H87 HMS Echo

[BrendanS]

the hydrographic survey vessel has been anchored in Newport Bay (West Wales, between Fishguard and Cardigan) since yesterday afternoon. Anyone know what it's doing there, as it's supposed to be on a 5 year mission to the Far East according to most of the sources I could find.

 

[sarabande]

maybe that's another Echo Echo ?


She was with Taurus on supporting Special Forces ops and some Fleet Diving Group stuff, and recently completed Operational Sea Training before enjoying ( I bet !) a highly rewarding visit to the capital city of Dublin in mid August as part of a mid leg stand down from surveying and Military Data Gathering in Cardigan Bay.

Earlier in the summer, they had a lot of people on board from Taunton, which is her affiliated city. Then they had a civilian marine research team on board trialling a new underwater camera to monitor the diversity of marine life aound the coasts. So I guess it's all to do with counting seahorses....

 

[BrendanS]

Ah! Ta!
The 5 year tour ending in 2011 would appear to have come to a premature halt then! It was still at anchor when I went down to the beach about an hour ago, and no signs of any actual surveying being done, so maybe they are playing with their new camera. Don't often see military or even any large ships at anchor in Newport Bay.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Its a five year mission. Even the Enterprise got R&R at various Starbases en route. Maybe she is having trouble with Tribbles.