Navy Today May 09 | Issue 143 - Royal New Zealand Navy

D I V I N G & M C M F O R C E
FLEET PROGRESS
H M N Z S M A N A W A N U I
Monday morning saw the harbour phase of
the SARC begin. The harbour phase involves
H M N Z S K A H U
experts in every department going through the
ship with the proverbial fine-toothed comb,
assessing our ship’s material and administrative
state.
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent with
MOET again assessing the ship at sea. On
completion of the SARC Manawanui was
deemed to be safe to proceed to sea and
we sailed in search of depths greater than
1000m.
The deep water was needed to conduct anchor
streaming trials, which involved lowering
each of the ship’s four anchors in turn to the
full extent of their 1000m wires. The trial was
conducted in the middle of the night more
MANAWANUI undocks on 12 March
than 70 nautical miles off the coast. On the
way back to Auckland, we anchored at Great
Barrier Island to allow all to rest up after a long
By LTCDR P J Rowe RNZN,
Commanding Officer
From late March and into April Manawanui
had a busy programme, with the Mine Counter-
Measures (MCM) team embarked to conduct
trials and training. We spent a day conducting
confidence checks on the towed sonar array,
which involved the ship passing the piers of
the Harbour Bridge within 50 metres.
With full confidence in the sonar equipment
we then sailed in to Gulf to lay dummy minelike
objects in the vicinity of Waiheke Island.
Once the ‘mines’ were laid, we then set out to
investigate them using our towed sonar, and
the REMUS (Remote Environmental Measuring
Unit) which is an unmanned underwater
Maritime Operational Evaluation Team (MOET)
embarked and assessing the ship’s ability to
operate safely at sea. The SARC included fire
fighting, flood stopping, casualty, and toxic gas
exercises; as well as navigation, seamanship,
flying and engineering serials. Unfortunately
an engineering problem part way through
the second day forced the ship to return
alongside and re-schedule the SARC for the
following week.
night’s work.
Once we were all rested, Manawanui made
passage back to Auckland, but not before encountering
70 knot winds from a fast-moving
trough that had tracked up the North Island.
Finally alongside at DNB our ship’s company
proceeded on Easter leave. Manawanui sailed
again on 22 April and made her way to Opua
to take part in ANZAC Day services in the surrounding
area.
KAHU alongside at Whitianga
OOW(B)
Course
remotely-operated vehicle.
We spent several days conducting training
By SLT Dave Luhrs RNZN
and trials in the vicinity of the MLOs. All of the
REMUS operations were conducted with the
ship at anchor, which gave the opportunity for
our company to swim from the ship’s side, a
welcome relief from the heat due to the unserviceable
air conditioning. Once the MCM operations
were complete Manawanui returned
to the naval base for the weekend.
The next week was an extremely busy one
with everyone working hard to prepare for the
ship’s SARC (safety and readiness check).
The SARC was to be two days with the
Activity on the quarterdeck
during MCM ops
Hands to bathe! LMT
Avery takes the plunge
ASCS Greg Smith explains the
weapons during the Open Day
Over recent weeks Kahu has been the training
ship for the Officer of the Watch Basic Course
- OOW(B). The course spent three and a half
weeks onboard during which time four students
were qualified.
Kahu sailed on 16 March for the first week of
the course, commencing coastal navigational
training as soon as the ship exited harbour.
Sleeping arrangements onboard were a bit
tight with all 19 pits onboard full. Special mention
must be made of three of the students
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