Not recognizing our Canadian accents, they'd initially mistaken us for Americans--and now suddenly seemed to warm to us more when they heard we were Canadians... God Save the Queen, and whatnot.
They seemed like a good lot. And over a beer and a few jokes we found out a little bit who they were--Two Scotsmen and an Irishman (sounds like the start of joke) named Matt, Tommo and Sean respectively, on shore leave from the HMS Chiddingfold--a minesweeper ship in the British Royal Navy that was docked just down at the pier for a couple of days, before they headed back home to Portsmouth in England.
Being somewhat of a landlubber, I admit aloud that I'd never been on a minesweeper before. Our new British Navy friends immediately toast and and say that they'd be happy to give us a tour of the ship themselves. We could even adjourn there for a drink or two. So with the spirit of our common national history, and as a favour to the UN in bringing our nations closer together through drinks--we agree with them--finish up, and leave the bar and head down to the Arhus docks.
After the obvious and obligatory "following-the-sailors-we've-just-met-out-of the-bar-for-a-drink" jokes along the way, we made it down to the pier just a short walk out of downtown Arhus where His Majesty's Ship Chiddingfold was moored. Sean, Tommo and Matt take us aboard and give us a tour of the ship.
One of the Royal Navy's "Hunt Class" minesweepers, the HMS Chiddingfold was built back in the mid-80's in a record breaking 27th months. About 60 meters long, and 10 meters across, they work as minesweepers and minehunters. Now I can say this with expertise, but at the time I didn't know the difference between a minesweeper and a mineshaft. The HMS Chiddingfold "minesweeps" by cutting the moorings the mines have to the sea floor, so that when they float to the surface they just shoot them to destroy them. And, "minehunts" using this little yellow submarine--Ringo Starr would be proud--called a Remote Control Mine Disposal System