Royal Navy patrol vessel, HMS Dasher, will visit her twinned town of Padstow this weekend, as part of her Easter deployment.
Arriving in the harbour at 2000 on Easter Sunday (April 20), HMS Dasher will remain in town until 09:00 on Tuesday (April 22).
During this short visit, Dasher will be hosting some local dignitaries and affiliated Sea Cadets onboard as well as running an annual “Padstow DASH” – a charity Jail Break from Padstow back to the unit’s home city of Bristol. Teams will aim to complete the journey with no money whilst completing challenges en route. All money raised will go to the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity.
“We get such a warm welcome in Padstow,” said Lieutenant Roger Skelley, HMS Dasher’s Commanding Officer.
Archer-Class P2000 vessel HMS Dasher is the Universities Royal Naval Unit vessel for Bristol universities and is usually based in Plymouth.
Although not open to the public during her visit to the Cornish town, locals will be able to spot Dasher in harbour and the crew always welcome the chance to chat to people about their experiences in the Senior Service and the continued work of the Royal Navy in protecting the nation’s interests around the world.
Padstow is her second port of call in Cornwall – she was in Penzance on April 18-19.
Nearing the end of her 23-day voyage, some of the other stops for HMS Dasher have included Torquay, Cowes, Dieppe, Fecamp, Deauville and Cherbourg.
Each P2000 carries a full-time Royal Navy crew of five, which will be joined by up to 12 university students at any one time.
But this is no Easter cruise.
The deployment will allow the students to put into practice what they have learned on shorter deployments and drill nights with their URNU throughout the year.
Skills such as seamanship and navigation will be put to the test throughout, perhaps none more so than on the occasional nights which the ships will spend at sea rather than in port.
“Be under no illusion about the intensity of this deployment,” continued Roger. “The students will certainly be put through their paces.”
“There is no better experience for them than to get to sea and put theory into practice in whatever situations or conditions are thrown at them.”
“We are thoroughly looking forward to visiting so many ports during this deployment and the varied nature of them all ensures there’s always plenty to learn.”
“But, of course, there should be down time in the evenings for the students to have some fun and reflect on what that day at sea has taught them.”
There are currently 14 URNUs supporting universities in England, Wales and Scotland.
Each URNU is commanded by a Royal Navy lieutenant who is responsible for 51 undergraduates who each join the URNU as RN Reservists for their three or four years at university.
Training is conducted one evening a week in shore units at or near the university and at sea, over the weekends and during holiday periods, by a dedicated Archer Class P2000 20-metre patrol craft.
[mappress] Press Release, April 18, 2014; Image: Royal Navy