Return to blighty

The navy personnel taken in Iran have finally be returned. I suspect the true story of their captivity will now come out. However I'd be interested to find out whatever happened the military procedure of only giving your captors name, rank and serial number? Perhaps there was a good reason but their actions undermined the forces, government and country they work for.

Heat ray

A new weapon devised by the US military was on the news this evening. As far as I can tell it fires microwaves at targets - like a microwave oven. "Coming soon! Al dente evil doing Al Qaeda terrorists!"

Busy skies over the lune valley today

Apache Longbow helicopter spotted heading down the valley


Various shots of Tornado aircraft and Apache Longbow helicopter

Sunshine - can it really be?

For the first time in what seems like weeks we've had a full on day of sunshine. Being pestered to go for a walk, not that I had any intention of missing this rare spell of good weather, I headed into town. Foolishly I didn't take my camera as sunny days are like a magnet the RAF. I had only been gone a few minutes when the roar of jet engines saw a BAE Hawk fly over, chased in a dogfight by Tornado. Later on a Chinook helicopter was doing the rounds. You win some, you lose some.

It's been the first time I've tried my webcam in sunshine and it didn't take to it too happily. Even on the lowest settings it tended to overexpose. Never mind, it's unlikely to have to cope with these conditions too often anyway!

Although without the SLR I had by 2-megapixel mobile camera of pixelated mediocrity on hand to snap a few sights by the river. The Lune was well up but not in flood. As I reached the bridges a group of canoeists were just packing up. Rather them than me in these conditions, but I imagine they must have know what they were doing. In the light of the a recent canoeing death on the river the other week up at Sedbergh the dangers associated with the river have been brought to everyone's attention.

Without further ado here are a few of today's mobile snaps:

The RAF is back!

I've hardly heard anything from the RAF since I returned a month ago but today they're back in the Lune Valley, or rather briefly *over* the valley. One Hawk earlier today and a couple of larger sounding jets just now. In the past I could have pretty much guaranteed that they were Tornadoes, but these days it might even be Eurofighter Typhoons. Here's to spotting one of those guys soon.