# Flashing lights Portsmouth



## albertd (Feb 18, 2017)

I wonder if someone can tell me the purpose of two bright flashing lights which I have noticed at night via webcams on the Isle of Wight.

They appear from Cowes to be somewhere to the left of the Spinnaker Tower and from a camera by Ryde hover terminal to be to its right. I am not thinking of the 9 lights in groups of 3 which are leading into the harbour from the sea, these are definitely two, much brighter and flashing in sync at a much faster rate. I tried a rough triangulation from my viewpoints and it vaguely suggests somewhere near to Whale Island, or a bit further east.


----------



## Aydenapp (Aug 13, 2014)

If your talking about 2 Red flashing lights, which flash at the same time. They are on a large Gantry crane in Portsmouth dockyard


----------



## albertd (Feb 18, 2017)

Yes thank you, that sounds like it. They look red, though I wasn't sure, as webcams can do funny things sometimes. Must be quite a large crane as they appear fairly well apart.

Would that be the one that I can see by the bow of the warship on Fountain Lake Jetty 2 when looking with Google Maps? The only other I can see is two separate cranes on Flathouse Quay, just outside HMNB I think.


----------



## Aydenapp (Aug 13, 2014)

albertd said:


> Yes thank you, that sounds like it. They look red, though I wasn't sure, as webcams can do funny things sometimes. Must be quite a large crane as they appear fairly well apart.
> 
> Would that be the one that I can see by the bow of the warship on Fountain Lake Jetty 2 when looking with Google Maps? The only other I can see is two separate cranes on Flathouse Quay, just outside HMNB I think.


It'll be the crane that is next to the big shed, may not be on maps just yet. Believe its quite new


----------



## albertd (Feb 18, 2017)

OK, thanks.


----------



## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Yes, it's big, apparently the tallest structure in the Dockyard, which I suppose is why it needs anti-collision strobes.








Major investment arms Naval Base for future warship work | Royal Navy


The landscape of HM Naval Base Portsmouth is set to transform with work beginning on its newest and tallest structure.




www.royalnavy.mod.uk




RN have put some pictures on social media, such is the world today.


----------



## albertd (Feb 18, 2017)

Thanks Malcolm, interesting. So it is located on the south side of No. 3 Basin,


----------



## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Yes, 14 dock is the largest dock on the south side of No3 basin. 
As I read it the gantry is intended not only to span 14 dock but cantilever over 15 dock as well.


----------



## albertd (Feb 18, 2017)

Out of interest I managed to grab this image of the lights seen from Ryde. The gap between them looks huge, but it is an illusion.

Using Google Maps I measured the width of Spinnaker and I made it about 80 feet. The spacing of the lights is roughly 3.5 times that which makes it about 280 ft, which on measuring across dock 14 makes good sense.

I know the crane is further away than the tower, but compared with the distance across from Ryde is insignificant. It was an interesting bit of research for me, once I was given the clues. I also noticed the HMS Warrior Christmas tree is faintly visible to the left.

Edit 4 hours later when the mist cleared:
I just had a look at the same view in daylight and could see the crane's eastern support tower, but the western is hidden by a high building, so the tip must have been just showing for me to see its light,


----------

