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Once Navy - Always Navy

The Official Opening of St Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes Tour & Our Escorts

19th June, - August 2nd 1959

Official Seaway Opening June 26^th, 1959

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For more detailed information on ships, click on their name below their photographs

After our annual inspection by S.N.O.W.I [Senior Naval Officer West Indies] on June 12^th, preparations were already underway for our escort duties through the St Lawrence Seaway. The ship had received instructions for additional equipment to be fitted to bollards and fairleads in addition to comprehensive other regulations that we had to adhere to.

Special & Comprehensive guidelines see:
(http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/pdf/handbook.pdf)

History see:
http://www.abouthegreatlakes.com/index.htm

We were relieved by our sister ship HMS Troubridge on August 14^th, 1959 and sailed following day for passage to Canada.	HMS Troubridge F09
HMY Britannia	Our first port of call was Sept-Îles (Seven Islands) Quebec, on June 19^th, where the ship anchored off awaiting HMY Britannia. A Royal guard from Her Majesties Canadian Navy were embarked on HMCS Cape Scott 101 (Escort Maintenance Ship) for passage to Newfoundland to welcome HM Queen to Canada, who arrived via BOAC at Gander Airport. On June 20^th, we dressed ship for arrival of Royal Yacht.
Later that day HM Queen embarked on Royal Yacht – Royal salute by HMCS St Croix 256 On completion, weighed anchor and proceeded up Saguenay River to Gaspe Bay, arriving and anchoring on 21st June, later that day we weighed anchor and proceeded to Port Alfred, accompanied by HMCS Restigouche and HMCS St. Croix 256,arriving and anchoring following afternoon. Short stay, weighed with HMY Britannia and proceeded with escorts	HMCS Cape Scott 101
HMCS Restigouche 257	HMCS Restigouche 257 and HMCS St. Croix 256 to Wolfe Cove. Following day, anchored off Wolfe Cove, for two hours before berthing alongside at Wolf Cove Oil Terminal. Nighthawk duty as we slipped and proceeded at 0215 in company with HMCS Kootenay 258 anchoring at 0930 off Three Rivers. Weighed two hours later and in company with HMCS Gatineau 236 & HMCS Kootenay 258 proceeded to Montreal, securing alongside Laurier Pier, opposite berth to Royal Yacht. Ships company’s enjoyed a two day visit to Montreal.
As HMY Britannia and her close escorts approached Montreal, Royal Salute was fired by HMCS Fort Erie	HMCS Fort Erie
HMCS Kootenay 258	On 26^th June, we slipped and proceeded downstream and anchored for 1½ hours weighed and proceeded to berth St Lambert Canal for Ceremonial Opening of the St Lawrence Seaway. HM Queen & President Eishenhower board HMY Yacht Britannia. US escorts USS Forest Sherman DD-931 and USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. DD-850, join and berth alongside St Lambert Canal.
Brief three hour stop, before proceeding into St Lambert Lift Lock [First on new Seaway], securing approximately one hour later. During next three days we transited new Seaway, passing through St Catherine's Lock, Lake Saint Louis, Lower Beauharnois Lock, St Francis lock, Lake St Francis, Snell Lock and Iroquois Lock. Continued up river and anchored off Brockville Ontario. Following morning weighed and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario anchoring on arrival. Royal Party landed to visit RMC.	USS Forest Sherman DD-931
USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. DD-850	[Royal Military College] (HMCS Inch Arran was moored at the old coal docks in Kingston, being readied for disposal. (But see HERE) The story is that the Queen was going across the causeway to RMC and would see the rusty old ship so the ship was painted on the side visible from her route – shades of the cocktail party sagas? O/C sailed and secured alongside in Toronto.
After an almost to brief a visit to Toronto, slip and proceeded to the Welland Canal for transit up to Lake Erie. This segment of the trip took us through eight locks until we finally secured alongside Walkers Whisky Distillery. They had laid on some sort of outdoor party, as I seem to recall we should have arrived much earlier, but as we were well behind schedule arriving at 1945, everyone	HMCS Gatineau 236
HMCS Inch Arran	had gone home the evening before. The following morning, we slipped once again and proceeded up Lake St. Clair on passage to Sarnia Ontario for refuelling. On completion we sailed up channel to Lake Huron, anchoring off Penetanguisihene, brief respite before weighing 3½ and proceeding to Parry Sound, anchoring in Chicago harbour. Another middle of night move, weighing at 0015 and proceeding to Port arthur, via Detour Passage and St Mary’s River which took us approximately 24 hours.

