HELLO from Lumut. Yes, I am back from the Far East voyage. Mostly intact, thankfully. It is good to be home.
The ship’s company ushered in the month of Ramadan as we approached the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It was another first for me, fasting at sea.
The routine on board did not change much, just shorter working hours for most of the crew. With the overseas assignment almost over, the atmosphere on KD Lekiu was slightly more relaxed as everyone looked forward to returning to Malaysia.
I was glad to be in the tropics again, not having cold hands and feet when I need them to function. Goodbye, thermals. You have served me well.
The breaking of fast on the first day of Ramadan was held at the helicopter deck. We sat in groups of four, eating from trays and the chefs had chosen Arabic as the theme for the evening. I noticed that dark clouds were closing in on us and, true enough, it rained later that night and continued for most of the next day.
Being indoors during foul weather is a blessing but I do pity those on duty on the decks. But that is how it is, no matter rain or shine. When you are out at sea, you need to always be aware of your surroundings no matter the climate.
So for the lookouts at the fore and aft decks, you put on your waterproof jackets or ponchos, and you carry on with work. Same goes for those at the forecastle, where the front anchor is located.
Thankfully, the weather was much better for the rest of our journey to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and later on crossing the South China Sea to the Tanjung Pengelih Naval Base. The day after we put out from Kota Kinabalu, I notched another personal milestone, which was to fly on a helicopter.
The flight crew was having a Deck Landing Training (DLT) and I was able to tag along on one of the sessions. The Super Lynx crew was more than happy to have the helicopter airborne after over a month of not seeing any action and the flight commander, Lt Cdr Muhammad Firdaus Ramli, all the more so.
I do understand the feeling of being grounded. I get restless if I am not on a sailboat for more than a few weeks. Okay, maybe it is not as cool as being a navy pilot but the adrenaline rush one gets when sailing, or better yet, racing with other boats, very few things can top that.
So I had a go at aerial photography and my first task was filming a vessel at anchor. Easy enough. Until the pilot and tactical coordinator did their thing in manoeuvring the helicopter around. It was interesting, having to take stock of my bearings in relation to my intended subject. And positioning myself. With the helicopter door open.
I have seen many photos taken from above and it felt great to be able to do so myself. Last year, I sat inside a Super Lynx at the hangar of the Royal Malaysian Navy Air Wing in Lumut Naval Base. I had interviewed the pilots, including Lt Cdr Firdaus. It did not occur to me that I would be flying with him in charge of the controls. As they say, nothing is random. The training went well and I was happy with the shots taken on my iPad. I hope I will get another chance to fly and with a proper camera the next time.
I was drenched in sweat when we landed, what with the life vest and safety gear I had to wear. A small price considering the privilege of being onboard even if for a short while.
For those who remember, there was a scene in PASKAL The Movie where the Super Lynx made an appearance, along with a few more navy assets. I felt proud seeing those assets when they came on screen. I know, I am biased.
Anyway, the DLT went on for another hour and I continued to film the aircraft during take-offs and landings. That was fun, until I felt thirsty. And it was only 9am, with breaking of fast still a long way to go. So wait I must.
Lieutenant Norzuhaira Ruhanie was on board the KD ‘Lekiu’ on an
overseas assignment to Japan, China and South Korea