Diamantina headlines Eden Whaling Festival 2 years running
19 November 2007
After a warm reception from the sleepy fishing town of Eden on the NSW's South Coast, HMAS Diamantina opened her doors to over 1100 visitors as part of the town's Annual Whale Festival. Despite some less than favourable weather conditions for the weekend long event, Commanding Officer Diamantina, LCDR Douglas Griffiths, RAN hailed the weekend as a huge success and was extremely pleased with the outcome.
Team Diamantina were named winners (by default... as no other team would brave the torrential rain and gale force winds) of all sporting festivities held over the duration of the festival including Capstan Pulling, Flat Boat Racing and Truck Pulling.
An interesting side note from the visit was Diamantina's Clearance Divers had the privilege of meeting a local celebrity with an impressive story of survival. Mr Eric Nerhus, only a year ago survived a close encounter with a Great White shark not far off the Eden coast, during an abalone fishing expedition. Mr Nerhus survived the ordeal by poking the Great White shark in the eye, while engulfed up to his waist. Not deterred at all by the tale of the close encounter, Diamantina Divers were more than happy to discuss diving and the RAN's diving capability, and there was no shortage of tall tales of their own.
Though the most impressive turn out was by the stars of the festival themselves, the whales, visible off the coast throughout the entire weekend.
Diamantina now looks forward to knuckling down in the final weeks of preparation for the ships Work Up and Unit Readiness Evaluation at the end of November.
