From our deck 12 cabin balcony, some footage of the pilot boat coming alongside Virgin Voyages' cruise ship Scarlet Lady in the Solent between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. If you're expecting action and excitement then brace yourself for not quite that at all, but it is fairly impressive how close the pilot boat gets to the larger vessel, bouncing around on the waves. I did want to see the pilot leap from the ship to the boat but in truth got tired of waiting so if that's the bit...
This is the new Bermuda pilot/SAR boat 'St. David'. Its intended to operate up to 30miles off the island in the open north Atlantic but capable of going much further. She is a Gladding Hearn built, all weather 61' aluminum hull capable of about 30kts. She replaces a 23 year old pilot boat with the same name.
