Ship visit spurs future recruits

Walking through HMNZS Aotearoa was enough to convince eight-year-old Liam Patrick that he had made the right future career choice.

He was among thousands of people who turned up to Port Taranaki yesterday to look around the Royal New Zealand Navy’s newest and biggest ship at a public open day.

The event was meant to have taken place on Saturday, but was postponed because of rough seas.

‘‘This is so cool,’’ Liam said as he looked about the bridge.

‘‘Liam wants to go to the navy when he’s older, so this has been a ‘let’s see what we’ve got him into’ thing,’’ his mum, Rose Patrick, said.

They had travelled from Waitara and arrived half an hour before the open day started at 11am.

But owing to the huge number of people who turned out for a look at life aboard the vessel, it took the Patricks more than an hour to get on to a bus that was transporting visitors through the port.

But even the bus was exciting for Liam, as it was the biggest bus he had ever been on.

The 173-metre-long HMNZS Aotearoa is a supply ship and will be berthed at Devonport, Auckland, but Port Taranaki is her ceremonial home. It’s a tradition that dates back years and serves to connect the navy with the regions.

HMNZS Aotearoa can carry 11-million litres of fuel and is designed to help out other vessels.

The ship’s role will be to support combat operations and training missions around the world, as well as delivering humanitarian aid and disaster relief when called upon.

Sub-lieutenant Jordan Appleton said it was a great experience to be able to let the public visit the ship.

‘‘It’s been pretty awesome just letting people come and see our ship and showing people what our ship looks like,’’ he said.

He hoped the tour inspired people young and old to consider a career in the navy.

And that’s exactly what it did for 11-year-old New Plymouth boy Ben Broadhurst.

‘‘It’s just really cool being able to see all this stuff and come on the ship,’’ he said while trying on a New Zealand Defence Force firefighter kit.

Seeing the weapons was his favourite part of the visit to the 26,000 tonne vessel.

The open day was the final event of HMNZS Aotearoa’s week-long visit to its ceremonial home. On Friday, the ship’s company took part in a charter parade down Devon St, following formal celebrations at Puke Ariki Landing.

HMNZS Aotearoa will depart at noon today, heading back to Auckland.

SIMON O’CONNOR/STUFF People queue for more than an hour to get onboard the HMNZS Aotearoa, which is docked at Port Taranaki.

SIMON O’CONNOR/STUFF People have a good look around the ship’s bridge.

SIMON O’CONNOR/STUFF AET Phebe Taylor talks about the navy’s rigid-hull inflatable boats.

SIMON O’CONNOR/ STUFF GRANT STEVENS Liam Patrick, 8, of Waitara, wants to be in the navy when he grows up. HMNZS Aotearoa arrives in New Plymouth last Wednesday.

SIMON O’CONNOR/STUFF Ben Broadhurst, 11, tries on some firefighting gear.