AS THE HMAS Hobart (III) bobbed along Merewether's coastline, Karen Burns fulfilled her late husband's final wish.
An ex-navy personnel, Peter Burns died from pancreatic cancer in September 2022.
On Friday, November 8, Ms Burns and her two children, Danielle and Johnathon, watched from shore as the military ship honoured his last request to scatter his ashes at sea.
"It was surreal, you couldn't have asked for a better morning. It was magical," Ms Burns said.
"It was a final goodbye, and a final journey for Peter, his last wish was completed," she said.
Together for 36 years and married for 30, the couple hailed from the Hunter region. Ms Burns grew up in Cardiff South, and Mr Burns in Warners Bay.
They lived together in a property out in Weston, just past Kurri Kurri.
The Royal Australian Navy offered a committal of ashes to the sea for veterans, typically off Sydney, but Ms Burns wanted to do it in Newcastle because of their ties to the region.
"I promised him I would do it," she said.
"He is sailing those seven seas; he absolutely loved the navy life."
Later this afternoon, Ms Burns will meet with the boat's skipper and chaplain to receive photos from the morning's ceremony.
What's on at Fort Scratchley
The HMAS Hobart (III) is a guided missile destroyer that provides air defence for accompanying ships, land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas and self-protection against missiles and aircraft.
Fort Scratchley Historical Society president Frank Carter said the ship came through Nobbys Headland around 8.15am today.
To honour the visiting war vessel, the fort fired a four-round salute.
The Australian Defence Force gave Mr Carter a heads-up, but he was not told the reason for the ship's visit.
"They are normally just in for a couple days leave, I think it leaves Monday afternoon or Sunday morning," he said.
As far as Mr Carter was aware the vessel was not in Newcastle for any official function or remembrance day on Monday.
In a statement to the Newcastle Herald, a defence spokesperson confirmed Mr Carter's suspicions that the ship docked locally to "provide the crew and opportunity for respite" and perform "essential logistics operations."
Fort Scratchley is opening its grounds to ADF Careers on Saturday, November 9, from 9am to 4pm, with representatives from the navy, air force, army and cadet units.
Mr Carter said some simulators and modern equipment would be available to give military potentials the chance to explore new technology.
He said the grounds probably had not hosted an event of this scale since before COVID-19.
"The more varied things we can do, the more people will wander through to look at the fort," he said.
