Caribbean farewell to Ballarat

11 August 2009 By LEUT Jemma Power

HMAS Ballarat was farewelled in a colourful and vibrant ceremony wharf side in Port of Spain on Saturday. As the ships company made the necessary preparations for sailing, a spectacular sound and colour display was provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra and their accompanying dancers.

HMAS Ballarat is farewelled in traditional Caribbean style by a steel pan band and dances from the Port of Spain during Northern Trident 2009

Formed in 1995, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra are the world's only military marching steel orchestra, utilising instruments indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago to make their music.

Despite wide public acclaim, their real purpose is to perform at military parades. Just as the Royal Australian Navy Band leads Officers and Sailors on parade in Australia, the Trinidad and Tobago Steel Orchestra leads Trinidad and Tobago’s contingent of troops on ceremonial parade – only with calypso flair.

The lively farewell brought to an end the highly successful visit to the Island nation in which Ballarat engaged with their Defence Force counterparts in a series of professional forums and the Commanding Officer, Commander Kevin Turner and Naval Attaché to Washington, Commodore Vince Di Peitro attended the meeting of Carribbean Community Nations CARICOM to further Australia’s interaction with countries in the region.

Aside from their professional engagements, after the hectic trip down the American East Coast, Ballarat's ship’s company made the most of their chance to engage in a popular local pass time – ‘liming’. A common term in Trinidad and Tobago, liming is the art of doing nothing or relaxing with your mates. For the crew of Ballarat, sitting by the pool, visits to the beach or a bit of cricket with the locals were all popular liming choices during their leave ashore.