Naval Manouevrings

Yesterday's miserable weather, which included 23mm of rain and persistent low cloud, obscured the manoeuvrings of a fleet of foreign ships in the Sound.  This was the first to arrive at around 6.00pm, the German Elbe-class replenishment ship Werra, seen as she turned into Bloody Bay where she spent the night.  She was joined by seven other ships, including the German Gretchen, Wiesel, Hyaena, Zobel and Puma and the Norwegian Valkyrien and Skjold - there may have been more but they weren't showing on the AIS.  The smaller ships didn't anchor but moved round at speed, just visible by their navigation lights.

Most had disappeared when the sun came up this morning, but the Werra was still at anchor in Bloody Bay, while the....

....Valkyrien, a Norwegian support vessel, had the Norwegian Skjold, a fast, missile-carrying stealth craft, alongside.

A little later, one of the smaller ships which had been in the Sound last night came north.  This is the Puma, one of Germany's Gerard-class fast attack craft.  She's seen here passing the Skjold which....

....shortly afterwards, followed her northwestwards out of the Sound, passing close to a small trawler.

Soon afterwards, the German Frettchen followed her, seen here passing Ardmore light.