Hester's Head

[align=center][/align]

HMCS Ottawa left the CENTCOM AOR a couple of days ago and we just left the Maldives this morning. There should be some foreign ports ahead and therefore something new to blog about.

[align=center][/align]

Our deployment wasn't the most exciting thing I've ever done, but it did have its moments. We found a couple suspicous cargo dhows - I posted pictures of one of them doing something suspicious before we boarded it. We also rescued the 18 Indian sailors from their cargo dhow that sank underneath them. We tried to save the dhow, but for reasons that I'm not allowed to talk about, we were not able to. And then we also were in the neighbourhood when the USS Newport News had their accident. I can't tell you anything more about that either. Other than we did escort them through the Straits of Hormuz right after.

P 101114Z JAN 07
FM USS NEWPORT NEWS
TO HMCS OTTAWA
INFO CTF 50
CTF 54
CTF 152
COMSUBRON EIGHT
USS NEWPORT NEWS
UNCLAS
MSGID/GENADMIN/NEWPORT NEWS/0060/JAN//
SUBJ/GRATITUDE//
RMKS/1. SINCERELY WISH WE HAD MET UNDER BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES: I WOULD HAVE MUCH RATHER OPPOSED YOU IN ASWEX THAN BEEN TEAMMATES FOR LAST NIGHT'S TRANSIT... BUT CIRCUMSTANCES BEING WHAT THEY WERE, THERE'S NO TEAM I'VE EVER BEEN HAPPIER TO BE A PART OF.
2. THANKS FOR OUTSTANDING COVERAGE AND A WELL-GUARDED "SIX".
3. I HAVE BEEN REQUESTED BY ALL HANDS TO INFORM YOU THAT IF OTTAWA SAILORS ARE EVER IN A PORT AND THERE ARE NEWPORT NEWS SAILORS THERE, THEY MIGHT AS WELL LEAVE THEIR WALLETS ON BOARD.
4. IT WAS A PRIVILEGE STEAMING IN COMPANY. COMMANDING OFFICER SENDS.//
BT

It's cool to be in the Navy.

We've patrolled damn near everywhere in the CENTCOM AOR. We covered the central and southern Arabian Gulf, the Straits of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, the northern Arabian Sea, the horn of Africa, the Somali basin south to the equator, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab Al Mandeb, and the southern and central Red Sea.

The sea snakes mostly hang out in the Arabian Gulf, so I haven't seen any in a while. As for the Red Sea - it's long and narrow and if the winds are coming in the right direction it can be surprisingly rough. After leaving India it was shocking how cold it was. I was doing some work on the upper decks this afternoon - it was 28 degrees and scorching hot. But it's good to be heading home. Even if it's only for a few weeks at home before I get sent to Halifax for six months.
I miss Victoria, I really miss my dog. And I miss my house.
I mean 'your' house, Dorothy.
Thanks again.