I returned to Gibraltar in 2010, a place I had visited many times over the years but still enjoyed exploring with a camera. The familiar streets, the harbour and the Rock offered plenty to photograph, as well as a chance to see what had changed since my previous visits.
My cousin Linda joined me for part of the trip. It was a pleasure to share some of Gibraltar with her while also having time to wander and take photographs at my own pace. This collection records the places and small details that caught my eye during that visit.
A full-size replica of a Palliser armour-piercing shell, displayed beside technical drawings at the 100 Ton Gun, Napier of Magdala Battery, Gibraltar, in 2010. Designed to penetrate iron armour, this formidable projectile was fired by the enormous 17.72-inch rifled muzzle-loading gun.
The immense 17.72-inch, 100-ton rifled muzzle-loading gun at Napier of Magdala Battery, Gibraltar, in 2010. Installed in the late 1870s to guard the approaches to Gibraltar, it could fire a projectile weighing about 2,000 pounds—roughly 910 kilograms.
Looking towards the enormous muzzle of the 17.72-inch, 100-ton rifled muzzle-loading gun at Napier of Magdala Battery, Gibraltar, in 2010. Its tampion bears Gibraltar’s coat of arms, while the lower slopes of the Rock rise behind the battery.
A side view of Gibraltar’s enormous 17.72-inch Armstrong 100-ton gun at Napier of Magdala Battery in 2010. Its long barrel points towards Rosia Bay, with the Gibraltar coat of arms displayed on the tampion and the buildings of the South District rising behind.
A British 3.7-inch heavy anti-aircraft gun displayed at Napier of Magdala Battery, Gibraltar, in 2010. Guns of this type formed part of the battery’s wartime defences, protecting Gibraltar from aerial attack during the Second World War.
Looking south across the busy Strait of Gibraltar towards the hazy outline of Djebel Musa on the North African coast in 2010. Several merchant ships lie offshore or pass through this strategically important gateway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Parson’s Lodge Battery perched on a rocky outcrop above Rosia Bay, Gibraltar, in 2010. The historic coastal fortification, flying the Union Flag and Gibraltar flag, guarded this strategically important anchorage and the western approaches to the Rock.
Parson’s Lodge Battery overlooking historic Rosia Bay, Gibraltar, in 2010. After the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805, the damaged HMS Victory was towed into this anchorage for repairs, carrying the body of Admiral Lord Nelson on its journey home to Britain.
A Monarch Airlines Airbus A320 on final approach to Gibraltar Airport in 2010, with its undercarriage lowered and flaps extended. The aircraft is descending over the Bay of Gibraltar towards the runway, which lies immediately beside the sea.
Water cascading from a man-made outlet in the limestone face of the Rock of Gibraltar in 2010. Despite several weeks without rain, the steady discharge created a conspicuous waterfall, its course marked by thick green moss and other moisture-loving vegetation.
The minaret of the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque silhouetted dramatically against the morning sun at Europa Point, Gibraltar, in 2010. Part of the mosque’s dome and several palm trees can be seen below against the brightening eastern sky.
The red-and-white Europa Point Lighthouse standing at Gibraltar’s southernmost point in 2010. Operated by Trinity House, it has guided shipping through the busy Strait of Gibraltar since 1841, marking the meeting point of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
The vehicle carrier Höegh Trooper passing Europa Point in 2010 while transiting the busy Strait of Gibraltar. Its cavernous enclosed decks allowed cars and other wheeled cargo to be driven aboard through large stern or side ramps.
Visitors enjoying the sunshine at the busy pavement cafés in Grand Casemates Square, Gibraltar, in 2010. The arched former military barracks lining the square had been converted into shops, bars and restaurants, including The Tunnel and Latino’s.
The temporarily closed Royal Gibraltar Regiment Recruiting Office in Grand Casemates Square, Gibraltar, in 2010. At the time of this visit, members of the regiment were deployed on a detachment to Afghanistan, reflecting its operational role alongside its familiar ceremonial duties at home.
The Royal Marines Memorial outside Gala Casino at Ocean Village, Gibraltar, in 2010. Dedicated in 2009, it commemorates the Royal Marines’ long association with Gibraltar, beginning with the landing of British and Dutch marines during the capture of the Rock in 1704. “Gibraltar” remains the only battle honour displayed on the Royal Marines’ cap badge.
Gilded emblems of the United States and its Navy displayed above the entrance to the American War Memorial on Line Wall Road, Gibraltar, in 2010. Built into the old city wall and dedicated in 1937, the monument commemorates the achievements and comradeship of the American and British navies around Gibraltar during the First World War.
The gilded dedication on Gibraltar’s American War Memorial, photographed in 2010. Erected by the United States, it commemorates the achievements and comradeship of the American and British navies around Gibraltar during the First World War. Above the inscription, a relief of a Roman galley recalls the Strait’s long naval history.