Two RCN vessels return from deployments

This past week or so saw the end of two naval deployments. First, I was lucky last Sunday to catch HMCS Harry Dewolf returning to Halifax after completing the 2023 edition of Operation Nanook in Canada's northern waters. 

HMCS Harry Dewolf passing George's Island on her return to Halifax from Operation Nanook 2023. 

HMCS Dewolf with the Halifax skyline as a backdrop.

The second ship to return travelled a bit farther and was gone for a longer time. HMCS Montreal deployed on Operation Projection when she departed Halifax on March 26th in the company of MV Asterix. While Asterix is still deployed in the Pacific Ocean, Montreal returned on October 3rd. I managed to get a photo through a dirty window, and converted it to black and white in an attempt to hide the unfortunate colours that resulted from processing the photo - I'm assuming the angle of the sun on the dirty windows was working against me.

HMCS Montreal returning from deployment in the Indo-Pacific for Operation Projection.

These photos can also be found here: https://smcclearn.smugmug.com/Nautical/Canadian-Navy

ITS Virginio Fasan departs Halifax

The Italian Navy frigate arrived in Halifax on Thursday and departed this morning just after 0900.

The ship is a FREMM type multi-purpose frigate.

Officers saluting me from the bridge wing - it's nice to be recognized. Or maybe they were saluting to an RCN admiral ashore, who can tell.

HMCS Glace Bay followed her out of the harbour - the latter is headed for Fleet Week in New York, but I am not sure if Virginio Fasan is also headed there. 

Ship watching from Chebucto Head

The family and I took the opportunity over the Easter long weekend to take a trip out to York Redoubt and Chebucto Head, and my timing at the latter worked to my advantage - there were two ships outbound during my time there. The family got bored and headed back to the car, but I braved the brisk wind to get some photos.

Upon arriving at the lighthouse, Atlantic Sky was visible heading outbound with MOL Courage behind.

The pilot boat kept pace with Atlantic Sky on the way out before retrieving the harbour pilot.

Pilot boat in the process of retrieving a the harbour pilot from Atlantic Sky.

MOL Courage outbound.

MOL Courage with Atlantic Sky in the distance after passing Chebucto Head.

The whole series of photos, and many more, are available in my Ships gallery on Smugmug.

Deployment for Op Projection

HMCS Montreal and MV Asterix departed on Sunday for Operation Projection in the Indo-Pacific. This is the first time an East Coast frigate will deploy for this operation, although Asterix has participated before. The weather for departure was cold and wet and will hopefully allow the crews to look forward to their southern deployment.

Montreal departing HMC Dockyard.

MV Asterix departing from HMC Dockyard.

Montreal is expected to be away until October 2023, while Asterix may stay longer and join up with the next two (West Coast) ships that will join Op Projection.

Recent ship photos

 I usually only manage to catch ship traffic in the harbour during my morning and evening commute on the ferry, but occasionally catch ships at other times as well. I have managed to catch a bit of traffic over the last few weeks.

British Engineer at anchor in the fog on March 18.

A backlit British Engineer at anchor while discharging water overboard.

NYK Romulus inbound on March 17.

NYK Romulus inbound.

MSC Cornelia coming in alongside at the south-end container terminal.

Vivienne Sheri D.

Vivienne Sheri D.

MSC Brianna.

Atlantic Sun departing from Halifax.

Atlantic Willow heads north as Atlantic Sun (no relation) departs.

Oceanex Sanderling.

Reflection of Oceanex Sanderling 

Onego Bayou in the snow.

Atlantic Sky arriving in Halifax.

Atlantic Sky arriving.

NYK Virgo arriving at dawn.

NYK Virgo arriving at dawn.

The rest of these photos can be seen in my Ships gallery on Smugmug.

Halifax Waterfront at Night - Queens Marque

 I had the change to wander the waterfront around Queens Marque last night and take a few photos. It was a bit windy and I was using long exposures to smooth out the surface of the water. 

Looking south from the foot of the tide clock.

The tide clock tower at Queens Marque. The lights of Dartmouth reflect off the glass at wharf level and seem continuous as a result.

Looking down from the tide clock tower towards the Queens Marque complex itself.

The roofline of one wing of the Queens Marque complex reflecting in the glass of another.

I was playing with both colour and black & white processing of my images, and for this one at least, I couldn't decide on which I preferred. I like both for different reasons.

Long exposure of the water at the foot of the steps into the harbour.

The tide clock tower is surrounded by metal bars with transparent plastic strips attached that spin in the wind. Hard to see in a smaller image, but there is some ghosting where they spun during this exposure.

It was a bit chilly last night, but at least there weren't too many people getting in the way of my camera!

February and March issues of Warships IFR

All four issues of Warships IFR magazine with my story of going north with HMCS Margaret Brooke on Operation Nanook in August 2022 have now been released, in the UK at least. So far only the December and January issues have appeared on the shelf at Atlantic News.

This is the January 2023 issue on the shelf at Atlantic News about two weeks ago. 

 

The magazine to the right in the photo above, of Canadian Naval Review Volume 18 #3, is also quite interesting and includes an article about NORPLOY '74 - a deployment into the same waters Margaret Brooke sailed through in 1974 by HMC Ships Preserver, Assiniboine, and Saguenay. Though Preserver had some ice hardening present in her hull, the other two ships did not, and they had to proceed a little more gingerly than we did in 2022 - but otherwise several of the lessons from 1974 rang true in 2022. 

The February and March issues of Warships IFR should generally appear on Canadian shelves (well, the shelf at Atlantic News anyway) about one month after the issue hits the shelf in the UK. The mail from the UK is apparently slow these days.

The February 2023 issue of Warships IFR with Part 3 of my story.

The March issue of the magazine includes Part 4 of my story, and also features one of my photos on the cover - of three of the ships steaming in line astern behind HMCS Margaret Brooke.

The opportunity to spend three weeks in one of His Majesty's Canadian Ships, and the trip north itself, were in and of themselves the experience of a lifetime, but managing to take up so much real estate across four issues of the magazine was also pretty exciting. Hopefully I will manage to do something similar again one day, but I don't expect it to happen anytime soon!