One more lock, which would take us to the level of Lake Superior. Situated at Sault Ste. Marie, this town lies both in Canada and the State of Michigan in the USA. This was the called No. 4 lock [not sure why, as only saw one lock!]. After safely transiting the lock and into Lake Superior, lower deck was cleared to “Man & Cheer” ship for HM Queen & Duke of Edinburgh, as after arrival at Lake head, the Royals would be proceeding overland for the rest of their Royal Tour. The weather was quite rough with a heavy sea [lake?] running, however the Queen & Duke were well wrapped up, whilst we were in our tropical white No.6’s. [Although inland, the Lakes can become quite hazardous to shipping and ships have foundered and been lost with all hands in murderous weather conditions] Initially we anchored in Port Arthur Harbour, this was for a period of seven hours, before weighing and proceeding to a berth alongside CPR [Canadian Pacific Railway] Wharf Fort William. Today the two towns are twinned and known as Thunder bay.

After a memorable four day visit, it was time to wend our way back down through the Great Lakes and various locks to take us back down to sea level. Our Captain, Commander Cameron Rusby, had sent a signal to MOD [N] claiming the world altitude record for a British Warship as we were actually 600 feet above sea level. Here we left our escorts behind and proceeded independently to the coast.

It was not exactly smooth sailing. On the contrary, after slipping from our berth and proceeding to leave the Kaministikwia River and back into Lake Superior, we had to anchor as we had fouled a screw with three fathoms of manila rope. Our ships Standard Diver had to suit up and be lowered down to clear the screw. I believe he said the water temperature has something to do with Brass Monkeys!

Problem solved and diver inboard, we weighed and proceeded to Sault Ste. Marie Lock for transit down to level of Lake Huron. We had a brief two day rest stop and anchored off of Alpena in Michigan, watch leave was granted but only until midnight, as there were no facilities ashore after that time. Sailing two days later, very early in the morning, we proceeded to the fuelling jetty in Sarnia. After topping up tanks, we shifted berth 300 feet and prepared for sailing the following morning, this leg of our journey would take us down stream on the St Clair river to Randolph Street Jetty Detroit in Michigan, home of the Ford Motor Car. Another four day visit, with trips arranged to Henry Ford’s car factory and many other invitations from local people both from the US and Canadian side of the river, Windsor only being a short bus ride via a tunnel under the river.

Official visits and Royal Duties completed, we proceeded down through the eight locks of the Welland Canal [which took two days] into Lake Ontario, across Lake Ontario, to St Lawrence Seaway, transiting Iroquois Lock, and then anchoring for the night. The following morning, weighed and proceeded to transit Eisenhower, Upper Beauhamois & Lower Beauhamois Locks and into Lake St Louis. Once again anchoring for the night, until 0500 when we weighed and proceeded to transit St Catherine's & St Lambert Lock, on completion securing alongside Section 22 Berth in Montreal.

Only a one day stop, slipping following day and proceeding to Halifax Nova Scotia via one night at anchor in Murray bay, two days anchored at Shediac, weighing at 0300, then proceeding to anchorage at Charlotte Town for a few hours at anchor, on completion weighed and proceeded for overnight passage to Halifax. Alongside at Halifax Navy Yard No. 3 Jetty after a 17 hours passage.

Three days later HM Ships Scarborough, Tenby & Salisbury entered Harbour. Four days after their arrival, slipped and proceeded back to our base in Bermuda.