Navy People: Rothana will have some stories to tell
19 February 2010
From the time she had the chance to sail on the Navy’s Training Ship Young Endeavour, Rothana Abegnego wondered what it would be like to join the Navy. It seems like time has flown for this high achieving Boigu Island girl, but in the past few years much has happened.
“After my Young Endeavour cruise, my grandfather Donald Banu, who is a Councillor on the island, called me up and asked what I might think about joining the Navy,” Rothana said.
“I said I would give it a go.”
Rothana has now started a very promising career and is enjoying every moment.
“On Young Endeavour, I learnt a bit about sailing, steering the ship and how to be a lookout,” said Rothana, “But the best thing was the chance to work with other young people with the same goal in mind.”
Rothana kept in touch with friends she made on that first voyage, Rothana has even bumped into a young man from that cruise who has also joined the Navy.
Already promoted to Able Seaman, Rothana is a Boatswain’s Mate, which means she works in on-deck seamanship, doing lookout duties, working on weapons and maintaining the small boats carried by her ship HMAS Anzac.
“It’s a great job and I love the boys I am working with,” she said. “They really respect and support me and my supervisors are just awesome.”
Rothana says her training is ongoing but already she is now qualified in corrosion control, spray painting and driving a two tonne crane. That is on top of her weapons and lookout duties.
Although Anzac is usually based in Western Australia, Rothana is travelling now with the ship as she sails on a four month deployment.
The first Anzac will be taking part in a Navy Fleet Concentration Period. This annual exercise is designed to improve mariner skills and allow ships and Navy personnel to practice for conflict and dealing with natural disasters.
The four week exercise will be conducted off the east coast and will include a number of surface, sub surface and amphibious ships.
At the end of the exercise Anzac’s plan is to call into Cairns, and Rothana’s mum will be there to meet her for a few days catching up.
“Don’t get me wrong, I miss home and sometimes I even get a little homesick,” says Rothana. “But the Navy provides me with two free trips home per year.
“Lately I have volunteered to work because I didn’t want to miss out on any of the interesting things the ship is involved in.”
After Cairns, Anzac continues on her way to New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia for more exercises and port visits.
“I will be crossing the equator for the first time in a ship, which is a big thing in the Navy, and I am really looking forward to that.”
But mostly I am looking forward to coming home and telling all the stories of my adventures and achievements so far.”
Back on Boigu, Rothana will be talking with friends and relatives, but especially her sister Vera, who is now a member of the Naval Cadets. Perhaps some time in the future there will be two girls from Boigu Island in the Navy.
