Back in home waters
Connor Cawley left school halfway through year-11, taking up a job as a commercial kina and pua diver. Last month, he was in a fast boat opposite his home coast of Mercury Bay, as one of HMNZS Canterbury’s marine technicians.
Able Marine Technician (Propulsion) Cawley says he remembers “the old dive boat” (HMNZS ManawanuiI III) that used to come to Whitianga, and the school visits from Navy sailors. When he later worked as a diver, he soon realised that in his world, if you got sick, you didn’t get paid.
In HMNZS Canterbury, AMT(P) Cawley is an engineer assigned to the RHIBs and the Landing Craft. “I liked the idea of getting qualified,” he says. He initially applied to the Navy as a diver, but he’s now pleased he got in as a Marine Technician. “I’m really keen to keep going with the engineering side. You learn more, get more qualifications, and it’s a good stepping stone if you leave the Navy.”
He joined in 2017, achieving Basic Common Training, then 14 months of Basic Brach Training to achieve Ordinary Rate.
“Canterbury is my first posting. When I first came on board, a few days went by before I realised, hell, I haven’t gone outside yet.” He says extended time on a ship goes quickly. “You’re busy the whole time, and before you know it, a week goes by. When the Landing Craft are running, it’s quite busy. You have a task book, and you spend your time trying to smash through that. You try and get to bed as early as you can, so you can start early.”
He says it is bizarre to be so close to home from this perspective. “I haven’t been overseas yet, but we’ll be off to Australia soon. I’m looking forward to that.”
He says the Navy is an awesome option if you’re not sure where to go after finishing school. “I come home when I can, and people ask me about it. I tell them it’s a bit like school. We’re all good mates, but we all get paid at the same time.”
