Lake-class patrol vessel HMNZS Taupo berthed in Otago Harbour yesterday morning, following a week-long operation in the waters off the South Island’s southern coast.
On board was Ensign Hayley Ambrose, 21, of Wānaka, who had assumed the role of boarding officer for the operation, supporting Ministry for Primary Industries compliance checks on fishing vessels.
This was her first exposure to the role, following a course last year.
"It’s just leading the team on and off safely and looking after MPI so they can get their reporting, checking and fish checking," Ens Ambrose said.
"We drive up on the [rigid hull inflatable boats] and then make an assessment as we come up to the vessel whether or not we can get on.
"A lot of those fishing boats we did are quite old, so some of them roll a lot, and we had quite a big swell down there, so you have to make sure it’s safe for the team to get on and off."
She said she enjoyed the operation and the course had prepared her well.
It was an additional qualification to her job as warfare officer — "which is like ship driving, but at the moment I’m a baby ship driver, so just learning".
Ens Ambrose said she had planned on joining the Navy since high school and her parents were encouraged by the leadership opportunities the career afforded.
"I definitely had it in my head that I didn’t want to do like a desk job or anything, so this has definitely given me what I wanted."
Driving the ships, even under supervision, was "surreal".
Ship captain Lieutenant-commander Toby Mara said Taupo generally operated in the Hauraki Gulf, but training in the exposed southern seas was a good opportunity to develop "core mariner skills".
"By nature, it involves an element of risk, because everything out there is trying to get you, right?
"You’re on a steel platform in salt water, getting smashed by these big waves. So you’ve got to know how to react and how to deal with it.
"And then you translate that to a bigger ship where it doesn’t move as much, but the same effects are still on the ship."
Stopping in Otago Harbour was a fairly last-minute decision made due to weather, Lt-cmdr Mara said.
"But everyone’s pretty stoked that they get to come to Dunedin, so that’s good."
HMNZS Taupo is due to depart at 10am on Monday.
