Just like planes, ships can be tracked online these days. Once HMS Prince of Wales got within range of the transponder detectors, she showed up on the apps, and we knew that she was coming in. However, if you wanted a clue that she was getting close, it was the selection of tugs that headed out of Portsmouth Harbour ahead of the planned arrival time. Off they all went, ready to bring the big beastie back into harbour under control.

Once they were near the dock, they would all gather on one side of the carrier to nudge her sideways to tie up alongside in the naval dockyard. There is space for both carriers alongside and I had hoped they would use the spot nearer to us but that wasn’t the case. The large fenders mounted on the bows of the tugs looked like they would prove very helpful when trying to change the direction of 80,000 tons of ship.