Dummy run proves real

HELP ON THE WAY: LCDR Paul Ruhl and the crew of NUSHIP Ararat worked hard with Sea Training Group to get through the Mariner Skills Evaluation serials conducted off the coast of Darwin from September 11-25. The MSE serials included man-overboard, fire drills, toxic hazard and collision. Here the boarding party rescues ‘Oscar’ from the water. Photo: Michael Brooke

By Michael Brooke

Navy News emerged from the heads to be confronted by the PA announcement “commence search for man overboard”.

This triggered a flurry of frenzied activity by crew members whose looks of concentration for the job at hand masked their collective fear for a lost shipmate.

“LS Jones has not been seen since 14.30 and is believed to have fallen overboard – commence search for possible man overboard,” NUSHIP Ararat’s CO LCDR Paul Ruhl bellowed over the PA.

Ararat’s ship’s company responded with great professionalism by conducting a comprehensive search of cabins below deck and scurrying onto the bow to scan the horizon with binoculars.

The stern expressions on the faces of the crew suggested this was nothing short of a life or death matter.

Precious seconds were ticking by in the desperate race against time to find LS Jones before he was swallowed by the ocean.

I surveyed the frenzied activity and pitied both Ararat’s crew and the hapless LS Jones, who had been working so hard to get NUSHIP Ararat on-line for her commissioning.

But wait a minute! Hadn’t I seen LS Jones eating an apple in the mess not five minutes ago?

I tentatively approached LCDR Ruhl with the news when he announced over the PA “man located”, which triggered a wave of frenzied activity on the port aft by sailors with grappling hooks and poles.

I peered over the side to see a sailor in working rig floating face down in the water.

“Oh no!” I sighed.

But no sooner had several burly sailors flung the limp figure onto the deck than I saw it was the rescue dummy “Oscar”.

I then glanced at the sailor next to me and saw it was LS Jones munching on his apple.

If Oscar was a dummy then so was I. But talk about a realistic mariner skills evaluation serial!

“But won’t CN and Mrs Jones be relieved,” I thought.

And luckily for me I was able to mask my embarrassment with sunscreen and turn my attention to the toxic hazard serial now unfolding. All this was done with equal realism thanks to the professionalism of Sea Training Group and the dedication of the 21 members of Assail Three who will be Ararat’s commissioning crew on October 14, 2006.

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