Not a geographical error nor an unusual Doctor Who storyline, which would make sense with Cardiff being the spiritual home of Doctor Who.
But this story is about HMS Kent visiting the Welsh Capital, spending a busy 4 days berthed alongside Britannia Quay in Cardiff Bay, just a stone’s throw from the home of the Welsh Assembly.
The visit coincided with the centenary celebrations of another famous local inhabitant, author Roald Dahl, with the spectacular City of the Unexpected taking over Cardiff during the weekend, attracting thousands of visitors to the city centre and Bute Park.
When the ship’s company of the Portsmouth based Type 23 frigate HMS Kent opened the doors and hatches to the public on a warm, sunny Saturday, they were inundated with almost 700 visitors in a little over 4 hours.
The crowds were delighted with a tour that snaked its way through the ship, taking in the Galley, the Bridge and a peek inside Kent’s 4.5” Gun.
During the visit HMS Kent also hosted senior representatives from the police, ambulance and fire and rescue services as well as council members and tri-service military personnel for a resilience and capability demonstration, showcasing how the Royal Navy conducts humanitarian and disaster relief operations and where this fits in with the domestic challenges the UK encounters.
This was supported by a team from the Salvage and Mooring Organisation demonstrating the various assets at their disposal.
From the Commanding Officer, Commander Daniel Thomas Royal Navy, “Cardiff is a great city, and I’m delighted to have had the opportunity for HMS Kent to visit, not least coinciding with the Roald Dahl centenary activities. We were made to feel incredibly welcome by everybody we met and it was great to see so many people enjoying a tour of the Royal Navy’s premier warship!”.
Engineering Technician (Weapon Engineering) Nick Landek, 19 and lives near Swansea, "This is my first ship, and I'm really proud to serve in the Royal Navy. I've been fortunate enough to visit some great places both around the UK and abroad, but to have the opportunity to sail into Cardiff is such a huge privilege".
Leading Seaman (Above Water Warfare) Gareth Drysdale, 30 and lives near Cardiff, "Visiting your home city on a warship is a great experience, and I've been looking forward to this for a while. It's a fantastic place, with so much to do and it was great to be able to show people what we do".
