On Monday lunchtime, October 30th, the future HMS Queen Elizabeth made her first exit from Portsmouth Harbour watched by a large crowd of local residents and families of crew. Previous attempts to squeeze through the harbour entrance between the 'Still and West' and the Haslar shore had been postponed due to high winds - winds … Continue reading ‘Big Lizzie’ sets sail for the first time from Portsmouth Harbour
Tag: Portsmouth Harbour
City of Portsmouth – Flood Defences
Proposals for new sea defences for the island city of Portsmouth are gaining increasing visibility among local residents, with two seemingly opposing views both now being publicly debated. This work is in response to the Environment Agency Flood Risk Assessment, which predicts the sea level rising by up to 1.2 metres within the next one … Continue reading City of Portsmouth – Flood Defences
Queen Elizabeth – the carrier – comes home
Five years ago, two sections of the Royal Navy's first new generation aircraft carrier left the shipbuilding yard in Portsmouth en route for Rosyth, where final assembly of the ship was to take place. It was to be the first time that a major ship for the Royal Navy would be built in sections, in multiple yards around the British Isles. On Wednesday 16th August 2017, 'Big Lizzie' as she's already affectionately known, came home to her home base in Portsmouth for the first time, greeted by a large crowd of well wishers who'd turned out early to line the waterfront between Southsea Castle and Old Portsmouth. I wasn't the only member of the SPS Council up at 5:30 in the morning to be sure of a close up view. In fact, I'd been awake at 3:30 that morning and had checked on Marine Traffic so see whether she really was in the area. No doubt about it, clearly spinning her wheels in Freshwater Bay, waiting for the tide and the waiting crowds.
City Deal takes a £400 million step forward
The Daily Echo reports that a £400 million deal to redevelop Portsmouth and Southampton is due to be finalised any day now. Inevitably, investment on this scale will transform city skylines. It seems likely that the long awaited Royal Pier redevelopment would be one of the priority projects. If that improves traffic flow in that … Continue reading City Deal takes a £400 million step forward
£3.75m for Portsmouth Historic boatbuilding project
This grant from the Lottery Heritage Fund is reported by the BBC H2O show. The centre will open its doors to the public and begin training in April 2015, run buy the naval base trust and a new branch of the International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC). Congratulations to them. It should be a fascinating place … Continue reading £3.75m for Portsmouth Historic boatbuilding project
Park and Sail in Portsmouth
A new park and ride ferry service from the Portsmouth International port to Gunwharf Quay has been so successful that an additional boat has been added. Is this a trend that could be copied eksehere in the Solent?
£5m grant for HMS Victory -video
BBC H2) show tweeted BBC HANTS: VIDEO: HMS Victory awarded £5m funding: The government has announced it is to invest a further ... http://bbc.in/19bubey
West Solent Marine National Park Report
Posted on 07 Jan 2006 Introduction and Summary A 'Solent National Waterpark' was proposed by the Society fifty years ago, at the instigation of leading members Sir Hugh Casson and Maldwin Drummond. Unfortunately the time was not right for this imaginative idea to take shape, but there has recently been a massive renewal of interest, … Continue reading West Solent Marine National Park Report
Important historic buildings of the Solent
Posted on 22 Aug 2005 In this second article of an occasional series about different faces of the Solent (the first was Solent Birds) the focus will be on important and historic buildings of The Solent and its shores. For ease of orientation the area will be divided into four sections: The West Solent between … Continue reading Important historic buildings of the Solent