When does a patrol end?

[jerm138]

Okay,
I'm still working on my first patrol, which is sort-of a training patrol for me to gain experience. In that, I mean I'm saving the game before attacks to learn from my mistakes and re-do them if I screw up, allowing myself to use outside cam to check my suspicions, etc. I've learned an enormous amount. I think I'm ready to do a full "real" patrol now.

I've sunk merchants in 3 different objective areas so far over the course of about a month. I'm down to only 4 aft torpedoes and no fwd ones. My deck gun is getting light too. Every time I complete an objective, I send a status report on the radio and I'm given another objective.

If I just don't send a report, then head home and dock, will that complete a patrol, or do I have to keep sending reports and wait until they tell me to return?