My typical viewing locations to keep track of harbour shipping are either on the harbour ferry or somewhere along the Halifax waterfront, but COVID-19 means I'm supposed to stay closer to home, and I have no need to commute to the office currently - so I have had to try out a few new locations.
The first is thankfully a short walk from home, near the little gazebo on the Dartmouth Common.
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| Atlantic Sun |
It from here that I captured the arrival of ACL/Grimaldi's Atlantic Sun last Sunday, May 9th. Facing south, the lighting is not always optimal, but if you time it right you can get the Maple Leaf flag flying at Alderney in the frame.
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| Atlantic Sun |
You also get a slightly elevated view of ships in the harbour, and the Halifax skyline shows up better behind some of the bigger ships. Because it is a longer walk, it is a bit more difficult to time with ship passages, but if you are after an elevated view of the harbour then the pedestrian walkway on the Macdonald Bridge is even more spectacular.
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| Atlantic Sun. |
I was chasing shots of Atlantic Sun heading out to sea, but I was not quite quick enough, and she passed under the bridge before I could get on the main span.
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| Atlantic Sun |
By watching the harbour traffic on my Marine Traffic phone app, I could see that the ship was departing the Fairview Cove container terminal, and was able to walk/run down to the bridge. I wasn't quite in time, but still managed to get some good shots of the ship's departure, and with the beautiful dawn light as a nice bonus. It was from here that I could see that the raised lettering indicating the ship's original port of registry, Liverpool (England), have been painted over and a new port of registry (Valleta) has been painted underneath.
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| Atlantic Sun |
The bridge definitely provides some angles you just can't replicate without a drone. Presumably the view on the bridge's bike path is also nice, but I haven't dusted off my bike in too many years. And due to COVID-19, people from Dartmouth have been asked not to go to Halifax, so I was careful not to cross the entire bridge.
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| Atlantic Sun |
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| Atlantic Sun |
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| Atlantic Sun |
On Saturday night, I noticed that sistership Atlantic Sky was inbound, so I ran down to get some photos of her too.
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| Atlantic Sky |
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| Atlantic Sky |
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| Atlantic Sky |
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| Atlantic Sky |
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| Atlantic Sky |
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| Atlantic Sky |
It is definitely impressive to have a ship of this size pass directly underneath you. I also timed my visit well last night, as a RHIB launched from MV Asterix and headed into the Dockyard.
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| Navy RHIB launched from MV Asterix |
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| Navy RHIB launched from MV Asterix |
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| Navy RHIB launched from MV Asterix |
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| Navy RHIB launched from MV Asterix |
Another spot I have recently discovered is the parking lot up behind the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. You have to shoot through a chain link fence, but this isn't a problem with a sufficiently long telephoto lens. This has prove useful to capture Margaret Brooke on sea trials last weekend, and then CCGS Hudson this weekend. Hudson is approaching her 60th birthday - she launched in 1963 and commissioned in 1964. Originally built for the Canadian Hydrographic Service, she was absorbed into the Coast Guard fleet some years ago. Her replacement is apparently under construction on the West Coast.
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| CCGS Hudson |
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| CCGS Hudson |
Another spot I sometimes try is the Dartmouth shore of the harbour narrows, in front of a building in which I used to live. In this case, I timed it just right, and guessed that Hudson was heading this way after she left the Basin (rather than going back alongside at BIO). As an aside, I'm not sure I would feel comfortable using the port-a-potties hanging off the side of the McKay Bridge (the grey boxes right above the ship's stern). Especially if it was a windy day.
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| CCGS Hudson |
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| CCGS Hudson |
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| CCGS Hudson |
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