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RESUP:
HMAS Ballarat receives supplies during a recent RAS in the
gulf.
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Volume
49, No. 11, June 29, 2006
During
the early hours when some aboard HMAS Ballarat were sleeping and
others were on watch, white boarding party conducted a security
sweep of MV Marjanak in the Gulf.
The Marjanak, a LCH-type craft converted for general cargo transport,
was at anchor in the Northern Persian Gulf on May 18 when it was
soon discovered that she might not be going anywhere.
The anchor capstan was faulty and the Marjanak was made fast to
the seabed. With haste Ballarat sent an engineering team (CPOMT
Glenn Pope and POMT Wal Baumhammer) to the scene.
Blue boarding party also rotated out with their opposite numbers
in the White watch to provide security. To the dismay of the marine
engineering team, the anchor capstan was beyond repair.
So what does one do with an anchor not wanting to return to its
hawser pipe?
POB Jason Rowe had a cunning plan. Blue boarding party placed
an order over the communication channel for delivery of the necessary
equipment to manually raise the anchor and its cable.
Additional members arrived from the ship with the extra equipment.
Among them were LCDR Jon Earley (XO), LEUT Johno Beatty (Boarding
Officer for this evolution), and LSMED Mick Holman who managed
the hydration of the anchor recovery team.
Under the gaze of the unrelenting sun, two chain-blocks were rigged
and connected to the cable at the bottom of the hawser pipe.
As the mercury soared past 40 degrees members of blue boarding
party hauled both chain blocks in, each effort raising the cable
one foot.
Each chain block was used in turn as a stopper so they could be
reconnected further down the cable. It was a gruelling battle,
man against gravity.
The middle of the afternoon saw another change of the guard with
the white watch replacing the blue boarding party.
With white boarding party now at the helm, the team looked to
ABBM Luke Ettridge to lead the way.
ABBM Ettridge proved very able, taking over the supervisory role
from POB Rowe to lead the final push for home. Inch by slow agonisingly
heavy inch, the cable was raised until the anchor was clear of
the water and home in the hawser.
The brute strength and conviction to duty displayed by both boarding
parties brought the anchor home.
MV Marjanak was given clearance and set a steaming course for
Umm Qasr to deliver her cargo and hopefully have the anchor capstan
repaired. In what was a six-and-a-half hour evolution, 15 metres
of cable proved to be the measure of all involved.
Gulf
sunset ceremony
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BUTT
SALUTE: The guard during the Ceremonial Sunset.
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HMAS
Ballarat has honoured an age-old naval tradition while in the
Gulf.
The Ceremonial Sunset, derived from the oldest of naval ceremonies
dating back centuries to the age of sail, was conducted at the
conclusion of a function Ballarat hosted for guests from the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australian consulate.
Co-hosted by the Australian Defence Attache, COL Roger Shanahan,
and CO HMAS Ballarat Commander Mal Wise, the function was attended
by a number of dignitaries from the UAE and the Australian Ambassador
Mr Jeremy Bruer.
The ceremony reflected the world-wide naval tradition of saluting
the lowering of the ensign at sunset each day on ships in harbour
and shore establishments.
At five minutes to sunset, the evening hymn The Day thou Gavest
Lord is Ended was played as a volley of shots fired by the guard
during the rendering of this hymn.
This was an echo of a very old practice to salute the knell of
the parting day.
At one minute to sunset, heralding the onset of darkness, the
Evening Gun was fired.
There is no particular naval history to this. The practice has
been borrowed from the days of fortified cities and is included
simply for its spectacular effect.
At sunset, the bugle sounded the Alert. The guard presented arms
at which time the harmonised version of the bugle call Sunset
was played as the Australian white ensign was slowly lowered.
Song of Australia was then played as the flag orderlies folded
the Australian white ensign.
The Australian national anthem and the national anthem of the
United Arab Emirates followed. The guard then retired and the
function was completed.
