Heading Home!
On 7 September, as NT went to press, TE MANA secured alongside at Devonport naval base, her whole ship’s company happy to be home after a long and demanding deployment. After TE MANA left the Gulf, her duties did not end, as she had defence diplomacy tasks in both India and Singapore. SLT Paddy Baker describes their passage home.
Our first stop after leaving the Gulf was Mumbai in India. Previously known as Bombay, Mumbai remains a major trading port, having developed as a trading post during the British Empire. As such it has some of the best examples of Victorian architecture outside Britain.
To go to our berth we had to go through a lock, designed to protect ships from the surge caused during the monsoon. After coming alongside, a number of authorised people from tailors to jewellers came on board to sell their goods and services to ships company - a good trade was found with many of our company investing in tailored suits.
Mumbai is also a major naval base for the Indian Navy and the Wardroom threw its last cocktail party with many Indian Navy guests. In turn the good ship INS GOMATI also held a cocktail party whilst tours of both ships and briefings for the upcoming Passex also took place during the day.
To round off the trip, TE MANA’s rugby team got involved in a local Sevens tournament, with our soccer team also playing a team from the GOMATI .
After spending 4 days in the local markets (lots of haggling with local shopkeepers!) we sailed, joining the GOMATI outside Mumbai for a day of exercises. Both ships acquitted themselves well in serials such as RASAPs, OOWMANS, PUBEX (publication exercises) and some warfare scenarios, showing our interoperability, the importance of which had been underlined while we were in the Gulf. After exchanging pleasantries, we left GOMATI, rounded the southern tip of the sub-continent and set an easterly course.
After a quick passage through the Malacca Straits, TE MANA arrived at Changi Naval Base in Singapore. The RSN were warm hosts, and Changi is a well-appointed base. While in Singapore, both our Rugby and Soccer teams played local teams, winning 52-0 and drawing 2-2 respectively.
Subsequently we transited via Australia to NZ – as you read this, TE MANA will be alongside and most of us will be on leave, glad to be home.