Skip to main content
Defence News
  • Home
  • National
  • International
  • Capability
  • Technology
  • People
  • Navy
  • Army
  • Air Force
  1. Home
  2. Some Hard Yarra

Some Hard Yarra

21 July 2014

Royal Australian Navy personnel from coastal mine hunter HMAS Yarra have used their dive expertise to recover an anchor and shackles weighing one tonne from the seabed near Ashmore Island recently. The anchor, belonging to Armidale class patrol boat HMAS Bundaberg, was cut lose when it firmly wedged beneath a large boulder and the sea floor during an Operation Resolute patrol. HMAS Yarra, also assigned to Operation Resolute, undertook the anchor’s recovery on 23 June 2014.

Crewmembers on HMAS Yarra recover an anchor and shackles weighing one tonne from the seabed near Ashmore Island. The anchor, belonging to Armidale class patrol boat HMAS Bundaberg, was cut lose when it firmly wedged beneath a large boulder and the sea floor during an Operation Resolute patrol.

Royal Australian Navy personnel from coastal mine hunter HMAS Yarra have used their dive expertise to recover an anchor and shackles weighing one tonne from the seabed near Ashmore Island recently. The anchor, belonging to Armidale class patrol boat HMAS Bundaberg, was cut lose when it firmly wedged beneath a large boulder and the sea floor during an Operation Resolute patrol. HMAS Yarra, also assigned to Operation Resolute, undertook the anchor’s recovery on 23 June 2014.

Royal Australian Navy personnel in coastal mine hunter HMAS Yarra used their dive expertise to recover an anchor and shackles weighing one tonne from the seabed near Ashmore Island recently. The anchor, belonging to Armidale class patrol boat HMAS Bundaberg, was cut lose when it firmly wedged beneath a large boulder and the sea floor during an Operation Resolute patrol. HMAS Yarra, was also assigned to the Joint Task Force 639 for the conduct of civil maritime security operations as part of Operation Resolute at the time of the anchor’s recovery on 23 June 2014.

Related media

  • Images

Personnel in the coastal mine hunter HMAS Yarra have used their diving expertise to recover an anchor and shackles weighing one tonne from the seabed near Ashmore Island.

The anchor, belonging to Armidale class patrol boat HMAS Bundaberg, was cut lose when it firmly wedged beneath a large boulder and the sea floor during a recent patrol for Operation RESOLUTE – the ADF’s contribution to the whole-of-government effort to protect Australia's borders and offshore maritime interests.

HMAS Yarra, also assigned to Operation RESOLUTE, conducted a reconnaissance dive at the site on the 22 June 2014.

Commanding Officer of HMAS Yarra, Lieutenant Commander Brendan O’Hara said the initial reconnaissance dive took approximately one hour.

“Before leaving the area, HMAS Bundaberg marked the location of the anchor using an orange pimple buoy,” he said.

“During the recon dive, the divers identified the required direction to pull the anchor using a magnetic compass, and then we developed a plan on how to recover the anchor.”

The recovery serial took place the following day, commencing at 9:30 with the launch of the dive boat and ending with the anchor recovery at 11:30.

Once in the water, the divers made their way to the anchor to connect the recovery line. The ship was then moved into position using Auxiliary Power Units to pull the anchor out from beneath the boulder on a bearing provided by the divers.

Next, a tow line was passed to the ship and connected to the stern. The ship’s main engine was started and, in conjunction with the Auxiliary Power Units, the anchor was successfully retrieved.

The recovery of the anchor to the waterline was next tackled using Yarra’s Sweep Winch. Once on the waterline, a lifting strop was connected to the starboard-side crane on the sweep deck and the anchor was lifted onto the deck.

Lieutenant Commander O’Hara said having to use the ship in a tow-configuration to pull the anchor out from under the boulder was unique.

“We don't train specifically for this, but we utilised the same techniques that we might use to recover a mine from the seabed,” he said.

“The recovery was a good opportunity to put our skills in planning and execution to the test.”

Bundaberg’s anchor has now been returned to Patrol Boat Group via HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin.

Other Story content

RAAF dogs looking for new homes

IPE 19 prepares for explosive regional engagement

Planning for success

Remembering Cyclone Pam

Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 departs

Subscribe to our RSS Feed

  • Media releases
  • Stories
  • Transcripts
  • On-the-record list

© Copyright / Defence News

All rights reserved

Defending Australia and its National Interests Small shape of Australia with tagline
  • Contact us
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Feedback