Final Voyage of CCGS Hudson

Commissioned in 1964 as Canadian Survey Ship (CSS) Hudson, she was the first dedicated hydrographic and oceanographic vessel built for Canada and served the Canadian Oceanographic Service until 1996 when she was transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard fleet to become CCGS Hudson. I have photographed this ship many times over the last 25 or so years.

Hudson transiting the narrows of Halifax Harbour at sunrise in March 2007.

A scan from film, probably in either the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Hudson returning from sea in April 2016.

Hudson in July 2021, fresh out of refit and looking like new.

Despite a recent refit that was intended to extend the ship's life until replacements could come online later in this decade, one of the ship's two electric motors that drive the ship suffered a catastrophic failure and has been deemed not worth repairing. The ship will therefore be retired and returned from St. John's, NL, to Halifax on her one remaining motor on what was her final voyage under her own power.

I managed to catch her return from the Macdonald Bridge this past Monday, January 24. She was escorted for at least a portion of her voyage by CCGS Sir William Alexander, who preceded Hudson and saluted the latter using her firefighting monitors, and the lifeboat Sambro and an inflatable also escorted her into the harbour.

 

Sir William Alexander showing off her firefighting monitors.

The first view of Hudson from the bridge.

Sir William Alexander leading Hudson.

Sir William Alexander leading Hudson.

CCGS Sir William Alexander.

Hudson with the escorting RHIB and lifeboat.

Hudson about to pass under the bridge.

Lifeboat Sambro.

With Hudson now gone, the Canadian Coast Guard will have a large gap in their research fleet until her replacement comes online.

For more coverage of Hudson's return, see Mac Mackay's Shipfax blog.

Reflections of HMCS SACKVILLE

I have probably mentioned here before that I like to take photos of reflections, especially ship reflections on the water. One day last week there was a nice imposing sky in the background, and nice smooth water to show off SACKVILLE's reflection.

In this particular photo, I faked a graduated neutral density filter in Adobe Camera Raw to make the reflection balance a bit better with the rest of the image, then played with the contrast and colours to make the image pop. The filter, plus some vignetting, helped to darken the sky a bit to make it slightly more imposing than it was in the base image.

HMCS SACKVILLE returns to the Waterfront

SACKVILLE spends late fall, winter, and spring within HMC Dockyard, in a more sheltered berth under the watchful eye of the Navy. It is therefore a sure sign that summer is coming when she returned to the Halifax waterfront and her summer berth in front of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. 

Ville class tug Granville wears an apron to avoid marking SACKVILLE's new paint, while Glenbrook is barely visible in the background on her port side.

Glenbrook is now in the usual position starboard aft, with Granville a little ahead of midships. 

Glenbrook and Granville shepherd SACKVILLE along the waterfront, with the new buildings at King's Wharf in Dartmouth in the background.

Glenbrook and Granville ease SACKVILLE into her berth. Theodore Too's stern can be seen to the left. Granville dropped off shortly after this was taken to avoid hitting Theodore Too.

This year threw a few kinks into the movement. SACKVILLE is normally kept port side to the jetty, but was rotated this spring for what I suspect was some painting work. The Glen class tugs normally secure starboard aft during a movement, but this time around Glenbrook had to start on the port side before shifting to starboard out in the harbour. The second kink was that Theodore Too was already berthed within the camber (the basin between wharves) where SACKVILLE berths, though on the opposite side. Normally the Ville class tug stays on the bow right into the berth, but this time left around the time the first lines were put onto the wharf.

Theodore Too sits on SACKVILLE's starboard side as she comes into her berth.

Granville showing off her apron, while SACKVILLE has handed off the first line to the wharf.

The water was nice and calm during SACKVILLE's transit, and her reflection shows up particularly well here. I might have cheated a bit in my post processing of the image, though, to make the reflection stand out better. As an aside, the best time for reflection photos of SACKVILLE (indeed, any ship along the waterfront) is during the early morning before 8:00 am on a calm morning. Bonus points for fog to simplify the background of the image:

Coincidentally, I have just such an image. Taken a year or two ago, the tugs weren't quite as gentle as can be seen from the scuff marks under the ship's pendant number.

The reflection can be especially impressive if you can get down low, for instance from the small boat floats. The camera here was just inches above the water's surface.

I usually find that the light transmission loss from the reflection off the water means that I have to apply a gradient filter to the image in post processing in order to balance the exposure from top to bottom of the image, in order to make the reflection really stand out. You could do the same thing (and retain slightly better image quality) if you had the forethought to pack a graduated neutral density filter to mount on your lens when you take the image, but I seldom have one with me.

