Twenty-four sailors from every walk of life, of every age and temperament, living literally cheek-by-jowl for week after week, away from family and friends sometimes for months at a time. All crammed in an elderly 40 metre metal hulled boat - in seas of all conditions with temperatures often in the 30's. It's a pressure cooker that can bring out the best, and sometimes the worst, in all of them - man and woman alike. It calls upon reserves of devotion to duty, tolerance, obedience and of course humour, way beyond that which most people possess. Written by colly_was_here

Returning to Bright Island with two federal cops to investigate the biologist's suspicious poisoning, the Hammersley finds captain's flirt Ursula continues her research. Then they follow up on a sophisticated radio buoy they accidentally located and proves booby-trapped. It's denoted by radio from a ship they track to arrest two cocaine smugglers. One of them is worried his brother, who approaches by speedboat, may also get killed. XO shamelessly tricks and lies, later admits to Flyn she only serves out of personal ambition. Towel-only, flirtatious ET seems seductive even to Nav. Written by KGF Vissers

Even the HMS Hammersley is damaged by a major storm. Captain Flyn postpones wharf repairs to search for and find Rory Kinsella, the owner of a owner of a catamaran, which Spider, whom the veterans troubled with ghost ship stories, and ET sail home while the ship makes urgent repairs on Bright island, where the federal police conducts a mysteriously extensive search. The found turns out not to be Rory, who was probably suicidal on the anniversary of his kid)son tragic accident, but his best friend Steve Jackson. Spider discovers a fortune in hidden cash aboard the catamaran. Written by KGF Vissers

The crew must stop beach frolicking now Toby 'Chefo' Jones plans to propose, for a mayday. It seems a pirate boat, but carries only boat refugees. Alas some splashing water contains microscopic Irukandji jellyfish, whose poisonous bite may be fatal for Chefo and John 'Jack' Jaffah. Chief petty officer Andy 'Charge' Thorpe has something irritating an eye. Petty officer Pete 'Buffer' Tomashevski gets refugee Samira to talk about the scum firing a flair at them and takes their side, unlike Robert 'RO' Dixon, who grumbles he must fill in as cook. Billy 'Spider' Webb is heartbroken when his recruitment 'class clown' Jaffah doesn't make it. Written by KGF Vissers

The team arrests an illegal fishing boat. Their attempt to get to the mother-ship, Caroil Emperor, is thwarted as they have to save eco-terrorist leader David Thompson's life but is unable to make them see reason. Chief Petty Officer Andy 'Charge' Thorpe wanted to stay on the ship until it's decommissioned but on the CO's orders finally sees eye specialist Dr. Poulos, who surprises him. Written by KGF Vissers

Radio officer Robert J. Dixon's cold image culminates when he shows no emotion and refuses compassionate leave for his father's death and funeral, but later explains to captain Mike Flynn. However when 'RO' gets wounded while cleverly discovering a floating container actually contains North Korean refugees and his infection is stitched aptly by one of them, Dixon really takes his plea to search for his family in another container at heart, Flynn now has to hold him back. The search involves some fishermen who struck a friendship with Spider. Written by KGF Vissers

The Hammersley responds to several distress calls, including one from the sailing yacht Claire de Lune. Most boys choose to believe owner Clair Watts's bizarre stories involving escape from pirates, enjoying the flirtatious guest's female charms. After one authentic case it becomes clear the dishonorably discharged naval officer's daughter is unstable. The ship not only has to abandon its promising chases for her calls for help, most of the crew gets poisoned after barbecuing the crabs Bright island fishermen gave them. Written by KGF Vissers

Despite a raging cyclone, the Hammersley puts to sea in search of two pre-teen school-boys feared lost in a missing dingy. Teacher's son Connor Bullen, who needs his diabetes medicine urgently, in found in time. Flyn's psychological insight gets out of Connor that his mate Tim James wasn't with him, in fact not even in the boat. Spider is suffering endless mean 'punishment' from XO Kate, who takes absurd offense at an innocence comic impersonation he did of her at a bachelor party. Spider still wins the confidence of Tim's orphaned classmate Connor Bullen, which proves vital. Also on the island is engineers corps captain Craig Bolt, whose expertise proves surprisingly relevant. RO meanwhile refuses to disclose to mates the content of a package he received. Written by KGF Vissers

During Spider's night watch, a rival Navy ship's crew sneaked aboard to steal the Hammersley's mascot 'Thor'. Captain Mike Flynn makes chasing the Australian civilian cargo Pacific Mariner suspected of harboring the island killer a priority, and gets captain Rick Gallagher's hesitant permission for a 'boarding exercise'. The XO stupidly insists on leading the search party, and returns after finding only Dr. Ursula Morrell. An explosion and fire aboard prove the culmination of apparent bad luck since Thor's loss. Crew and captain take charge and put things right. Meanwhile crossed attractions cause hot friction. Written by Miss Hill

The Hammersley stops to help Gavin Daley with car trouble and notices he has his kids and a gun but has no reason to stop him. Later inquiries indicate he 'kidnapped' his two young kids because his wife plans to take them to her new partner in the US, and so they return to arrest him. His ship is found moored on the Tiwi islands, where he hides in the crocodile-infested mangrove swamp. A badly bitten agent (Carl Davies) is the first to be found. He must be sedated, and dies before he can get hospital care and explain what he meant by everyone from bright island is dead. Gavin and his kids are taken aboard, but he's suicidal. Written by Miss Hill

The Hammersley stops to try and help Horst Wenders' team which tries to salvage the Pacific Investigator, but it's sinking and is beyond any help so the men are taken on board. Suddenly Horst and an accomplice take chief petty officer Chris 'Swain' Blake hostage after shooting seaman Harry Costa in the leg. They force Swain to return to the wreck, where worse follows. Captain Mike Flynn must balance the Bright Island investigation, Swain and orders from NavCom, which wasn't impressed with his stubbornness anyhow, but proves how it all ties together. Written by Miss Hill

The Hammersley responds to the Pretty Lady's distress call- it's just out of petrol and radio, but the speedboat was stolen by a high-pregnant couple. Flynn receives from his lover Dr. Ursula Morrell by courier a CD announcing multiple deaths in Australian waters by some unidentified poison she made, then a fax claiming she was forced which he believes. They recognize a tourist cruise yacht and search for it. Written by KGF Vissers

The HMAS Hammersley's last mission before decommissioning promises it will go out with a bang. Federal Agent Greg Murphy reports Gallagher plans to take the crab poison aboard the Pacific Mariner, for sale to the highest bidder. Although the signal disappears, Flynn correctly extrapolates a course to Bright Island. Tthe continued chase leads to an armed confrontation. Gallagher has a hostage and some tricks up his sleeve, and NavCom (naval HQ) must wait for political instructions, while the territorial waters boundaries are almost reached. Written by KGF Vissers