A Trip to Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the home of the Royal Navy and final resting place of three of England's most famous battle ships. On Sunday we drove over to have a look. Pictured here is the HMS Victory, launched in 1765, and still the flagship of the Royal Navy. Among the most notable names from her illustrious past are Admiral Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. We also boarded the HMS Warrior, whose design and steam engine power were considered leading edge technology in 1860. The Mary Rose, who sank on her maiden voyage, lay at sea for 437 years awaiting the technology needed to raise her. Still to this day she is kept wet with a continuous spray of special preservative liquid until restoration can begin in 2009. In addition to the ships, there are several museums devoted to British naval history. It is an impressive site in a lovely city, one that merits another visit.

On the way home, we made a stop at the seaside village of Poole, where we walked along the waterfront and saw some incredible speed boats...Sunseeker Yachts...proof that naval architecture is still alive and well in this country!