All of Southampton Water on view, live

[Greenheart]

Netley Cliff sailing club webcam is surprisingly easy to watch for long periods, although possibly not late at night when I'm posting this.

The camera is able to detect movement and has a powerful zoom. It tracks large vessels sometimes from as far out as south-west of Calshot, visible over the low spit.

(I'm assuming it does have an automatic motion detector, and that there isn't some stupified human agent perpetually at the controls.)

On a busy day there are numerous cruise ships, vast container ships, tugs, vehicle-carriers, ferries, dredgers, and the small tankers that bring fuel from Fawley to Southampton docks, plus countless smaller vessels.

It's rather nice that you can review the last twelve hours of activity by sliding back and forth along the scale at the base of the screen.

With Youtube on the big TV, it really is like having a window on a terrific sea view. It ought to be on in bars and waiting rooms everywhere.

It's worth taking a look at Free AIS Ship Tracker - VesselFinder too, so you know what shipping is approaching. If there's nothing, the camera may go to sleep in one position.

Yesterday there was a chap narrating what he could see. That may sound as thrilling as listening to cricket commentators, but I enjoyed it.

 

[lustyd]

I read this at 7:38 and excitedly clicked to find 12 hours of dark ?

 

[ghostlymoron]

I read this at 7:38 and excitedly clicked to find 12 hours of dark ?

You just missed the stately arrival of a P&O cruise ship.

 

[coopec]

I've often looked at webcams in cities all around the world and places like Cape Horn.

I just did a search on "Webcam Ukraine" and there are some listed. One "Ukraine conflict - Kyiv" (I don't think I want to watch that)

 

[jaminb]

I will give you a wave when I sail past later

 

[Greenheart]

I will give you a wave when I sail past later.

I plan to sail back and forth ad nauseam in view of the camera once I've learned to tame my spinnaker...it's my best chance of some footage.

I've noticed figures waving wildly on the Red Funnel, too...I assume they have a phone or iPad in their hands, and are watching themselves wave. ?

There had been a thick curtain of fog in Southampton Water, early in the day about three weeks back. But by sliding along the scale, it was possible to watch the fog clear in a few seconds.

I'm not sure whether it's instructive, though it may help in terms of gauging what is where and how far, contrary to where you remember it. Anyhow I find it continuously entertaining, at least in daylight.

 

[lenten]

thanks------dancrane

 

[Malish]

We could do with that sort of system at Harwich too (there are static harbour cams)

 

[Greenheart]

September 23rd 2022

I'm just reminding readers of this live video footage, because I enjoy it so much myself.

A benefit of the camera is its automatic focussing on moving items - so when there's not much going on, it may show a very broad view, but when a tug is attending a RoRo ship, or something particular is occurring a mile or more distant, it is brought into clear, near focus.

I picked up a free spare monitor for my PC and set it up in a corner, perpetually showing the always-changing view over Southampton Water. It's like a window. I might get curtains for it.

 

[ashtead]

Good pictures of the raf rescue boat on a jolly from the boat show just now

 

[Greenheart]

Yes, wasn't that magnificent. Interesting that I couldn't spot her on Vessel Finder...no AIS?

There's usually something of interest going on.

.