HMCS TORONTO leaves Halifax Shipyard graving dock

As of Friday morning, HMCS TORONTO was still in the Halifax Shipyard graving dock undergoing her FELEX refit. 

TORONTO in the graving dock just prior to being floated out.

As of Tuesday morning, I noticed that she had left the graving dock and had been moved to the machine shop wharf as part of the next stage of the refit. 

TORONTO at the machine shop wharf.

As can be told by the amount of staging surrounding the superstructure, she has a ways to go before the refit is complete. TORONTO is the last ship on the east coast in the FELEX refit process. The previous ship, VILLE DE QUEBEC, appears to have just begun sea trials after the completion of her own refit. In February 2015, TORONTO was still alongside in the Dockyard, beginning the disassembly process prior to entering the shipyard. 

These refits are modernizing the weapons and sensor systems of the RCN's HALIFAX class frigates.

Battle of the Atlantic Sunday 2016

On Battle of the Atlantic Sunday, one did not need to look too far in the approaches of Halifax Harbour for reminders of the importance of seaborne traffic to Canada, as well as our ongoing dedication to helping make sure that it continues to pass unmolested. The modern equivalents of the freighters and convoy escorts that plied the North Atlantic during the Second World War were both evident Sunday morning, with the outgoing HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN passing the inbound container ship Allise P. Seventy-five years ago, both ships would have had the added complication of passing through the gate of an anti-submarine net that spanned between York Redoubt and McNab's Island, a firm delineation between the safety of Halifax Harbour and the dangers of U-boats at sea.

Outbound HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN passing the McNab's Island lighthouse. The anti-submarine net spanned from the spit of land upon which the lighthouse stands to York Redoubt.

Container ship Allise P inbound a few minutes later.

The submarine nets ran between the previous lighthouse on McNab's Island in the background, and York Redoubt from where the photo was taken. The two gate vessels in the centre of the image were responsible for opening and closing the gate in the nets to allow authorized ships to pass. They were First World War Battle class trawlers and were painted red and green to correspond to Port and Starboard for incoming ships. The submarine nets were installed by Foundation Maritime, and their Foundation Jupiter can be seen in the foreground. Ocean Eagle (top left), formerly an Admiralty Saint class tug named St. Arvans, was a tug owned by the Federal Government that was put under control of Foundation Maritime for the duration of the war. This photo is on display at the Canadian War Museum.

The first Sunday in May sees the commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic that ended 71 years ago, and this year I was privileged to  accompany HMCS MONTREAL for the service and committal ceremony held off Point Pleasant Park, the latter being an opportunity to commit the ashes of veterans to the sea.

Arriving in Halifax by ferry that morning, I was treated to seeing a few of the ships "dressed overall" for the occasion, including HMCS ATHABASKAN (herself being the third ship of that name, the first having been lost off the coast of France during the Second World War).

HMCS ATHABASKAN (DDH 282).

Families of departed veterans as well as other passengers embarked MONTREAL and gathered on the helicopter deck, where we received a briefing from the ship's CO (via loudspeaker) and the Cox'n (in person).

MONTREAL's kisbee ring and ensign.

MONTREAL's Cox'n briefs the ship's guests.

After departing the jetty in HMC Dockyard, MONTREAL headed out to her destination off Point Pleasant Park. On our way down the waterfront, CSS Acadia (and the former HMCS ACADIA, as she served the RCN during both World Wars) dipped her flag as we passed.

CSS Acadia.

MONTREAL's wake as we headed out, with the George's Island lighthouse to the left and with McNab's Island in the background.

After arriving off Point Pleasant Park (where another service was already in progress at the Commonwealth War Memorial), some of the ship's company manned the starboard rail facing Point Pleasant Park.

Manning the starboard rail.

Soon, two padres held a commemoration service at the aft end of the helicopter deck to remember the personnel and ships lost during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Padres Lt (N) Sebastien Dupont and LCdr (Ret'd) Andrew Cooke.

Battle of the Atlantic Commemoration Service.

During the service, a bell is rung for each of the RCN ships lost during the war.

Ringing the ship's bell for each RCN ship lost during the Battle of the Atlantic.

After the service, the ship's ensign was lowered to half mast and the committal ceremony began.

Setting the ensign to half mast.

After some words from the padres, the ashes of each veteran are committed to the sea. The box of ashes are placed on a plank and covered by the flag of their service, and the ashes are piped overboard as the box slides down the plank.

Ship's company facing starboard during the committal ceremony.

Ship's company facing starboard during the committal ceremony.

The committal party stands at the ready as family members look on.

The board is tipped, and a veteran's ashes are committed to the sea.

Each veteran's ashes were piped over the side.

A Lieutenant, the ship's Commanding Officer, and Cox'n (respectively) salute as a veteran's ashes are committed to the deep.

Of the three in uniform, the furthest is CPO1 Thomas Lizotte (Cox'n) and in the middle is Cdr Kristjan Monaghan (MONTREAL's CO).

With the committal ceremony over, food was served in the ship's hangar, and MONTREAL turned around to head back up the harbour to return to HMC Dockyard. I took this opportunity to head up to the foc'st'le to get a different perspective on this part of the trip.

