The Wright stuff: Young Northlander savouring time at sea

Ordinary communications warfare specialist Cameron Wright, from Ruakākā, on the HMNZS Wellington during a stop in Ōpua. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Among the crew on the HMNZS Wellington when it called into Ōpua this week was a 20-year-old Northlander savouring his first experience at sea with the Navy.

The 85m offshore patrol vessel is three weeks into a month-long mission training the crew to protect the ship from, among other things, floods, fires and civil unrest.

Cameron Wright, from Ruakākā, attended Bream Bay College before landing a job on a tug boat at Northport.

He signed up with the Royal New Zealand Navy just over a year ago.

"I had a cousin who was in the Navy. He used to tell me stories about his deployments. I thought, 'Why not join up and see what the commotion is about?'"

Wright, whose title is ordinary communications warfare specialist, initially worked in MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine).

It wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he joined the navy but now he's enjoying his first posting on a ship and training for his next step up the ranks to an able rating.

His role centres on communications by signal flags, lights and radio.

Wright said he was enjoying learning on board the ship because there was more pressure to get things right.

"Plus, I couldn't have asked for a better crew."

He was keen to stay with the Wellington as long as he could.

The vessel is frequently deployed around the Pacific for fishery patrols, search and rescue, and disaster relief — including after the recent volcanic eruption in Tonga.

In the longer term, he hoped to be posted to HMNZS Aotearoa, a frigate deployed worldwide.

During the Wellington's visit to Ōpua the crew were trained in protecting the ship from protests and civil unrest, with a group of navy personnel staging a mock riot on the wharf and attempting to storm the ship.