CSS Acadia returns from refit in Shelburne

The retired Canadian Hydrographic Vessel CSS Acadia, also ex-HMCS ACADIA in two World Wars, returned to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic today after a refit and inspection in Shelburne. She left Halifax in August. 

Acadia was towed from Shelburne to Halifax by the tug Atlantic Elm, and was then handed off to the harbour tug Atlantic Fir.

Atlantic Fir was rafted alongside Acadia and brought her up the harbour backwards.

Acadia looked very sharp with her new paint job.

Atlantic Elm escorted the two ships up the harbour after handing over the tow to Atlantic Fir.

Close-up of Acadia's newly painted rudder.

Farewell to Athabaskan

After paying off during the winter of 2017, the former HMCS ATHABASKAN has been alongside in HMC Dockyard having various equipment removed and being prepared for breaking up. I covered her final week in commission and her paying off ceremony here.

With all the preparations complete, Athabaskan was schedule to leave first at 1000 on Wednesday March 28, which was then delayed until 1700 that day, but she instead finally left Halifax on March 29 under tow for Sydney, NS, where she will be broken up. The later timing worked much better for me, as I would otherwise have missed it. 

I rode the Halifax-Dartmouth ferry back and forth from 0800 until 0915 or so to get these images, and was fortunate that the ferry was able to pass ahead of the tow on her final Dartmouth-bound crossing - which is exactly what I was hoping for! 

Atlantic Larch was alongside the jetty hooking up the towline when I arrived at the ferry, and she was shortly joined by the Navy tugs Glenside and Listerville to help ease Athabaskan out into the stream.

Athabaskan shortly after the tow began, with Atlantic Larch in the lead and Glenside still with a line to the quarterdeck. A backup towline is rigged at deck level along the starboard side - to be used if the primary tow line breaks during the tow.

Other ships have been towed via a bridle connected to the two anchor chains, however, Athabaskan only has the one anchor chain on her starboard side, so the tug is connected to a line threaded through the bullnose. Another line hangs from the starboard bow, possible one of her mooring lines improperly stowed.

This is the specific shot I was hoping for - a portrait image of Athabaskan and her tugs.

My final sight of Athabaskan - the obligatory shot of her with the George's Island lighthouse in the foreground.

When she was paid off, Athabaskan was the only destroyer in commission with the Royal Canadian Navy, and it is unclear whether the RCN will ever have another - it is quite possible that the proposed Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC), the class of 15 ships slated to replace the IROQUOIS and HALIFAX classes, will be classified as frigates. Regardless of whether new ships are classified as frigates or destroyers, the IROQUOIS class, and Athabaskan as the final representative of that class, was probably the last destroyer (for a while at least) entirely designed and built in Canada, as the RCN is currently looking at foreign designs for CSC.

Farewell, Athabaskan!

HMCS SACKVILLE returns to HMC Dockyard 2016

All good things must come to an end, and so it was that SACKVILLE ended her season on the Halifax waterfront and returned to HMC Dockyard on Monday October 24. I was able to ride along, so I took a few photos.

SACKVILLE's reflection before we left her summer berth.

Pulling out into the stream.

View from the gun shield.

Navy pilot and CO Jim Reddy on the bridge.

Merrickville crew member.

Tug crew.

Navy pilot and CO Jim Reddy on the bridge.

The Navy pilot on the bridge.

Tying up in the Dockyard.,

Framed by SACKVILLE's whaler, Ex-HMCS IROQUOIS laid up awaiting disposal. She will soon be towed to Liverpool, NS, for breaking up.

Ex-HMCS PROTECTEUR arrival in Liverpool

As I was unable to make it to Liverpool myself for PROTECTEUR's arrival on April 22nd at the former Bowater Mersey Paper Company wharf, I sent my Dad on assignment. He returned with the following photos:

Taken from the hill above Moose Harbour, Atlantic Towing tugs Larch and Hemlock bring PROTECTEUR into the harbour. © George McClearn.

 © George McClearn.

Taken from the end of Waterloo Street. © George McClearn. 

Turning the ship prior to heading into the wharf. © George McClearn.

Turning the ship prior to heading into the wharf. © George McClearn.

Tugs back PROTECTEUR into the wharf. © George McClearn.

PROTECTEUR will be broken up in Liverpool by R. J. MacIsaac Construction. 

Return of HMC Ships HALIFAX and ATHABASKAN.

The first RCN ship I saw this morning (November 20) was HMCS KINGSTON, which I assume has just returned from a refit elsewhere, based on the way the towing gear was rigged and the emergency tow line running down the port side with the float trailing aft.

HMCS KINGSTON and CFAV Glenbrook.

HMC Ships HALIFAX and ATHABASKAN, and ATHABASKAN's two embarked (I assume) Sea Kings, also returned to Halifax this grey and blustery morning. Both ships, along with other RCN assets (a submarine and minesweepers), departed around September 8 to participate in the NATO Joint Warrior (UK waters) and Trident Juncture (off the coast of Spain and Portugal) exercises. Excited family members were waiting at HMC Dockyard for their homecoming. One person I spoke with on the waterfront was waiting for a sailor on HALIFAX who had previously deployed on FREDERICTON, and had spent most of the past year at sea away from home. 

The two ships represent two RCN extremes: although 20+ years old, HALIFAX is newly refitted with the latest in sensors and weapons, while ATHABASKAN is 40+ years old and principally filling the role of a training platform at the moment. The RCAF Sea Kings are older than both.

HALIFAX was already on her way in when I got my first photos, with the small general cargo ship Dinkeldiep in the foreground.

An RCAF CH-124 Sea King also soon appeared.

CH-124 Sea King, airframe #429

I'm pretty sure the crew hanging out the door waved, but my hands were full with the camera and I didn't manage to return the wave. ATHABASKAN carried two Sea Kings, which is somewhat unusual these days, as the second hangar is often used as a gym. 

CH-124 Sea King, airframe #419

CH-124 Sea King, airframe #429

CH-124 Sea King, airframe #429

#429 did two full circuits of the lower harbour, while #419 did one, before returning to Shearwater.

HALIFAX rounding George's Island.

Sea King #419 flies past HALIFAX.

A ferry passes HALIFAX.

The wind was fairly blustery, and blowing up the harbour, as illustrated by the spray being kicked up by the ferry. HALIFAX maintained this station for some time until two tugs came out to greet her. 

ATHABASKAN passing the light on McNab's Island.

When I first checked the Marine Traffic website this morning, HALIFAX was in the lead doing 15 knots with ATHABASKAN some way behind. By the time I arrived on the Halifax waterfront, ATHABASKAN was doing 20 knots, which increased to 25 knots for a while, before slowing back to 15 knots or so when the above photo was taken. Her exhaust plume was visible over the horizon before she was.

ATHABASKAN.

ATHABASKAN passing the light on George's Island.

The old warrior showing her age.

As mentioned in previous posts, ATHABASKAN is the last of her class in service (and to be serviceable at all, for that matter), and presumably doesn't have that much time left. It will be interesting to see if she remains in commission long enough to see the return of the last of the frigates from their FELEX refits, or if she will pay off before then. 

All the while I was waiting between HALIFAX's arrival and ATHABASKAN's appearance, a large contingent of sailors ran and walked past me on the boardwalk, for what I later discovered was a Navy 5k run along the waterfront. It seemed like the entirety of the east coast fleet personnel were running past.

Note: Updated on 29 November 2015. 

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.