Dawn Shipping Photos

It is that time of year when my commute to work often coincides with sunrise or other early morning lighting, and I managed to make a few nice images as a result in October and November.

ACL's appropriately named Atlantic Sun was departing Halifax one morning while I chased photos of the USS Gerald R. Ford.

Dynamogracht entering the harbour at sunrise.

ONE Hangzhou Bay entering Halifax Harbour at sunrise.

Unfortunately, the morning I was chasing the USS Gerald R. Ford, I didn't manage to get a spectacular sunrise image - this was the angle I received the morning that Atlantic Sun was leaving. 

Atlantic Sun departing off to the right with the USS Gerald R. Ford at left.

I tried to convince my editor at Warships IFR that he should include the following photo inside the magazine, and feature wording to the following effect on the cover: "USS Gerald R. Ford off the rails! Photos inside."

For some reason, he didn't go for it, but I thought it was a great idea. 

USS Gerald R. Ford "off the rails" as it were, pictured from the Dartmouth side. 

That said, a few mornings later, I did manage to get a sunrise shot from the Halifax side that I was happy with.

USS Gerald R. Ford at sunrise from Halifax.

USS DWIGHT D EISENHOWER departure

USS DWIGHT D EISENHOWER (CVN 69), aka "Ike", departed Halifax this morning, and was off Chebucto Head by 0900 or so. Although the harbour pilot was requested for 0645 or so, she didn't turn around to head out until after the cruise ship Grandeur of the Seas arrived a little after 0800.

Ike beginning her turn with the help of tugs.

Head-on view.

These ships don't turn on a dime, even with the help of tugs.

A close-up of the bow. The crew were busy hosing harbour muck off the starboard anchor, and large splashes could be seen for quite some time after she left her anchorage. If you look near the top right of the image, you can see that the .50 cal machine guns at the bow are manned during her transit out of the harbour.

An E-2 Hawkeye early warning aircraft sits just forward of the island structure.

Close-up of the island superstructure, which houses the ship's bridge and FLYCO (flying control) centre, as well as multiple sensors and other equipment.

Still washing the anchor. That Halifax Harbour muck is tenacious!

Looks like they finally stowed the anchor, just shy of the McNab's Island lighthouse.

My last view of Ike before I had to leave.