Loneliness is the Coat you wear...

Today, was a sad day.

In a day of clear, bright, cold sunshine, these three Sea King helicopters took off from HMS Gannet for the last time.  

The Royal Navy Search and Rescue Services have been stood down, and no longer will the Sea King be a familiar sight in the skies over Ayrshire, (and beyond).  

In my youth, HMS Gannet was a busy, sailor filled unit - making for an exceptionally entertaining weekend night out, with Land-Based Sailors out and enjoying life.  Friends met and married, had families and moved away.    

When the Anti-Submarine unit closed in 2001, the Air and Sea Rescue took over and has consistently been the highest performing Search and Rescue Copter in the UK. 

It was still performing rescues until last week.  

As I watched them take off, this one last time, the low winter sun caught my eye and made it water. 

Today was a sad day. 

Alan Rickman, Sex God, and Really Good Actor Passed from us.   Count my favourite films.  Truly, Madly, Deeply; Die Hard (1), Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Dogma, Galaxy Quest, Love Actually (although he played an out and out bastardo in this - i was screaming at him only last week), and that flipping video with Texas... How many woman wished they were Sharlene?  

Two great things gone in one day.   

This weekend better be a belter to make up for this!