HMAS Gascoyne gets close & personal with HMAS Paluma and Mermaid

22 March 2007

On 22 March 2007 while conducting Operation Resolute border patrols, HMAS Gascoyne teamed up with Survey Motor Launches (SML) HMA Ships Paluma and Mermaid for the first dual light line transfer between the two classes of ship in recent history.

After returning from investigating a small group of vessels illegally fishing in the Australian Economic Exclusion Zone, within the Torres Strait, Gascoyne met with the two SMLs enroute to survey operations further North. The three ships conducted Officer of the Watch Manoeuvres (OOWMANS), which tests the ship driving skills of all involved before commencing Replenishment at Sea approaches.

Gascoyne became the guide proceeding at 6kts. HMAS Mermaid made her approach on Gascoyne and took station 30yards on her PORT beam, shortly followed by HMAS Paluma taking her station at the same distance on Gascoyne's STBD beam. Paluma fired the first line to Gascoyne and in turn Gascoyne fired her lines to Mermaid.

Lines were tensioned up in all ships and some much needed charts for Gascoyne's re-tasking and some chocolate biscuits were passed from Mermaid.

Once all procedures were proved and all transfers complete, lines were passed back to the supplying ships and with a parting salute between Captains, the conducted breakaway turns taking up their assigned station ready to conduct another set of three ship before continuing on with their Northerly transit to their survey tasking.

On completion, Gascoyne then commenced passage back towards Thursday Island to await further fisheries and border patrol taskings.