A meeting of two Leeuwins

21 September 2007

By Elizabeth Stacey

A unique meeting took place off the coast of Darwin recently, when the hydrographic survey ship HMAS Leeuwin spent time in company with its namesake, the sail training ship Leeuwin (II).

The three-masted barquentine tall ship is operated by the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation Ltd, a private not-for-profit organisation based in Fremantle, Western Australia.

The two ships joined for an impromptu twilight photo-shoot as Leeuwin (II) sailed from Darwin on a ten-day cruise to Broome.

HMAS Leeuwin had been conducting survey operations off Darwin at the newly established artificial reef system at Fenton Patches.

While most warships do not like to conduct officer of the watch manoeuvres with a 14-knot hydrographic ship, this time the tables were turned.

Even with the sails billowing on the Leeuwin (II), HMAS Leeuwin had a tough time keeping station on the four-knot cruising sail ship.

With the beautiful Darwin sunset as a backdrop, the ships' crews exchanged souvenirs before HMAS Leeuwin returned to survey operations.