Really quite a pleasant day, with a relatively calm sea and a fair amount of sunshine to brighten things up.
A full flying programme was undertaken, with the intention that 814 – the anti-submarine Sea Kings – would carry out various exercises. This intention was rapidly changed when it was discovered that there was a possibility that the Argentine Type 209 submarine might be in the area (apparently some radio transmissions have been picked up which might indicate that it is heading our way), and as a result a full ASW screen was set up around the Group, with live weapons being carried. To date, no further reports have been received.
The other high-spot, if that’s the expression I’m looking for, was when CLIFFI arrived (he is the Pongo Big Wheel – Commander, Land Forces, Falkland Islands – Major-General David Thorne, which puts him one step or so in the hierarchy below our Admiral, who is at the moment in overall command). He seemed a nice enough chap, not living up to the slightly gloomy prognostications of the Captain, who announced to Wings in Flyco when I was up there during the morning that he had met the general’s twin brother at a much earlier date, and taken an instant dislike to him.
In the evening, for the benefit of our visitor, we showed the ‘Who Dares Wins’ film again in the Wardroom, which seemed to go down reasonably well.