Cadets ship shape on Oban visit
LOCHABER Sea Cadets saw what it is like on board a Navy warship when they visited HMS Blyth at Oban’s North Pier.
The cadets were shown around the ship, a Sandown class minehunter, and learned how the engine room works and how the boat is navigated. They also enjoyed a tour of the bridge.
Able Cadet Deeann Strachan said: ‘I want to join the Royal Navy as an engineering officer so it was really good to see first-hand what the engineers do on a minehunter.’
Leading cadet Hannah Calder said: ‘It was a real privilege to be given such a fantastic tour of the ship. Everyone was really brilliant.’
The cadets’ commanding officer Derek Warner said: ‘We’re tremendously grateful to everyone who made this trip possible. We know from previous experience many of these young people will remember this visit for the rest of their lives. It also gives them the chance to see how what we teach them is used on a daily basis in a modern warship.’
The sea cadets are always looking for new members. Children aged 10 and 11 can join the junior ranks with those older joining the senior ranks.
Sandown minehunters seek and destroy mines using a small submarine.
This helps keep shipping lanes open and they have been used to destroy mines which have been on the sea bed for 70 years.