First female divers join the Royal New Zealand Navy clearance-diving trade

Two female divers have graduated into the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) clearance-diving trade.

CAPTION: Able Diver Petra Dye-Hutchinson and Lieutenant Bethany Ward in their dive gear at the Devonport Naval Base dive section. Bethany and Petra are the first females to complete the Navy dive course. NZDF photo.

Lieutenant Bethany Ward and Able Diver Petra Dye-Hutchinson were among 10 personnel to complete the five-month course, which provides training in military diving equipment and techniques, mine countermeasure, underwater maintenance and battle damage repair, demolitions, maritime explosive ordnance disposal and search techniques.

Commander Trevor Leslie, Commanding Officer HMNZS Matataua, the RNZN’s littoral warfare unit, said a number of females had completed the Defence Divers Course over the years but, for a variety of reason, none had ever taken the next step to becoming full-time clearance divers.

“The significance of Lieutenant Ward and Able Diver Dye-Hutchinson’s achievements is considerable, but it’s now business as usual for these two divers as they undertake consolidation training and deploy on operations with their shipmates at HMNZS Matataua,” Commander Leslie said.

Able Diver Dye-Hutchinson joined the New Zealand Army in 2015 and became an emergency responder, posted to Burnham, Waiouru and Linton military camps, but after starting the Defence divers course, the Aucklander ‘took the leap’ to join the Navy.

“My firemaster at the time had given me information about the dive course when I expressed my love for the sea,” 28-year-old Able Diver Dye-Hutchinson said.

“Years passed and then there was an opportunity for me to go on the course.

“I’d never done a dive before, but by half way through the course I was just loving it.”

Originally from Plymouth in England, Lieutenant Ward already had a taste of navy life having served in the Royal Navy, and then completing an exchange with the RNZN as a watchkeeper on HMNZS Canterbury.

“I really enjoyed the experience here, so joined last year,” Lieutenant Ward said.

“I wanted to be a diver in the navy since I was 16.”

Both divers say the trade has many challenges, especially when working in a marine environment.

“We have long days and are put in uncomfortable situations,” Lieutenant Ward said.

“A lot of the time we don’t know what’s coming next, especially dealing with tide and weather changes.

“You really have to go with the elements.

“But I love how versatile the trade is.

“I like the fact it’s a community of people working to really high professional standards, the variety of day-to-day work and that it’s a challenge physically.”

Able Diver Dye-Hutchinson said that even though there were challenges, the rewards were many.

“The best thing about learning something that’s hard, is you feel like a child in that moment, then all of a sudden something clicks and you get it right,” she said.

“Especially underwater, it’s the moment in the team when it all comes together and you solve the problem.

“Then things that were really difficult become second nature.”

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