Submarine, crew surfaces in Cairns
THE navy calls it "stealthy,
advanced and formidable", but for the past five months, the crew of HMAS Collins have called it home.
During the sub’s first stop at HMAS Cairns, the navy granted The Cairns Post access to all areas of the biggest non-nuclear sub in the world.
The crew of 60 will spend five days in port – only the second time they have surfaced in three weeks.
"I think everyone’s just keen to have a breather because they’ve been working so hard over the last five weeks," HMAS Collins Cdr Glen Miles said.
"Some of the guys haven’t had a day off in all that time.
"Cairns is one of the ports in the navy which is renowned for everyone having a good time."
Living in unimaginably confined conditions, 12 of the crew sleep with MK48 guided torpedoes less than 1m above their bunks.
Beneath the waves, day and night blur into irrelevance with submariners working for six hours, then resting for six.
"When they’re off work they’ll read books, a lot study for distance learning degrees, play cards and watch videos," Cdr Miles said.
Before earning their prized dolphin submariner badge, recruits have to sit a series of psychological and physical tests to make sure they can handle the isolation on board a submarine.
"You don’t want someone who’s claustrophobic coming into a sub," Cdr Miles said.
At the nerve centre of the submarine, there are two periscopes that come in handy when the crew want to take snaps for their photo album.
The 3000-tonne sub is controlled by a tiny joystick.
"We find the younger guys and girls who are used to mucking around with PlayStations are always the best at controlling the submarine," Cdr Miles.
The crew of Australia’s longest-serving sub plans to go diving, white water rafting at Tully and hit the casino while docked here.
But it was a chance for Cardwell man, Able Seaman Mate Krunes, to catch up with family.
"I didn’t expect to stop here but it’s a great chance to come home," he said.
"My cousins are going to come and pick me up and we’ll go back to their banana farm in Kennedy and chill out there."
The navy has invited schools, veterans, cadets and other community groups to tour HMAS Collins before it returns to Perth on Tuesday.
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Awesome: The world's largest non-nuclear submarine HMAS Collins docked in Cairns yesterday, giving its 60 crew the chance to relax for five days in a port renowned for everyone having a good time. Picture: MIKE WATT
Having a breather: Able Seaman Mate Krunes from Cardwell from Cardwell will be chilling out with family at a farm in Kennedy.
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