Sweet sixteen July 24, 2000 Sweet 16…LCDR Plath and ABCIS Walker cut the cake under the watchful eyes of CPOMT Brad Bessell and LSCIS Neil Davenport. Patrol boat HMAS GEELONG has celebrated her 16th birthday with the traditional cutting of a birthday cake by the youngest member of the ship's company, ABCIS Walker and the CO, LCDR Bob Plath. Once the cake was cut and eaten the officers and sailors headed for the park and a game of softball followed by a barbecue at HMAS COONAWARRA. GEELONG has crammed a lot of life into her 16 years with almost 500,000 miles sailed and visits to many foreign and local ports. Her decks have hosted royalty and heads of states during formal functions and she has amassed an impressive arrest record while enforcing the laws of Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone. After a much earned maintenance period, the 250 tonne patrol boat and her ship's company of 25 will soon return to the familiar waters of the AFZ. Among the ship's company will be three who have "gone around the buoy for seconds." Second time around… LSMT Dean Fraser, ABBM Sam Perez and POMT Dave George. POMT Dave George, LSMT Dean Fraser and ABBM Sam Perez have all be posted back to GEELONG for a second time. Dave was a leading seaman when he posted to HMAS CERBERUS as an NBCD instructor a few years before going back to the patrol boat as her second engineer. Sam and Dean both spent time at FIMA Darwin before their return. There has also been a promotion on board with CPONPC Vince Carroll taking another step in his father's footsteps with his recent promotion to Chief Coxswain. His father, Colin "Shorty" Carroll was a legend in the submarine arm during 70's and 80's and is best remembered as the Chief Coxswain at HMAS PLATYPUS. Colin Carroll was also the Australian CPOCOXN at the submarine escape tank at HMS DOLPHIN.