M27 - East - West - East - East - West

Spent a lot of the day on the M27 today. Drove to Whale Island, Portsmouth, for a meeting at NCHQ (Naval Command Head Quarters) then to Southampton Docks to visit Aurora. A massive ship, although not P&O's largest. She can take 2000 guests with a crew of 800. Spent our hour with the navigation team looking at how they use their ECDIS, plan their routes, update their charts etc.

After this, back on the M27 to Fareham to visit HMS COLLINGWOOD and their navigation training team. Had 15 mins in their state-of-the-art simulator which was great and very realistic. Somewhat quease-enducing straight after lunch. . We sailed out of Pearl Harbour complete with 3D google earth graphics, submarines, fires, storms etc. A useful discussion with their WECDIS trainer ensued after this.

Back on the M27 to Portsmouth again, to the Dockyard to visit HMS IRON DUKE, a T23 Frigate. Spent quite a while in the Ops Room until I got dragged out to join every one else on the bridge.

A fascinating whistle-stop tour of various marine establishments in Portsmouth/S'oton finding out how they navigation and use electronic charting. Lots of customer input. Good stuff.