Ships In The Bay..

There are some interesting vessels in St Helena Bay from time to time..

A friend told me this is a jack-up rig. More pics further down. You can read about these self-elevating vessels here..

Sneaking out at sunset.

Fishing trawlers, the seagull’s friend..

Waiting its turn, looming large and magnified in the fog like a mirage.

Emerging from the “toemis”..

Serene day in the bay.

Mellow in a calm morning mist..

I've no idea why the Navy was here, but there sure was quite a gathering on the deck at sunset.. 

One can always tell which way the wind is blowing by the direction the tankers are facing.

Its headlights were almost shining into my lounge..

Here yesterday, gone today.

Named the Federal Osaka, I wonder what its mission is?

And the jack-up rig is back in town..

.. and eight hours layterrr, at sunset.... It was rocking back and forth like a giant pendulum in the wind. I had to wait until it was vertical-ish before taking a shot.

From head-on, it presents another interesting view.

Jack packed up, neatly retracted and ready to leave..

And then this strange vessel appeared in the bay. I was interested in the cloud formation at first, before I noticed this bizarre flotation device!

A closer look.. A knowledgeable friend informed me it's an FPSO (Floating Production Storage & Offloading).. You can read more here..

Another image of the same, but also including a ski-boat, fishing boat and tanker, with some birds thrown, or should I say flown, in the mix.. :)

5:40 am, minutes before sunrise, and all’s well in the bay.