thrust of the type of anchor-handlers more normally seen using Aberdeen Harbour -  wouldn't have been able to make it over the sand and gravel bar which retards Aberdeen Harbour's entrance given the swell that was running at the time (that's what they say, isn't it?). And so Diamond had remained tied up. Tugs were awaited. How embarassing - it's just as well we weren't under air attack today. At least it didn't get stuck on a sandbar like that submarine last year.

Because of Diamond's 'at sea' condition, we weren't allowed any closer than the gate of the dock - but got these shots of the sci-fi forms of this terrifying weapon of war. We don't really like weaponry. 'Killingry', as our hero R. Buckminster Fuller would have had it - we prefer 'livingry', naturally enough, at Other Aberdeen - but we must admit to a grudging admiration for the alienating cold stark beauty of these forms.

Edit 15 Feb:

Anonymous sources tell us that, it being "Aberdeen's Warship", the Captain of Diamond and his senior bridge staff were invited to worship at St Nicholas Kirk on Sunday. Quite amazingly, they actually showed up late and missed the service, having got 'lost' in the Fittie/foreshore area.

So, firstly a snub to the godbotherers at the Mither Kirk and then stuck in port unable to surmount our well-known sandbar. Not a particularly auspicious start to our mutual affiliation.

The Royal Navy's Type 45 Destroyer webpage was offline at the time of writing.

Edit. Weds 16th Feb.

Other Aberdeen Scooped the Sun!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3414303/1bn-ship-stranded.html

And the P&J

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2137334?UserKey=

The warship wasn't the only interesting thing to see down the harbour that morning before elevenses.


Nae drunk much.