Gulf reflections
from HMAS Newcastle

Two RHIBs stand-off from HMAS Newcastle during a patrol into the territorial waters of Iraq. The boarding teams on the RHIBs help to check Iraqi fishing vessels that work the waters near the Khawr al Amaya Oil Terminal.

HMAS Newcastle’s time in The Gulf has been a real eye-opener for ABCSO Jarrad Tyler, who reflects on some of the events that have taken place during the frigate’s lengthy deployment.

'A few minutes ago I was standing on the upper deck of HMAS Newcastle, watching the sunrise over Iran. A few thousand metres away I can see an Iranian Patrol Boat cruising along the imaginary line which marks the boundaries of Iranian and Iraqi territorial waters. I wondered ‘how the hell did I end up here?’

‘I have spent 90 odd days on station in The Gulf. We have visited many Gulf ports. The initial excitement of a new adventure has worn off and now we have to deal with
the day to day routine, which is interspersed with short periods of intense activity.’

‘Our job here is to protect Iraq’s two main offshore oil platforms. Iraq’s few ports are
too shallow to allow entry to the giant super-tankers that provide the world’s oil, so
they have built to large offshore oil platforms. These platforms see 90 per cent of
Iraq’s oil pass through them.’

HMAS Newcastle works hard while on station in The Gulf. The frigate is now on her way back to Australia.. Photos: CPL Cameron Jamieson and POA Rissman

One of the problems we face is that the two terminals are smack bang in the middle of the major shrimp fishing grounds. During the shrimp season there are literally hundreds of fishing dhows plying these waters. Most are just fishermen trying to make a living but regardless, we have to keep them all away from the platforms. It is like trying to herd seagulls.’

‘It is school holiday time in Iraq at the moment. A lot of the children are spending their days out with their fathers and older brothers in the fishing fleet. We spend a fair portion of our time talking to the fishermen and they all think that even though times are hard, they are still better than under the Saddam regime. Their kids are what surprise me the most. They are happy and smiling.’

 

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