HM Ships Iron Duke And Protector met up at sea on passage between operations exchanging IDs and passing friendly greetings before heading off their separate ways.
HMS Iron Duke recently having visited Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands conducted a ‘steam past’ at sea with HMS Protector off the coast of West Africa.
The two ships operating in the same region for a brief period endeavoured to engage in some classic British manoeuvres and show White Ensign solidarity at sea.
The Portsmouth based ships both flying the White Ensign, but bearing the different hull colours denoting their distinct roles of Warship and Polar Research / Ice Patrol ship, made for a spectacular sight passing in close proximity in the clear blue waters of the mid Atlantic, off Africa.
Whilst both heading in different directions, their planned navigational passages were close enough to ensure that they had the opportunity to meet up and for the Captain’s to exchange greetings in the ceremonial and traditional cap waving manner.
Cdr Tom Tredray, Commanding Officer of HMS Iron Duke said: “It was good to have a chance to rendezvous with HMS Protector at sea and I hope that we get the opportunity to work with her again later in HMS Iron Duke’s deployment.”
[mappress] Press Release, July 10, 2014; Image: UK Navy