THINGS TO DO @ NAVY OPEN HOUSE 2010

So many attractions, so little time. To help you maximise your trip to this year's Navy Open House at Changi Naval Base, PIONEER highlights some of the must-dos.

1. Catch elite divers in action

An adrenaline-packed action sequence doesn't just happen on TV. For the first time at the Navy Open House, catch the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) naval divers jumping off a Chinook helicopter and charging in at high speeds on Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs). Watch the thrilling action unfold at the wharf in front of the parade square as these elite troops storm a vessel to rescue a group of hostages.

Showtimes:
22 May - 10am and 3.30pm
23 May - 11.30am and 3.30pm

2. Go on an out-of-the-ordinary cruise

Hop on board patrol vessels and mine countermeasure vessels for an hour-long ride out of the naval base. Get to know what "heads", "hands" and "pipes"* mean in Navy lingo as the crew takes you on a tour around the ship and fills you in on the ship's capabilities.

Tickets to cruises are given based on a balloting system. To try your luck at landing one of the coveted tickets, register your name at the information booth at the parade square and indicate your preferred time for the cruise. Those who get picked will be informed by handphone two hours before the cruise begins.

For those without a golden ticket, there are also ship rides on Fast Craft Utility (FCU) as well as Duck tours, which are open to all. Simply queue at the lower deck in the Landing Ship Tank (LST) docked at the West wharf for the FCU ride, and between the West wharf and the West pier for the Duck tour.

Note: The minimum height for all passengers taking the cruises and rides is 0.9m, so infants and young children are not allowed on board for their safety.

* "Heads", "hands" and "pipes" refer to "restrooms", "seamen" and "a whistle to give signals to seamen" respectively.

3. Snap rare sightings

Not of giant squids or mammoth whales, but of the Navy's Challenger-class submarine, which rarely surfaces in open waters. Weighing 1,200 tons when submerged and measuring 51m in length and 6.1m in breadth, this stealthy vessel can travel at a speed of 16 knots, or about 30kmh, when submerged. Besides the submarine which will be docked at the submarine pier, Formidable-class stealth frigates and LSTs will be docked at the West wharf, West and East piers for photo-taking.

4. Be a seaman for a day

The life of a sailor is not all smooth-sailing. It requires discipline and dedication. At the "Navy People" exhibition tent, you can experience the life of a sailor without barfing from sea-sickness. Learn seamanship and naval practices as you attend workshops where you will learn how to tie knots, make ship pipes, decipher morse code messages, understand the meaning behind various naval flags, and perform fire-fighting and damage control procedures.

5. Get to know the Navy

If your idea of the RSN is one that is restricted to the two ends of Singapore at the Changi and Tuas naval bases, walk into the "Navy Operations" tent and be amazed by the extent of the Navy's involvement in operations and exercises all over the world.

For the tech-junkies, be sure not to miss the exhibition tent marked "Navy Capabilities", which will feature ships conducting tactical manoeuvres, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles flying up in the sky in a 3D naval landscape.

Other highlights in this tent include exhibits of the Navy's capabilities in war-fighting, maritime security and maritime surveillance. Lastly, don't leave without trying your hand at the simulation games where you'll get to fire weapons that are used on ships such as the General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) and Mistral missiles. Since it's not quite the real thing as you'll be firing with a Wii controller, bobo-shooters are welcome to try it too!

For more details, check out the Navy Open House website www.mindef.gov.sg/noh, and Facebook page www.facebook.com/navyopenhouse.