A keen ocean yachtmaster and past commodore of Lloyd’s Yacht Club, Liveryman Paul May quickly re-organised his diary when an invitation to the Court arrived to join some of the HMS Edinburgh crew on board HMS Exeter for a “fast cruise” from Dundee to Portsmouth.

This is his account of the journey:

During early July, together with about 20 friends and family of the crew of HMS Edinburgh, I was privileged to have the opportunity to join HMS Exeter on the last leg of her circumnavigation of the UK as part of the Falklands Conflict commemorations.

The atmosphere was friendly and the hospitality excellent. The crew were looking forward to a short break from their busy routines on arrival in Portsmouth. The affiliation with our company is highly valued, and I did my bit to foster that by arriving with several bottles for the Ship’s Whisky
Society!

As we left Dundee several jets from the nearby RAF airbase “buzzed us” and I could track their progress from inside the dimly lit Operations Room bristling with leading edge technology (and internal phones that had been programmed to ring with the TV programme “24” CTU phone tone).

Having sailed the North Sea in small boats I was keen to see what it would be like in a Type 42 destroyer steaming along at 30 knots. The weather was surprisingly favourable with only a slight sea swell, clear visibility and occasional rain.

Economy rules within the Royal Navy now require that permission from the highest levels have to be obtained for a “fast cruise” as at such speeds the ship consumes 50 gallons of diesel a minute.

The bridge was very efficient yet friendly. The Navy no longer use paper charts and so electronic charts and radar were regularly being consulted by the officers of the watch.
Binoculars however remain a main item for checking the surroundings.

For a few minutes I was allowed to steer using the control which is a small steering wheel yoke similar to that in a light aircraft. It was very sensitive and at 30 knots the slightest movement sent the ship off course, which is why I was only allowed to steer for a few minutes…

We made our way smoothly through the shipping lanes and oil rigs as we made our 500 mile passage during the day and night. We did encounter overnight a ship that seemed unable to follow the correct collision avoidance rules. However once the captain of that Russian ship realised he was on collision course with a Royal Navy destroyer he took the avoiding action which his crew should have done some minutes earlier.

The high point was dinner with Commander Gavin Young the Captain in his quarters, where we were able to discuss future areas of co-operation and support between the ship and our Company.  I also took the opportunity to present him with a Lloyd's Yacht Club burgee.

A tour of the ship the next day revealed the scale of the armaments and leading edge technology on board. Sea Dart missiles, stored carefully in an inner chamber, were in
readiness, and there was constant surveillance of the air and sea. Modern day “gattling guns” are on board in the form of deck mounted radar operated Phalanx machine guns capable of seeking and prioritising their own targets and firing 3,000 rounds a minute.

When we were in an empty area of sea and air space a live firing exercise was conducted where the guests were given the opportunity to fire the fixed machine guns and the SA80 automatic rifles. Naval gunnery is complicated by the ship’s movement but I managed to hit the sea every time!

We approached Portsmouth harbour in the sunshine. It was a tremendous experience standing by the officers on the fly bridge as they saluted and piped the more senior ships including Ark Royal. Each in turn answered our salutes in a centuries old Navy tradition.

I am extremely grateful to all the officers and crew of HMS Edinburgh for making the journey a memorable and unique experience.