General Chat

There is an american aircraft carrier anchored in the Solent because she id too big to get into the dockyard.

Better get down the dockyard gate and eke out the pension a bit I suppose!

:-D :-D :-D

When I worked in Portsmouth Dockyard - the USS Enterprise came in :-S

Who is ferrying them ashore ?
A nice little earner there surely ?
You could stand on the shoreline and sell them your special ice-cream.

That should give them a head start before reaching Pompey.

When I worked in Southsea, as a student, USS Wasp came into harbour

The manageress arranged for her daughter and I to visit.............

Sharon :-D :-D

Watch it! They might be invading! :-D That is how it starts, you know just a small bunch to get you unawares. ;-)

The USS George H W Bush (CVN-77) comes to the Solent as part of her European and Middle East deployment. USS George H W Bush is the tenth and final Nimitz-class supercarrier of the United States Navy. She is named for the 41st President of the United States and former Director of Central Intelligence. Commissioned in January 2009, her home port is NS Norfolk, Virginia. Her length is 333 metres and carries 90 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

Think that's more planes/helicopters than we've got all told !!

About 5,000 US sailors are expected to visit Portsmouth during the trip

Read more at: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-region/portsmouth/american-aircraft-carrier-set-to-visit-portsmouth-1-8062104

When I worked in the dockyard in the 50s the whole place was always full of sailors, usually British but also sometimes French and all in uniform, quite a paradise for a teenage girl.

When I was in market research we once did a hall test (where you come in off the street to try a product or answer a questionnaire) in one particular Pompey pub that ostensibly offered bed and breakfast.

A man came along the corridor with a towel around his waist, followed by a young lady in a french maid's outfit. Knocking shop I would think.

In Pompey...never!! :-D :-D

In the 1970's, when American ships came in, there were some 'interesting' parties in Warehouses around Southampton Docks :-S :-D

Actually, when the USS Enterprise came to Portsmouth, there were organised trips to the ship.
I was having my lunch on some remote dock of the Dockyard, talking to the feral cats, when this American sailor from the ship rowed up.
He invited me to board his boat to 'view' the Enterprise.
I pointed out that the official boats left from another point, and, no, I wasn't interested as I only had 15 minutes left of my lunch break.
He became somewhat insistent, which, as I was in a remote area, was more than a little alarming. :-0
Suddenly, this deep voice bellowed 'The lady says she's not interested, mate, I suggest you **** off'.
I turned to see the biggest docker ever!!
Once the Yank had gone, he said, in the sweetest voice 'Are you okay love?', and walked me back to work! :-D :-D :-D

Have to admit, I always chose remote areas in the summer to eat my lunch - and never had any problems with the dockies - they were the loveliest. <3

Not called 'maties' for nothing.

Lovely until you were driving around the city and happened to be near the dockyard gates when it was start of lunch break, couldn't see for cyclists!!

:-D :-D

Ah, Ann I was one of them - at home time :-D

Probably after I had left (1961) though Maggie. OH failed his first driving test which was just around lunch time in Portsmouth, for not giving way to cyclists. I think I only cycled through the area once or twice but not amongst the dockyard exit. I actually only worked in the yard twice a week, the other three days I was at Cambridge Barracks opposite the NAAFI. But was always in the area of the yard as I caught the ferry from/to gosport twice a day.

1974 ish, I think, Ann.
There were some very interesting pubs in Portsmouth - Particularly around the gates ;-)

Mmmm there were, think some of them may still be there. I was so young and innocent, and had my own sailor boy that I never went in them. Used to go in the NAAFI though, that was fun.

There are only a handful of real pubs left in Portsmouth. There are at least two which don't even serve draft bitter. Thank God the Tricorn has gone.

My mother, then a Snr nurse at St Marys met my father soon after the end of ww2 when he was posted to HMS Victory. I have lots of rellies in the city/Gosport mostly connected to the Andrew one way or the other.

The two new Qe class carriers are supposed to be able to dock there will be a huge crowd but no free beer. HMS Ocean has been sold to Brazil. Good timing (not) if Putin tries it on in the Baltic.