He joined the Royal New Zealand Navy 10 years ago with no sea-going background, but 29-year-old Lieutenant Toby Mara has quickly notched up enough experience to be handed command of the inshore patrol vessel HMNZS Taupo.

The Aucklander will be in charge of Taupo, which carries out maritime surveillance, fishery patrols, boarding operations, navigation training and search and rescue response around New Zealand’s 15,000km coast and out to the 200 nautical mile limit of the country’s economic exclusive zone.

“Within the Navy it’s significant to undertake command as a lieutenant as junior sailors and officers are more comfortable talking to peers. If I can act as conduit right to the top, it’s a powerful connection,” Lieutenant Mara said.

He joined the Navy in 2014 despite never having been to sea before.

Lieutenant Mara quickly learned about Navy life with his first posting to the offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Otago as a trainee watchkeeper and travelled throughout the south west Pacific, circumnavigated New Zealand and conducted several deployments to the Sub-Antarctic Islands and the Ross Sea.

Lieutenant Mara then posted to frigate HMNZS Te Mana with the primary goal of obtaining his warfare ticket, the final tick he needed to become a qualified officer of the watch.

While on Te Mana he travelled from Hawaii, through South East Asia and Australia, taking part in several international exercises and wider defence engagement opportunities.

The exposure was invaluable and resulted in Lieutenant Mara gaining his final qualification and officially finishing his time as a trainee watchkeeper.

His posting to HMNZS Hawea as a Navigation Officer would ultimately put him in good stead to steer Taupo, he said.

“Having experience on Hawea, which is also an inshore patrol vessel, makes me very comfortable with pilotage and how the ship manoeuvres. I think it will set me up well to supervise new officers of the watch on their basic course,” he said.

Last year, Lieutenant Mara was posted to Bahrain to Counter Narcotics Task Force, which at the time was under French command. During his six months there the task force seized and destroyed about $US500 million worth of narcotics.

The most exciting part of taking command of Taupo is the 24-strong ship’s company, he said.

“This will provide me an opportunity to mentor junior officers, lead a small group of skilled sailors and take the ship around New Zealand to demonstrate to the wider community what the Navy is capable of.”

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