For two days anti-nuclear protesters had staked out the entrance to the Faslane nuclear base. Around 20 people, most of them from Faslane Peace Camp, waited on the shore at Rhu Narrows in the Gareloch from when HMS Vengeance left the shipyard at Barrow in Furness. Rainbow banners and Scottish flags flew in the breeze and there was a collection of canoes, rowing boats, dinghies and a sailing boat ready for action.
At 5.45 am on Friday 30th April a lookout on the Rossneath peninsula spotted the nuclear submarine 30 miles away as it passed Arran heading towards the channel between Cumbrae and Bute. The alert was sounded and final preparations were made at Rhu. Press and TV soon gathered to watch the expected confrontation.
By 7.30 am there was concern that the submarine had still not appeared so a check was made on Loch Long. It was soon discovered that the Navy were running scared, unwilling to bring the Trident submarine passed our canoes and rowing boats. Instead they were trying to hide this nuclear menace in Loch Long and were taking it to the Coulport jetty. But their plan failed. A crowd of anti-nuclear campaigners drove over towards Coulport. Then clad in wet suits they walked for more than a mile over very rough terrain, over heather and through bogs, then down a very steep hillside to the shore of Loch Long. As they approached the jetty they could see the submarine slowly being moved into position. The Explosives Handling Jetty at Coulport is where nuclear warheads are loaded onto the Trident submarines. It is a massive covered structure in a remote location. Had we been 30 minutes later then Vengeance would have been inside the jetty, the doors would have been shut and the submarine would have vanished. Fortunately we arrived in time. Six people dived into the water and made a courageous swim in the cold waters of Loch Long towards the submarine as it inched towards the jetty. There were half a dozen Ministry of Defence Police Boats escorting Vengeance, but they had great difficulty pulling people out of the water. Several managed to swim within 100 metres of the submarine before they were arrested. Ian Thomson was dressed in a kilt and carried a Scottish flag, his face was painted blue and white. He walked down to the shore, took off all his clothes then swam naked, underneath a police boat and towards the submarine. Four women and two men were arrested for swimming in a prohibited area. Some of the press had come with us over the hill and took photographs and video.
In the early hours of Tuesday 4th May there was a further demonstration against Vengeance. Fungus from Faslane Peace Camp walked over to Coulport and for a second time swam out towards the Jetty. Despite a police launch sitting in the water and security measures all around, she was able to swim undetected onto the top secret jetty where the nuclear submarine was hiding. Two other Peace Campers also got inside the base nearby and watched her progress. They were all inside the most sensitive area of the nuclear base for 20 minutes before they were arrested. Fungus was detained for 2 days before appearing in Court.
As of 5th May, the submarine has still not moved to Faslane. We will still try to hold a demonstration against it when it sails into the base. Deteriorating weather conditions may make this more difficult.