Publication:The Fearless Times Issue 2 2009/Captain's Corner

Dear Families, Friends and Supporters of Toowoomba,

Welcome to the Second Edition of our 156 deployment newsletter which again, captures some of the key events and highlights of interest that have kept us all busy since we wrote to you last. In looking through this newsletter, it struck me that most of our articles refer to the things we have been doing 'in between' our operations and all the routine work Team Toowoomba does each and every day to keep this fine Ship fully functioning either at sea or alongside - so as you can see, we have all been keeping very busy!

As I write, having just completed Patrol 2, we are getting ready to enter harbour and berth alongside in the port of Jebel Ali, near Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the longest visit of the deployment. The main purpose of returning to Jebel Ali is because it is the perfect time and place for essential mid-deployment maintenance and repairs. This is vital given that the Ships' systems have been working continuously since we left Fleet Base West 76 days ago. A key aspect of this maintenance work will be a major servicing and overhaul of our Seahawk helicopter 'Pegasus' to ensure the aircraft will be fully functional and available throughout the second half of our operations.

The access the port of Jebel Ali provides to the attractions of Dubai means the visit is a firm favourite. Outside of work, the visit provides an equally important opportunity for us to get a break and have some down-time so that we will start the next phase of our operations relaxed and refreshed.

When we depart Jebel Ali we expect to begin working for Task Force 151 which will see us moving away from the Arabian Gulf and Arabian Sea down towards the Horn of Africa and the Somali Basin where we will be well placed to contribute to Anti-Piracy operations. This promises to provide new and interesting challenges for us all! - and perhaps might provide a slightly different theme for the next edition of our newsletter. In the meantime, I would like to thank all those who sent messages of support and provided such great feedback.

Finally and again to those who are the most important to each and everyone of us - our families and friends; we thank you enormously for your love and support and for the sacrifices that you continue to make on our behalf - and we miss and love you dearly.

All for now and Aye

Ivan Ingham
CMDR, RAN
Commanding Officer