RCN Imagery of 2020

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic curtailed my daily walk to work for much of 2020, and I didn't go into the office at all during the period of mid-March to mid-September. This greatly reduced my opportunities for photographing the ships of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax Harbour, as I didn't get my daily ferry ride. Nevertheless, I did manage to capture some of the comings and goings.

Two RCN ships are currently painted in Second World War camouflage schemes, including REGINA on the West Coast and MONCTON on the East Coast (pictured below).

Early in 2020, TORONTO was up on the Syncrolift for maintenance, and I took the opportunity to capture the ship in a variety of lighting conditions.

The depths of winter are usually favourable to capture sea smoke, and fortunately I caught at least one instance before I stopped travelling into the office. Below, M/V Asterix is seen at the new jetty intended for the Harry Dewolf-class ships.

HARRY DEWOLF herself started the year still alongside at Halifax Shipyard, but went on to pass a number of key milestones during 2020 in advance of her formal commissioning in 2021.

SUMMERSIDE underway before lockdown.

In June, SACKVILLE made an assisted sailpast of the waterfront, dressed overall in signal flags. Although not open to visitors, SACKVILLE went alongside in her customary berth on the waterfront near the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and staff were available to interpret the ship from the shore. In addition, the ship went into refit in the autumn.

HARRY DEWOLF underwent sea trials over the summer in advance of being delivered to the Navy.

The RCAF's Cyclone helicopters resumed flying operations after the tragic crash in the Ionian Sea in April.

At the end of July, HMCS TORONTO departed Halifax to relieve FREDERICTON on NATO duty in Europe.

A few days later, FREDERICTON herself was led into Halifax by Bluenose II and HMCS ORIOLE.

HARRY DEWOLF was handed over to the Navy, and began the Navy's own set of sea trials. 

In September, with her mast already removed in advance of her upcoming refit, SACKVILLE hosted the committal ceremony for a number of veterans, including Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough (a victim of the April 2020 Cyclone crash) and the ship's own former CO, Jim Reddy.

Asterix returning to port:

Usually alongside at the dedicated AOPV jetty, I took the opportunity to get this shot of HARRY DEWOLF amidst the other ships in Dockyard on November 11th. 

Earlier trials presumably having gone well, HARRY DEWOLF ventured further afield and rounded Newfoundland, before I caught her on her return to Halifax.

I was lucky to capture FREDERICTON hoisting anchor and heading out of Halifax one day in early December.

After 193 days deployed, TORONTO returned to Halifax two days before Christmas. 

Most of these images, and more, can be found on my Smugmug website.

Starting in September, SACKVILLE entered a refit period at HMC Dockyard after being lifted out of the water on the Syncrolift, and being moved into the Submarine Maintenance Shed.

The current refit is seeing the existing hull plating recladded with new 1/4" steel plating below the waterline.

The refit is expected to last until April 2021, and it is expected that the recladding will buy the ship another 10 years while fundraising proceeds for future work that is required to reskin the entire hull below the waterline with new plating. The refit is being documented in photos here.

HMCS HARRY DEWOLF (AOPV 430) returns from her circum-Newfoundland cruise

Upon seeing that HARRY DEWOLF was entering Halifax Harbour yesterday morning, and not having any meetings on my calendar, I was able to nip down to Alderney Landing to take a few photos. The weather did not cooperate, starting off with light fog and ending with actual rain.

HARRY DEWOLF just rounding George's Island with McNab's Island in the background and a Canadian Coast Guard Bell 412 helicopter in the background.

One of the Glen tugs approaches HARRY DEWOLF as a CCG RHIB speeds by in the foreground.

HARRY DEWOLF with George's Island in the background.

It was at this point that the rain started, which supplanted the fog in degrading my image quality.

At this point, I think I got a single shot off before rain coated my front filter, and I had to retreat to the back of the car to clean it off.

HARRY DEWOLF passing in front of MV Asterix.

As the first of a new class of Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPV), the Navy has been putting HARRY DEWOLF through her paces both in Bedford Basin and at sea, with her most recent cruise a counterclockwise circumnavigation of Newfoundland that also took her into the Northumberland Strait where she had a photo op with the Confederation Bridge. With a planned Arctic passage in 2021, all her systems need to be certified and the crew needs to be well familiar with the ship. It is also a time to root out any inevitable bugs and deficiencies, like some recent fuel pump failures, which presumably need to be fixed under warranty by the shipyard. 

Future HMCS HARRY DEWOLF undergoes acceptance trials

Note: I'm still having trouble with image links breaking in a previous post on the blog, regarding the salvage of the Manchester City. I'm going to try again in this new post, and if I continue to have issues with images, I will need to work out a new way to display them.

The first of the Royal Canadian Navy's new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs) has been undergoing final acceptance trials prior to acceptance by, and handover to, the Navy. As such, the future HMCS HARRY DEWOLF was underway at sea off the coast of Halifax last weekend, and I caught her on her return on Sunday evening.

HARRY DEWOLF returned to the inner harbour under her own power, before being joined by two tugs in the vicinity of George's Island and proceeding to her berth at the shipyard. 

These trials follow the builder's trials held by Irving Shipbuilding starting in November 2019. According to Irving, members of the future crew complement also spent some time at sea in the ship last weekend for training purposes.

For more information on the acceptance of warships from the builders hands, check out this article on the RUSI(NS) website.

RUSI(NS) also has an article on the full lifetime of a warship program, from inception to disposal of assets.

I have yet to see an announcement on when the Navy expects to take over and commission the ship, although circumstances around COVID-19 may be delaying the process.