The Morecambe Bay Submariners Association managed to visit the Submarine Base at Faslane over the weekend of 27/28 March.  The itinerary was packed full of excellent experiences and all 8 members of the Branch enjoyed themselves immensely.

An effortless drive up country allowed time for a visit to the Submarine Centre in Helensburgh.  Currently not open to the Public, Dave Tipple was kind enough to open the centre for our pleasure.  The Centre was shown in its best light and refreshments were supplied, courtesy of the West of Scotland Branch of the SA.  The floor show was immersive and gave a thorough history of the Midget Submarine evolution in part one of the presentation.  The quality of the production was remarkable and there is no doubt that part two will be equally superb.

After the visit to the centre a short stop in the Ardencaple Hotel for a swift one allowed us to meet up with the National Secretary, and member of the WOS Branch, so that we could thank him in person, he even got a round in!

Just a short hiccough at the pass office, which was sorted out with a quick conversation between Cdr John Humphreys, the Duty Naval Base Officer, and his old Navigator from their days in HMS OCELOT.  Access granted we made our way to the Senior Rates mess to collect our accommodation passes and then off to dinner and back to Kennedy’s to round the day off in style at the bar, meeting old friends and shipmates before getting our heads down.

The visit to HMS ARTFUL was eye opening and all of the team remarked on the level of automation in the systems and how they are operated.  They also remarked on the excellent morale of the crew in their prolonged period of maintenance.  They are still keen and ready to take her to sea when they are able.  Our thanks go to the Duty Watch who were tested with the myriad of questions we were to ask, and they were not found wanting. 

The final visit in the base was conducted with CPO(SA) Tug Wilson of the SMERAS facility.  None of the visitors had had experience of the facility before and were super impressed with the veracity of the training and the conditions that were achievable in the training tank.  The Chairman was keen to get his bathers on and have a go but alas Tug would not let him anywhere near the water.  Without doubt it is a world class facility with a realistic training environment to prepare the students for the rigours of having to escape from a submarine.

All fun completed in the right timescale the only thing left was the journey home.  A refreshment stop just over the border to whet our whistles and the final leg was conducted in darkness without incident. 

Our special thanks go to PO(MESM) Nathan Wilkinson, of HMS ARTFUL, for the meticulous coordination of the visit weekend.  The whole thing was memorable for all the right reasons and just goes to show if you present the right documentation to the security team at HMNB Clyde you will always be allowed access.