HMAS Sydney Takes Part in Navy Week Tasmania

HMAS Sydney Takes Part in Navy Week Tasmania

HMAS Sydney (IV) has set sail from the Apple Isle after a spectacular long-weekend of celebrations in Hobart.

The ship arrived on February 8 to take part in celebrations for Navy Week Tasmania (February 3-11) in conjunction with 175th Royal Hobart Regatta (February 9-11) and the 10th MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

Sydney hosted an official reception and Ceremonial Sunset on their first night in port with the Governor of Tasmania, the Honourable Peter Underwood attending.

HMAS Sydney at the 2013 Royal Hobart Regatta

Sydney opened her gangway to the Hobart public on February 9 and received a great response.

Open day visitors watch a Missile Launcher demonstration at HMAS Sydney’s open day in Hobart.

More than 2,000 Tasmanians took the opportunity to tour the ship.

Small arms displays, fire fighting equipment, the Guided Missile Launch System demonstration and tours of the bridge proved popular with the locals.

Ten year old Eugene Cantwell said he had been planning a career in the Navy for a few years.

 

“I’ve loved the open day and I want to join straight after year 12,” Eugene said.

“I’m thinking of joining as a Boatswains Mate and go to Fleet Base West in Perth,” he said.

Sydney provided sailors to represent Navy each day of the Wooden Boat Festival and embarked some historic equipment from Spectacle Island especially for the event.

Commanding Officer HMAS Sydney, CMDR Karl Brinckmann, said it was a great privilege for HMAS Sydney to play a part in these great Tasmanian events.

“Every ship I have ever been on there’s a whole bunch of Tasmanians,” said CMDR Brinckmann.

“From a Navy perspective it’s a very important place for us and the crew of Sydney are very proud of their ship, so it’s another opportunity for us to show the ship off,” he said.

On February 11 Sydney went to anchor in the Derwent River as the flagship for the Regatta and provided a backdrop for the sailing events.

HMAS Sydney Takes Part in Navy Week Tasmania (3)

The Royal Hobart Regatta finished with a bang that night as fireworks lit up the sky.

Sydney will now enter a short maintenance period before deploying to Asia to embed with the US Navy operating out of Japan.

Later in the year Sydney will take part in the biennial US and Australian joint military exercise Talisman Sabre 2013, before taking part in the International Fleet Review on Sydney Harbour from October 3-11.

The International Fleet Review will celebrate the centenary anniversary of the arrival of the RAN Fleet and is set to involve approximately 40 international warships, 18 Australian ships and submarines and around 18 tall ships from around the world.

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Naval Today Staff, February 14, 2013; Image: RAN