November 11

November 11 is observed as Remembrance Day and most activity comes to a halt at least for a minute at 11:00 am, the hour of the Armistice that ended World War I. As might be expected there are numerous memorial sites around Halifax recognizing the contributions from various communities and the different armed services.

Nevertheless (shamefully) the day is not a statutory holiday in Nova Scotia, so many businesses remain open and industries such as construction and shipbuilding continue unabated. Some enlightened employers however do close their doors for the day and allow their employees to observe the day in their own ways.

At Halifax Shipyard it was a regular working day, with the newly launched AOPS2 (future Margaret Brooke pennant number 431) alongside at pier 6, after yesterday's float off (and yes Shipfax did not observe that operation).

Halterm welcomed Tropic Lissette for Tropical Shipping on the usual Monday schedule. The ship was off for one trip due to some mechanical issues, and may still have some deficiencies, but is at least back in service.

Cerescorp had two ships at Fairview Cove. CLI Pride is back again after several trips to Montreal and is now headed back to Rotterdam.

The much larger Budapest Bridge had the whole terminal to itself later in the day after CLI Pride sailed.

Even National Gypsum got in on the act today with CSL Tacoma sailing this morning for Savannah with less than a full load.

Siem Hanne was alongside at the southernmost end of pier pier 9B, and late in the day the Atlantic Condor arrived for pier 9C north.

One of the most attended Remembrance Day services is at the naval memorial at Point Pleasant Park. Seen from Purcell's Cove shortly after the end of the service, it was a particularly fine day to linger along the shore while poppies were placed at the base of the monument.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the service - and maybe not noticed by participants, was the aggregation of seals on rocks just off the point as the service progressed. From one seal at the start of the service, there were at least six by the time eleven o'clock had passed.

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Miscellaneous Basin Activity

Bedford Basin was the main centre of interest today for the Coast Guard, Navy and commercial vessels. Coincidentally several of the vessels had connections with the month of November.


The Container/ RoRo ship Atlantic Sky arrived at Cerescorp's Fairview Cove container terminal.

The fourth of five ships in the G4 series built in China for ACL, it made its first call in Halifax May 23, 2017, six months later than expected in November 2016. The first ships in the series have had a number of mechanical issues and the second ship, Atlantic Sail has been out of service since April when it was drydocked in Hamburg. It is now scheduled to sail from Liverpool November 17 and is due in Halifax November 25.

The Canadian Coast Guard's Arun class lifeboat Clarks Harbour made a trials run from the Bedford Institute to Bedford Basin.

The boat is likely completing its yearly refit before the start of the District 33, 34 lobster season, the last Monday of November. As the busiest SAR lifeboat, working from its home port on Cape Sable Island, it needs to be in good working order.

Last year however it broke down off Halifax November 10, 2018 when returning from refit in Cape Breton. It was towed into Sambro, and made it to Lunenburg before it needed more attention. The boat apparently had fuel system related problems. Clarks Harbour was built in 1996 and should be on the replacement list.

HMCS Shawinigan MM 704 made its way to Bedford Basin, tying up at the Bedford Magazine.

The fifth Kingston class coastal defence vessel, it was launched at Halifax Shipyard November 15, 1996.

The ship was named for the hometown of then Prime Minister Jean Chretien and was the second ship of the name in the RCN. The first, HMCS Shawinigan K-136, a Flower class corvette built in 1940 by Davie Shipbuilding + Repair, Lauzon, QC, was torpedored and sunk by by U-1228 in Cabot Strait November 25, 1944 with the loss of all 85 hands.

Not quite in Bedford Basin (yet) work is ongoing to launch the second Arctic Offshore Patrol vessel, AOPS2 Margaret Brooke.  Halifax Shipyard has once again marshaled the multi-wheel dollies that will transfer the ship to the launching barge Boa Barge 37. The barge was repositioned yesterday to bow north, aligning it for loading the ship. It may be floated off by the end of the month.

Also on hand is an aluminum landing craft, built by Abco in Lunenburg for AOPS1 Harry Dewolf. One of these craft will be assigned to each of the AOP ships.

Still in Bedford Basin Ocean Force continues to swing at anchor. The container RoRo (and sometime semi-submersible) has been idle in the Basin since completing its assignment with TMSI last month.

That service to St-Pierre et Miquelon and Argentia, NL, has encountered another glitch as its ship Nolhanava may be subject to detention / arrest due to an unsatisfied  claim by a supplier according to court filings.

Meanwhile  those who have been missing the familiar sight of the Defence Research and Development barge in Birch Cove were encouraged by the presence of tugs and a dive tender at the location last week. Perhaps they were making preparations for the return of the barge which has been tucked away in HMC Dockyard undergoing some refit for many months. Its place has been taken by a flat deck barge - much less interesting than the house like structure we have grown accustomed to.

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