Harbour Fog and HMCS ST. JOHN's return from NATO

Warm temperatures and high humidity over the last week have joined to create some impressive mists and fogs, and the view on this morning's commute to work on the ferry was accordingly somewhat obscured. There were a number of fog horns at work in the harbour, including those of the harbour ferries. (A drive down Highway 103 late this afternoon was also suitably impressive.)

Ferry Viola Desmond heading for Woodside.

This complicated my aim this morning of photographing the return of HMCS ST. JOHN'S, which was arriving in Halifax for the first time after a six-month NATO tour. Although I could see her approach on the Marine Traffic app, the ship herself was completely obscured. 

I had hoped that ST. JOHN'S would pass west of George's Island, as I had clear sight out through that channel, whereas the fog was mostly concentrated on the east side of the harbour. However, she stubbornly stuck to the eastern channel. In the end, I was rewarded with an imposing view of ST. JOHN'S in the fog, but for a while I was worried I would miss her entirely.

For instance, I could see Holland America Line's Veendam just fine out through the western channel.

I even got my obligatory shot of Veendam with the George's Island lighthouse.

Even when the fog thickened up again, I could still see Veendam just fine.

I also got to capture this cormorant taking off.

Admittedly, despite being able to see Veendam, the image quality suffered - heat coming off the water on hot days tends to play havoc with the optical qualities of the air when using telephoto lenses, and if you zoom in on the ship you can plainly see the degradation. But the images look fine here, at least.

Just when I was about to give up on ST. JOHN'S, a shadow started to appear out of the fog behind the Vincent Coleman, itself returning from the Woodside terminal.

HMCS ST. JOHN'S finally makes an appearance.

Although the fog is obscuring the ship, it is also obscuring Dartmouth, so there's that. (Nothing against Dartmouth, but the former refinery area is not exactly picturesque, and I prefer to have mostly blank backgrounds for my ship images, when possible, to avoid confusing the outline of the ship.)

If you look closely, you can make out the crew lined up on the foc'st'le.

ST. JOHN'S proceeded up the harbour and alongside her jetty in HMC Dockyard, where her crew and their families were reunited. Welcome back, 340!