Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

What Naval veteran could stay in London too long without visiting VADM Horatio Nelson’s Flagship, HMS Victory, in Portsmouth? After all, the significance of Lord Nelson in this seafaring nation’s history cannot be disputed, as evidenced by Trafalgar Square. Completed in 1843, Nelson’s Column was built to honor him and the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) against the French and Spanish Navies, where he died in battle. The 17-foot Nelson stands atop the column, which is surrounded by four quite large bronze lions, which were added in 1867. But I digress…

So why a trip to the coast to see the Flagship? I must admit I’ve visited it before, first with my Dad in 1967 and, most recently, in 1996 during a port visit in Portsmouth while deployed on USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67). I had cocktails on the VICTORY’s Quarterdeck with the carrier air wing’s leadership and our British Navy counterparts – quite a special occasion for all! Anyway, I’m on my 2^nd read (actually listening to the audio book this time) through Patrick O’Brian’s 20-book Master and Commander series. The depth, character development, and history of the fictional Jack Aubrey and his exploits through his career in the Nelson era British Navy make for exceptional storytelling of many actual battles and events. A highlight of the series is the numerous Navy traditions and daily routines noted, which are still performed in today’s 21^st-century U.S. Navy. Without question, the fabric of those seafaring traditions makes our Navy, the Officers and Sailors who serve, a unique and special group of professionals.

Just a quick (1+45) train trip from London Victoria to Portsmouth Harbor; Karen and I were in for a treat— for although my mission was to visit VICTORY, there is SO much more to see at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard! Seriously, it blew me away with how much there was to explore over the day. Frankly, we didn’t have time to do it all, but I will cover what we saw and then highlight other attractions that are there. Let’s dig in!

Harbor Tour: The day began with a 40-minute Harbor Tour on a ferry boat, which provided a great perspective on the Portsmouth Harbor from both the Naval and civilian sides. As you might expect, there is a lot of naval history in the area, which helped set the scene for the remainder of the day.

Harbor Tour

Historic Dockyard

HMS Victory Under Tent

Emirates Spinnaker Tower

Crete, Greece

London: All That Life Can Afford

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