The crew of HMAS Glenelg have used the school holiday period to show their family their life at sea, after spending Christmas on patrol. Departing Darwin Naval Base the group remained onboard and was treated to Navy cooking, watch-keeping on the bridge, sunsets at sea and an exploration of some beautiful parts of the Northern Territory.
L-R ABBM Ben Manson, LSBM Brendon Chaffer, SMNBM Cameron Clark and ABBM Callum Carr with Brothers, Sisters and Family for Family Cruise
As a Darwin based Armidale Class Patrol Boat crew, the 25 men and women of Aware Two conduct border patrols for Operation Resolute. This work is dangerous, rewarding and takes them away from their loved ones for weeks at a time.
Able Seaman Deb Navin invited her father to attend the cruise.
“My Dad now really knows what I do at sea, he has seen where I live and work and probably will worry less about his daughter’s world,” she said.
Leading Seaman Michael Cameron agreed.
“It’s just great being able to actually show my family what I have been talking about all these years,” he said.
The crew were able to invite their children also. The Buffer’s daughter, nine year old Emily said her favourite time was the jet boat ride to explore the ruins of Victoria Settlement in Port Essington, but also she liked the big breakfasts and she had decided the worst bit was “the bumpy weather”. Whilst sitting in the Captain’s Chair, Emily commented that she now knew what her Dad does and it seems like ‘great fun’.
As part of the cruise the Commanding Officer, LCDR Shane Doolin extended an invitation to the ship’s sponsored charity ‘The Grey Man’, a charity and rescue organisation that works to reduce child exploitation and provides funding to improve living standards and education of children in South East Asia.
