On patrol

Volume 49, No. 18 , October 05, 2006

Long trek for Albany
Christmas comes first
The Armidale Class Patrol Boats are starting to spread their wings. HMAS Albany (LCDR Tony Powell) was the first of the new patrol boats to make the extended passage from Darwin to Christmas Island recently. On arrival, Albany proceeded to Smith Point to refuel, and on completion of refuelling, entered Flying Fish Cove. During the transit back across the Indian Ocean en route to Broome, Albany intercepted two Type 3 Indonesian fishing vessels that were escorted back to Australia for processing.

No respite for crews
Projects upgrade facilities
With the respite time provided by the multi-crewing arrangements that the Armidale Class Patrol Boats operate under, Attack Five (LCDR Cath Hayes) has recently been involved in some community liaison work which included the painting of the Darwin Naval Cadets facilities and also participated in the beautification of the Arrow Bar which is located on HMAS Coonawarra.

Hospital benefits from raffle
Ipswich changes leadership
During August, HMAS Ipswich (LCDR Darren Grogan) conducted a raffle in the name of charity. The prize was that sailors could become CO/XO for a day. The event was an unbridled success with all money raised going to a very worthy cause, Cairns Hospital Children’s Ward. The winners of the raffle were ABMT Allman (CO) and ABMT(E) Mackenzie (XO). Once the winners were briefed, and a handover conducted, the day kicked off in earnest. In the finest traditions of the RAN, the new CO and XO ordered a full day of cleaning stations, formal rounds and man overboard exercises, culminating in a steel deck barbecue.

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