Week #31 - Cardigan Bay

On Monday I finished “turning over” CTU 56.5.2 to my relief. No ceremonies or anything. Spent the previous three days going over things with him. So by Monday all that was left was to do laundry and pack my bags. All two of them. A big black bag for most of my clothes, and a small brown backpack for my laptop and papers. All that was left was my “battle rattle” including Individual Battle Assembly (IBA) and Kevlar helmet. But they were already on one of the boats, making things a little easier. It just so happened that we received a bunch of parts and mail that same day, and by mail I mean large packages, so getting everything on the boats was an evolution.

The Cardigan Bay is a Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship. It is designed to merchant marine specifications. I’m not quite sure what that means, because it seems very much like a U.S. Navy ship inside and out. Except for the ridiculously shaped superstructure. And the living spaces, which are practically luxurious compared to any U.S. Navy ship I’ve ever been on. At first they put me in the one stateroom on the 05 level, right behind and just beneath the bridge. Just yesterday I moved back down to the O4 level, where all the senior officers reside and where the officers’ lounge and galley are located.


The Cardigan Bay is referred to as the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). Yes, I think we tried to find a cool sounding acronym and then worked backwards to development the name for this concept. The concept is simple: use an amphibious dock landing ship in an unconventional manner. Simply use the well deck to operate small boats instead of amphibious vehicles. During heavy seas and transits, or for repairs, simply hoist the boats up on to the expansive flight deck with either of the ship’s 100-ton cranes.




The admiral came by early in the week on his way back from Baghdad. Only eventful thing that came out of his visit was some photo ops. He missed the photo opportunity with the boat detachment, but we got a good photo ourselves. Unfortunately I don’t have the photo the admiral with the security det.

We still had a few days on station before departing the NAG. With no responsibilities, I got to focus on driving the boats. Starting to really get the feel for the 34’ Sea Ark. With twin outdrives and electronic throttles they are very easy to maneuver. Which is really good, because the landings at the OPLATs are not very friendly. The open ocean on one side pushing you into dilapidated wood and metal boat landing on the other.

We did a gun shoot underway from the NAG to Bahrain. Basically just shot holes in the water. No targets, no prescripted course of fire. Just holes in the water.


So here we are, inport Bahrain. I’ve been here many times, but never on a ship pierside I don’t think. We are moored across the pier from the USS New Orleans, who is here for repairs after she and the USS Hartford collided in the Straits of Hormuz. It’s a very funny looking ship, the latest U.S. Navy amphibious ship. We should go over and ask for a tour, and invite them over to see our operation. I’m sure some people are wondering why there are a bunch of U.S. Navy small boats on the deck of a British auxiliary.

To get to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the ‘base’ if you will, we have to take a bus. NSA Bahrain has changed considerably since my last time here in 2002 while working at JTF-SWA in Saudi Arabia. They have built an all-new Exchange building with food court, MWR facilities, the works. Basically its like any other Navy base in the world. I remember coming here in 1996 on the USS Shiloh and thinking it was great we had a little base on the far side of the world. Now its just like home.

I don’t have internet on the ship, in fact no one does. Seems strange this day and age. But there is free internet on the base. So I wrote this in my room they just came to the base to upload. I’m here for a week, and should be able to get over to the base every couple days or so.