ONE FOR THE MPA PEOPLE
 

A long time ago when I was based at an MHQ in Scotland I met a Naval Officer who said he was 'Oic Rockall'. I was convinced he was taking the mick but then heard that the 'Rockall Trench' (whatever that is) was an important piece of water to the RN and MPA people. Is there any truth to this or was I being particularly naive?

I seem to remember the navy used to send people there occassionally to 'put up the flag' or some such thing.

I believe there's a plaque there put up by the Navy in 1955 (?) claiming it for Her Maj etc.

He might have thought that, in whatever job he was in, he spent a lot of time being responsible for sub-surface comings and goings in the Rockall Channel, but the islet itself is most definitely unmanned! http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/ind...ecrets/Rockall

Are you sure he was RN? One former, now retired flight commander of mine (some refer to him as a 'maritime legend') used to take every opportunity to direct whichever Nimrod crew he was flying with to go out of their way to make a 200' flypast of that rock 'to check it's still there'. If there was ever a gentleman who deserved to be called 'OIC Rockall', or at least have it recognized as a Secondary Duty, it was him! :-)

One 27 Sqn Vulcan crew (the RAF's geriatric boat-spotters) managed to plot an MLA for Rockall.......:uhoh:

For the NON MPA people...
 

....When you're bored - whistle up giggle erth and wander the cursor over the sea bit to west of UK. Lots of romantic names like Bill Bailey's Bank (sea area Bailey!), Rosemary Bank and look at the depths of water around them.
Cast your minds to "Hunt for Red October" and have a look for the features mentioned there. The oceanographers were clearly fans of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings as they chose the names for various features in those waters. There's a Gandalf's Spur f'rinstance Lorien........

Being Oi/c Rockall Trench has a certain je ne sais quoi about it. What a good desk notice that would make.

Today's trivia is delivered to you free, gratis and for nothing.

The Ancient Mariner

Are you sure he didn't mean "Oic Rock All"?

I believe he went on to become Flag Officer, Training Units Atlantic.

FLATULANT. :E

I seem to remember the navy used to send people there occasionally to 'put up the flag' or some such thing.

I believe there's a plaque there put up by the Navy in 1955 (?) claiming it for Her Maj etc.

Well remembered, Thing - Fittingly, in view of the fact that Rockall was first charted by Captain Alexander Vidal in 1831, the landing you refer to was by helicopter from HMS VIDAL on 18 Sep 55. VIDAL was in fact the first RN small ship to carry a helicopter, specifically a Dragonfly.

It's officially part of Scotland now, and there's lots more info at:
Home - The Rockall Club

Jack

Low-level astro/DR navex to Rockall used to be fun for MPA navs with OCD ....:sad:

Bottom topography has an impact on acoustic sound propogation that has to be taken into account in the ASW battle. Depth of water, bottom type and thermal water gradients also play a part in defining likely transit routes or operating areas for submarines. The 'Rockall Trough' has a known quality as does the 'Porcupine Bank', 'Anton Dohrn' seamount and even the 'Voering Plateau' etc. etc.

Nothing unique about any of these and as Rossian says, Google the undersea map of the North Atlantic if you want to see how the seabed looks. As to Rockall itself, I also remember a former SAS bloke (whose name escapes me just now), camping out on a small ledge for a month back in the 80's? We flew round him a few times and took some nice piccies but I'd have to check my log book to confirm the date.

We flew round him a few times and took some nice piccies but I'd have to check my log book to confirm the date.

According to the link I provided above:

"In 1985, the former SAS soldier Tom McClean lived on Rockall in a wooden shelter bolted to the rock on Hall’s Ledge, thereby cementing the UK’s claim to the island. He lived in this survival unit, measuring just 5 foot by 4 foot by 3 foot, from 26th May until 4th July, thereby also setting the record for the longest solo occupation at 40 days."

I've sailed past several times but never felt the urge to land ....

Jack

Didn't the same guy have a metal whale constructed by a company in Forres in the early 90s? Think the plan was to sail the Atlantic in it. Whatever happened to that?

"I've sailed past several times but never felt the urge to land ...." -Union Jack

"I've flown past several times but never felt the urge to land ...." -Oxenos

"I've sailed past several times but never felt the urge to land ...." -Union Jack

"I've flown past several times but never felt the urge to land ...." -Oxenos

Trust the brown jobs to have a different urge!:)

Jack

Brown jobs - urges - I thought they put something in their tea to stop all that.

Circle Kay

Moby at Tom McClean's Scottish Highland Adventure Outdoor Centre, Ardintigh Bay

Like this?

That's the one. Used to be parked in Burghead harbour - next to the Kinloss sailboat that went by the name of 'Nimrod'!

the point of occupying Rockall was to be able to claim the seabed for a zillion acres around it - fish & oil dear boys...............

it was the FO thinking ahead for once..............

I remember bombing Rockal with sonobuoys.
Why, because we could. Probably broke loads of rules but it was fun.
Interestingly the Navs attack was most accurate, the pilots miss both attempts.

I remember flying over the v small rock to check said madman had not been washed away. We did talk about dropping some in-flight curries, DCS (messy) and bog roll to him from the A & B launchers as we vented fuel over him...happy days on the one and only 42 TB Sqn (3rd Div South).