Saturday 16 November 2013

On Board RSS Endurance 207, Navy @ Vivo 2013

From 14 - 17 November 2013, Singapore Navy's RSS Endurance 207 will dock at VivoCity Promenade for members of public (those who holds the balloting tickets) to visit and has a chance to be on board the navy’s fast craft utility too. Thanks to Kee Onn and Republic of Singapore Navy for the blogger's invite on the Navy@Vivo Preview Event as we get the opportunity to visit the galley (kitchen) to see how the Naval Chefs prepare food on board as well as the ship tour before public visits.

Beside the ship visit, there is also an exhibition happening within VivoCity to showcase the Republic Singapore Navy (RSN) missions and operations. At the exhibition public also gets the chance to win some Navy's souvenir such key chains, ship caps, sticky and etc.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207
Just some quick inform, RSS Endurance or Warship 207 was the first Singapore Landing Ship Tank (LST) to be deployed to the Gulf. It is 141 metres long which is equivalent to the size of 3 Olympic-sized swimming pools put together in length-wise and it is as deep as an eight storey block of flats with width of half a football field.



[Navy@Vivo] Security check area before on board the RSS Endurance 207
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The hanger
[Navy@Vivo] Navy Chefs - ME2 Teo Yee Hian Elton, ME2 Michael Raj and ME2 Wisley Tay (name from left - right)
Before the ship tour, we were introduced to some of their Navy Chefs such as ME2 Teo Yee Hian Elton,ME2 Michael Raj and ME2 Wisley Tay who shared with us their on job experience on board the ships which they work in as well as how they planned the daily meals of the crews on board with available resources in the galley. On top of that, each of them also holds one of multiple duties on board other than being a Navy Chef too.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The Galley (Kitchen)
Here comes the interesting part, have you ever wonder how does the Navy Galley (kitchen) looks like? We will reveal the mystery to you with some photos above showing their galley (kitchen) facilities plus a short Instagram video clips on how the Naval Chefs are at work.

You might realized their oven and frying pan were different from what we used at home but rather "huge" in a way. The reason they need it to prepared large quality of food for all the crews (about 200 people) on board. Even with those utensils, sometime the chef also needs to cook the same dish twice in order to meet the needs.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The Galley (Kitchen)
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The Galley (Kitchen)
During our visit to the galley, Chef Jagen ( ME2 Jagen) with the help of ME2 Michael Raj demonstrate on how he cooks fried rice using the utensils in the gallery as well as sharing with us some of his on-job stories on board the ship too. And from what we were told his signature dish is mee rebus and he had being appointed as a Navy Chef for RSS Endurance since four years ago.

Cooking Demo (click here if you cannot view above) by ME2 Jagen at the galley.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The Walkway
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - Dinning Room
ME2 Wisley sharing with us the concept of their dining area which adapted "MacDonald" style of sitting arrangement and colours in order to make the crews feel more relax as well as create conversation between meals. Meanwhile there is also a safety precaution video showing in the dining room to encourage and enforce safety on board.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - View Of the Bridge
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The Bow
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - View of the Bow from the Bridge
[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - The Bridge
The Bridge of a ship is the most interesting place for visit as it is the room which the ship can be commanded. During the ship tour, we get to learn quite a few new things about the bridge room and how it was being operated too.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - Typhoon Gun @ Port Bridge Wing
[Navy@Vivo] ME3 Lau who bought us around for the ship tour.
[Navy@Vivo] Super Puma @ Flight Deck

A short Instragram video clip (click here if you cannot view above) on the ship tour.

[Navy@Vivo] Tank Deck
[Navy@Vivo] Fast Craft Units (FCU)
Public who visits the RSS Endurance will get a chance to go on board one of these Fast Craft Utility.

[Navy@Vivo] Crowds waiting for the Ceremonial Sunset
[Navy@Vivo] Ceremonial Sunset
[Navy@Vivo] Ceremonial Sunset
[Navy@Vivo] Ceremonial Sunset
[Navy@Vivo] Ceremonial Sunset
[Navy@Vivo]Ceremonial Sunset
After the ship tour, we also witnessed the conduct of a ceremonial sunset which is a long-standing naval tradition dated centuries back. The purpose of this ceremony reflects the worldwide naval tradition of saluting the lowering of the Ensign at sunset each day.

A short video clip on the Ceremonial Sunset.

For your information, you can also drop by to VivoCity Promenade this weekend at around 6.45pm to witness this oldest naval traditions sunset ceremony too.

[Navy@Vivo] Speech by Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Ng Chee Peng
[Navy@Vivo] Assorted Desserts prepared by the Navy Chefs
[Navy@Vivo] Dishes prepared by the Navy Chefs
Above were some of the food (semi-food style) prepared by ME2 Michael Raj the Navy Chef(s) on board and the crews during the Navy@Vivo Preview reception dinner. We have tried almost all the dishes and surprisingly most of it taste great with restaurants standard comparable. Some of my favourite dish for that day were Mutton Rendang, Fried Chicken and Durian Tarts. Yes, they even have durian tart served as one of the dessert too!


GIVEAWAY - SINGAPORE NAVY GIFT SETS


Lastly for those who are unable to get/ballot the tickets for RSS Endurance 207 ship preview, we have some lovely gift sets from Navy@Vivo to be given away over at our Facebook page HERE. Do hope over if you wish to take part and be one of the two lucky winners to win the above items.

[Navy@Vivo] RSS Endurance 207 - Photo taken with Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Ng Chee Peng and fellow bloggers
Once again, thanks to Kee Onn and Republic of Singapore Navy for the blogger's invite on the Navy@Vivo Preview Event. We had a great time and it is indeed a fruitful trip for public like us to get to know more about our Singapore Navy, its friendly crews, they job scope and traveling experience on board.

2 comments:

  1. 207 wasn't the first ship deployed to the Gulf of Aden. That was 209 or RSS Persistence...

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