HMS Ocean Welcomes Tourists, Gives Them Guns And Stickers

By jamesup Last edited 148 months ago

Last Updated 17 July 2012

HMS Ocean Welcomes Tourists, Gives Them Guns And Stickers
It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauritania.
It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauritania.
Crew check out the next boat of tourists
Crew check out the next boat of tourists
Stairs are know nautically as 'an inclined stepping plane'
Stairs are know nautically as 'an inclined stepping plane'
All aboard!
All aboard!
The Helicopter could soon be used to fly things or people around London and elsewhere
The Helicopter could soon be used to fly things or people around London and elsewhere
Visiting London? Here, try out this rifle. What could go wrong?
Visiting London? Here, try out this rifle. What could go wrong?
The embroidery machines are working furiously to produce another 6,000 of these patches.
The embroidery machines are working furiously to produce another 6,000 of these patches.
The spacious hanger deck is used to store helicopters, prepare for missions, and display equipment to visiting tourists.
The spacious hanger deck is used to store helicopters, prepare for missions, and display equipment to visiting tourists.
You never can have enough spare blades.
You never can have enough spare blades.
This is a Lynx, it smelled of engine oil.
This is a Lynx, it smelled of engine oil.
DO NOT START YOUR ENGINES.
DO NOT START YOUR ENGINES.
Meanwhile at the ExCeL, Royal Marines were arriving by the busload.
Meanwhile at the ExCeL, Royal Marines were arriving by the busload.

HMS Ocean squeezed itself through the Thames Barrier (video of the practice run in May here) and opened its hatches to visitors on Sunday. The largest ship in the Fleet, Ocean is spending the Games as a handy heliport and slightly less handy barracks (as it can't get close enough to dock to the riverside, it uses tenders to bring people aboard — fun for visitors, tiresome for regulars).

A games-time wave to all aboard from Londonist.