But I digress. Back to the docking maneuver:

As SACKVILLE pulls into her berth in front of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, a volunteer with the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust hauls the bow line to a bollard. No, not that bollard - the next one!

The Navy usually contributes personnel to aid in SACKVILLE's transits to and from Dockyard, and this time around HMCS HALIFAX provided some of her ship's company. I've carefully selected some images to imply much more drama on the foc'st'le than there actually was. Otherwise, what's the point?

Diving for a rope.

Hauling the bow line through the bull nose. 

Admiring handiwork.

Taking a small break while ashore personnel make lines fast.

As the work of tying up SACKVILLE came to an end, but before the brow (gangway) could be lowered to the pier, a few breaks appeared in the clouds above and some sun appeared.

Space in the camber was a bit tight with Theodore Too on the opposite side, but SACKVILLE slid in easily with no major issues.

The Navy pilot gives instructions to the tugs via a handheld radio, while SACKVILLE's CO looks on.

A view from the other end, with Glenbrook still tied up alongside. SACKVILLE's ensign (the flag flying from the stern) is shown to good effect - it was flying during the entire transit.

Once SACKVILLE was properly alongside, and everything put away, it was time to raise the ship's jack on the jackstaff (the flag pole at the bow of the ship).

The raising of the jack, with the main mast of Bluenose v.2.5 in the background.

HMCS SACKVILLE - Return to Dockyard 2015

Every year, HMCS SACKVILLE - the last Flower class corvette remaining from the hundreds that were built during the Second World War - spends the summer (June to October) on the Halifax Waterfront near the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, where she is open to the public. During the remainder of the year, however, she berths in the more sheltered HMC Dockyard where a closer eye can be kept on her. It is hoped that sometime in the near future she will find a home in the proposed Battle of Atlantic Place, but until then will continue to make her annual pilgrimage back to Dockyard.

As a fairly recent trustee of the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust, this was my second year to tag along on this short trip.

SACKVILLE on her last morning on the waterfront.

Arriving on board before 9:30, I got to see all the preparations before the tugs arrived. 

The rails on the brow (gangway) are struck so that it can be hoisted and swiveled alongside.

Lines have to be readied to be slipped before SACKVILLE can leave the pier.

This year, sailors were shanghaied from several ships for the morning to handle the lines and help take SACKVILLE back.

A flag hoist is readied to indicate which Dockyard jetty SACKVILLE is headed to.

The 4" main gun reflects in a pool of water.

SACKVILLE's one remaining boiler and triple expansion steam engine have not seen service since the 1970s, and at any rate, her propeller has been removed. She therefore relies on two Navy tugs for motive power, typically one Pup (Ville class) forward and one larger Glen class at the stern. 

The smaller Pup, in this case Granville, can slide her way between SACKVILLE and the next pier.

Crewmember on Granville throwing a line up to SACKVILLE.

The larger Glenevis arriving.

Sailors handling a line from Glenevis.

Recovery of the brow.

SACKVILLE's Captain, Jim Reddy, watching all the preparations from the bridge.

Once all the preparations were complete and SACKVILLE was judged ready to go, the lines to the pier were slipped and Glenevis and Granville took up strain on their tow lines. Under their guidance, SACKVILLE backed out into the harbour, turned 90 degrees, and briefly headed south before reversing course and heading up the harbour.

Once the last line was slipped, the flag hoist went up the mast.

Flag hoist.

The view from the bridge as SACKVILLE backed out into the harbour.

With her bow headed in the right direction, SACKVILLE starts to move north.

While underway, a Navy pilot guides SACKVILLE back to the Dockyard, by radioing commands to the two tugs.

Panorama from SACKVILLE's bridge of the Halifax waterfront.

SACKVILLE's winter berth is near the south end of the Dockyard, not too far from the casino. We rounded the bow of HMCS FREDERICTON as we approached the jetty.

HMCS FREDERICTON.

Once alongside the the first line from the jetty on board, the flag hoist came down once again.

Sailors were once again busy handling lines to tie SACKVILLE up alongside.

Rope being paid out to the jetty.

Granville remained alongside keeping SACKVILLE against the jetty until enough lines were fixed.

SACKVILLE's ensign flies in front of her new neighbours.

HMCS MONCTON, with FREDERICTON aft (background, left).

SACKVILLE's own gangway isn't used in the Dockyard, exchanged instead for this brow and stand.

As I left, sailors were still fixing lines to the jetty.

Keeping a 74 year old warship afloat is no simple task, and various maintenance activities will occur during the off-season while SACKVILLE rests in the Dockyard. SACKVILLE will return to the Halifax waterfront in 2016.