Night Watch on a NATO Ship (master)

Published: July 6, 2018, 8:03 p.m.

When the sun sets on the sea, so too does it set on a warship: the lights change from white to red and the officers of the watch – those entrusted to steer the ship through the night, sometimes through congested waterways – become extra vigilant. Join Royal Navy Sub-lieutenant Nick Lockyer, a young officer aboard the survey ship HMS Enterprise, as he stands watch on a darkened bridge. The Enterprise currently serves as the flagship of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2), which is tasked with deterring the threat of sea mines in the alliance’s southern seas. Enterprise and SNMCMG-2 were in the Ionian Sea in March 2018 for Ariadne 18, a counter-mine exercise hosted by the Hellenic Navy. Shots include the Enterprise’s darkened bridge at night; twilight exteriors of the ship’s superstructure; the bridge at daybreak; and an interview with Lockyer.