HMS Victory - Part I

More than one part? Well, I think everyone's tired of me uploading posts too big to load easily. HMS Victory was the flagship of the great Admiral Nelson, who led the British to victory against France in the naval battle of Trafalgar. This victory effectively forced every other fleet on earth to return to their harbors, and the British really ruled the waves.

I completely lucked out and got there on the 250th anniversary of the ship's launch - I had no idea until the guy who checked my ticket told me. One of the masts had been taken off for repairs, so it's missing from the pictures, but the ship still looks pretty amazing nonetheless:

Aside from being a famous commander's flagship, Victory is also the oldest commissioned ship in the British navy. Meaning, even though she doesn't sail or fight anymore, she's still part of the navy and still has a commanding officer. I knew that prior to reaching Portsmouth, but even so, the plaque below brought tears to my eyes: