The Ghost of the Coast 1980

 

A year in the life of HMNZS Monowai,

aka The Ghost of the Coast. 1980. (Pretty sure Hattie Jacques was CO).

1980 was a very busy time for our ship (as most years were).  But we had such a diverse journey and I will highlight them here.

January to April – Awanui River (Nga Puhi country) SMB survey.  Featured a Helo support from a shipborne Wasp to a Huey Iroquois.  Also, an encounter with a pod of Orca travelling up the river.  And what is a trip to Tom Bowling Bay for a waterborne attack on a beach with Manaia for a banyan.

April.  After a week alongside DNB The Ghost sailed for a ceremonial visit to our Home Port – Gisborne. Of note, the ship was berthed adjacent the Gisborne Meat works and a very large fire burst into flames.  Monowai had hoses rigged along with the FENZ team.  Also, the harbour tug chimed in. Unfortunately, the windows were not letting water in so Jolly Jack grabbed all the empty beer bottles and set about very pertinent vandalism.  As this was happening teams were manhandling large gas bottles and using the ships crane to move them over the side and dunking them into the Ogwash to cool them down. (have since been reminded this event happened in 1983)

April to October.  The Ghost arrived in Nelson and the first day we had a normal Rum Issue and an added Splice.  These bottles were given to the ship by the Meat works owner in Gizzy.  We also had a Pie and Pint Race, won by the Gunners.  Next step, the Wharf Hotel and a meeting up with The Lost Breed MC gang.  Boat race well and truly won by Team Monowai.  However later that night most of our crew found themselves at the famed Rutherford Hotel Lounge Bar and The same Lost Breed guys in the adjoining Public Bar. Unfortunately, our Buffer (Phil Niell RIP) was bottled by a biker and all hell broke loose.  Suffice to say the Bigwigs at Defence HQ weren’t keen to see Monowai in bad light on the Main TV News the next day.

Anyway, why in Nelson?  Provisioning for an extensive survey of the South Island West Coast.  The ship spent months surveying every 2 miles from out to sea for a new chart.  However, things went pear-shaped when the stern glands started malfunctioning due to oil/grease issues and a new supply was ordered in from Christchurch. The lead time for delivery was six hours so the Skipper headed into Westport to await delivery.  The river was moderately high then but after several hours, the river was in full flood. The Skipper deemed it too high to cross the bar, so leave was piped.  What we didn’t know, it would be another 5 days before any attempt could be made to cross the bar.  After 3 days, Jolly Jack was out of money, so the CO issued an order to the SO to bring the next pay forward.  Westport businesses (mainly bars and takeaway) made a pretty penny.

As for crossing the bar.  A very large Sou-westerly swell and a strong wind and a flooded river met with issues.  The ship was berthed upriver, so all lines forrid were slipped and the ship swung around on the Stern Rope, which was hurriedly slipped when the ship was pointing out to sea.  As we crossed the bar (I was on the Deso20) we “Bounced” three times on the seabed.  The old girl shuddered solidly.

October – Found The Ghost in DNB fitting out for the upcoming ANZCAN Cable Survey and taking on Bottom Sampling equipment, Interocean Current Meters and the Klein Deep Ocean Side Scan Sonar system. This period also heralded the introduction of Enhanced Manning, essentially 1 and ½ crews (crews A and B onboard, crew C on leave or working in Philly/FMU)

November to 24^th December 1980.  Monowai sailed into the Hauraki Gulf to start surveying (Takapuna Beach to Norfolk Island) Two weeks later we surveyed the Beachhead at Norfolk.  We also suffered our first equipment loss (The MUD – a seaman WO took charge of the evolution, and nothing was ever found despite extensive Side Scanning) I was, then, Coxn of SMB Seagull (my all time favourite SMB) and on one occasion was running lines into the beach with a 2 metre stern swell.  My Boats Officer had this hairbrained idea to put the bow to the beach. My first time (of many) I said no and turned the boat around just in time as the next wave broke just after I turned (bow first).

Anyway, after Norfolk we surveyed the route to Sydney.  By this stage we were a well-oiled machine so nothing to report. Sydney was its normal self, plenty of Museums, Art Galleries, a walk up the Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Sailed back to Norfolk and finished work there an continued on to Suva, Fiji.  Sadly, a fellow drog on ISC Tarapunga decided to chuck in Navy Life and I was crashed drafted so off I went with Crew B from Nadi to Auckland.  One day I’ll write a dit about that flight.

 

Thank you  for your patience.