MONTREAL's foc'st'le party facing to port on the trip back up the harbour.

Panorama of the foc'st'le, with the Halifax skyline on the left, and MONTREAL's Bofors 57mm Mk.3 on the right.

The first of the lines are thrown ashore from the foc'st'le. 

I would like to thank the ship's company of HMCS MONTREAL for being perfect hosts during the Battle of the Atlantic Sunday ceremonies. I always enjoy being able to document this event, but it is an added pleasure to watch the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy at work.

For those interested, I also have an online gallery with all of my processed images from Sunday.

HMCS TORONTO tour: Auxiliary Machinery Tour

My previous post on touring HMCS TORONTO covered the propulsion machinery spaces in both the forward and aft engine rooms. Forward and aft of these spaces are the AMRs, or Auxiliary Machinery Rooms. The primary inhabitants of these two rooms are four 850 kW Deutz MWM diesel generators that provide electrical power to the ship. 

It was an interesting opportunity to be able to photograph these two spaces, as the aft AMR was largely intact, while the forward AMR was in the process of being torn apart in preparation for being handed over to the Halifax Shipyard for refit.

Diesel generators intact inside their enclosures in the aft AMR. The enclosure is covered in access ports that can be opened to allow maintenance access all around each generator. The enclosure contains much of the sound produced by the generators, and is also useful in the event of fire.

Looking along the catwalk between the two generators. 

A memorial in the aft AMR for former crewmember who has "crossed the bar".

While the aft AMR was mostly intact, the forward AMR was in the process of being dismantled prior to refit.

In the forward AMR, the diesel engine inside the enclosure is exposed. 

Warships interiors are cramped, with every available space taken up by some piece of equipment - even the spaces below the deck plates. The bilge in the ship is often a treasure trove of lost tools that are lost by the ship's company during routine maintenance tasks, and they can't be retrieved until the ship is next stripped down prior to refit. As I recall, one of my tour guides was looking forward to retrieving a flashlight lost just weeks earlier.

The power generated in the two AMRs is routed to the rest of the ship to power everything from weapons systems, combat and navigation sensors, and the ship's hotel load (lights, etc) via two main electrical switchgear sets. 

Aft main switchgear.

The two AMRs don't just contain power generation equipment, but also have an assortment of other equipment as well. 

The AMRs also contain other equipment, such as R2D2 here (otherwise known as a fuel centrifuge for removing water and contaminants from the ship's fuel supply).

Another auxiliary machinery space, one deck below the weather deck and to the aft of the ship, is the "tiller flat" where the steering motors are found.

The steering gear is mounted on the rudder post. It is powered by two hydraulic motors, with the starboard steering motor seen to the left through the door.

The port hydraulic steering motor.

USS MILWAUKEE visit and HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN

USS MILWAUKEE (LCS-5) made her first (and possibly only) visit to Halifax this past weekend, arriving sometime Thursday night and departing on Monday morning. The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) class is actually made up of two variants, the monohull FREEDOM variant (of which MILWAUKEE is a the third ship) and the trimaran INDEPENDENCE variant. They are designed to be relatively small (smaller than a frigate), stealthy, fast (47 knots for the FREEDOMs), capable of operating in shallow waters, and flexible. The FREEDOM class are being built at Marinette Marine in Wisconsin on the Great Lakes, and are the odd-numbered ships. MILWAUKEE's visit was during her maiden voyage to San Diego where she will be based. She is not the first of her type to visit: Halifax has previously seen FREEDOM and FORT WORTH during their departures from the Great Lakes.

USS FREEDOM (LCS-1) during her visit in 2008.

On Friday morning, MILWAUKEE was sitting at anchor in the harbour, waiting for a berth to free up in the Dockyard. 

USS MILWAUKEE.

MILWAUKEE being helped alongside on Friday by two tugs.

When I took the ferry this morning, MILWAUKEE's pollution boom had just been removed, and her radars were turning - usually a good sign of an impending departure. 

MILWAUKEE with HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN on the right.

MILWAUKEE was berthed opposite HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN, providing a nice comparison in sizes and contrast in paint colours. 

MILWAUKEE.

Most warships have proper funnels for exhaust gases from the ship's engines (in this case 2 gas turbines and 2 diesels), but the FREEDOM class uses exhaust ports located in the hull not far above the waterline (something I have previously only seen in minesweepers, as far as warships are concerned). Hence the black stains on the hull. I'm not sure if this is to free up space in the superstructure, reduce trunking requirements from the engine rooms up through otherwise usable space, or something to do with a reduction in the ship's heat signature. 

In addition, the FREEDOM class uses a semi-planing hull to achieve her 47 knot speed, and instead of propellers her engines power four waterjets.

I didn't have to wait for long before a couple tugs showed up and eased MILWAUKEE out into the harbour. 

I got rather lucky with a rather impressive sky as a backdrop for a number of my images. 

Departing soon after MILWAUKEE, HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN also headed out, possibly to exercise with MILWAUKEE. 

HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN.