US Navy meets Inhkeith

This afternoon. I spotted this vessel leaving the Forth passing Kinghorn.

Later, after I got home, I looked online to see what it was.  Initially, its AIS responder was identifying it as 'Supply 12'.  After a bit of Googling, I pinned it down as USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12) which is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy.   I have no idea what it was doing in Scotland but perhaps it was just running low on fuel and hoped our Nicola would provide?

Once it was out into international waters and away from the shipping lanes, its AIS responder was switched off.  This Navy ship was being very secretive about what it was up to.  Actually, I suppose all the world's navies avoid broadcasting what they are up to.

A dull and overcast day.  Mostly dry but rather cold and not very spring-like.