Canadian Coast Guard Part 3 - lesser lights

The Dartmouth base was a huge operation in 1984, with many ships calling it home, with the Charlottetown and Saint John ships occasional visitors. Not only that but fisheries protection had a separate fleet based in Halifax and the hydrographic and oceanographic services ran independently, based at Bedford Institute of Oceanography.

Among the other vessels based in Dartmouth, not mentioned before were:

PROVO WALLIS

CCGS Provo Wallis has been mentioned in these pages numerous times, especially as to its farcical sales process, which was finally completed in 2013. Built in 1969 by Marine Industries Ltd in Sorel, it was an ice strengthened buoy tender. Originally based in Saint John, when that base was reduced it came to Halifax.
In 1990 it was lengthened about 20 ft to 209 feet by Marystown Shipyard. It was laid up in 2003 but refitted in 2006 and transferred to the west coast. Refitted again in 2009 it was retired in 2011, renamed 2011-02.
In January 2012 a sale for $406,000 fell through, and over the next eleven months the price kept going down until it bottomed out at $75,000, and was sold on the bid of a Campbell River buyer.


NARWHAL

CCGS Narwhal was a unique ship in the Coast Guard fleet. Built by Canadian Vickers in Montreal in 1963 it was classed as a depot ship, which would accompany the annual northern supply missions. It housed stevedores and carried gear to assist in unloading cargo at remote ports. When not deployed to the north it was a navigation aids vessel.
When northern supply was privatized, Narwhal went to buoy tending full time, and was transferred to the west coast. It returned east in 1982 and was based at Dartmouth.
In 1984 it went to Halifax Shipyard for a mid-life refit, including re-engining, and the addition of a helicopter platform.

In the midst of its mid-life refit, Narwhal was a sorry sight. Halifax Shipyard's Slipway II moves the dead ship from the Graving Dock.

Unfortunately Halifax Shipyard went into receivership and the new owners in March 1986 announced that the ship would be a year late completing.  It was intended for the west coast again, but did not leave Halifax until November 4, 1991.
Five years short of its expected lifespan, it was retired in 1999 and renamed 1999-03.
In 2001 new owners, High Seas Adventurers (Tradepower International) of West Palm Beach FL, renamed the ship Bart Roberts (after the notorious pirate Black Bart) and refitted it to a specialty charter ship in the Caribbean. There was considerable hoopla about the project: http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/megayachts/biggest-baddest
Classed as a yacht, it was deleted from commercial vessel registers in 2005, but has been spotted from time to time:
http://dieselduck.blogspot.ca/2013/07/west-coast-pirate-spotted-in-dubai.html#.VGASrGeEySo

SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT
Based in Newfoundland the small icebreaker CCGS Sir Humphrey Gilbert, was built in 1959 by Davie Shipbuilding in Lauzon, QC. It was a diesel electric version of the steamers Montcalm and Wolfe. It was also built with a helicopter platform and had a hangar added in a later refit.
It came to Halifax in 1984 for a mid-life refit that would radically transform the ship.
The ship received a new bow, had its bridge wings enclosed and received a new derrick mounted forward,

In the graving dock Sir Humphrey Gilbert has lost its bow, and its bridge plated in. The typical derrick control cabin below the bridge has also been removed.

The old bow was barged to Dartmouth where it was cut up for scrap.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert's new bow increased the ship's length by 18 feet. 

The ship returned to Newfoundland and lasted until 2001 when it was retired and renamed 2001-06. It sold the next year becoming Gilbert I, but was resold and renamed Polar Prince. As Canada's only privately owned icebreaker for commercial hire, it has been based in Lunenburg for the last year, and has now returned to that port after summer work in the north.

DARING

Dating from its launch October 22, 1957, the ship was built for the RCMP as the only example of its type, the Commissioner class patrol cutter RCMP Wood (MP17). Built by Davie Shipbuilding + Repair in Lauzon, QC, it arrived in Halifax for the first time July 28, 1958. It was intended for service in the north in summer and for police patrol in on the Atlantic coast in winter.
It arrived in Montreal April 24, 1967 as marine security command for Expo 67. It had seven small craft based with it.
In 1970 it was sent to Stenpro in Liverpool, NS to be refitted for Search + Rescue duty. On completion, and transfer to the Coast Guard it was renamed Daring and based at Sydney seasonally. 

Although the white diagonal slash was added to CCG ships in 1975, Daring escaped it until a repainted in May 1976. Note the beautiful launch in davits aft. It was later replaced with a more robust craft.

Daring arriving in Halifax January 1982 with the tanker Arhon in the background. It had been towed in by Irving Birch and Irving Maple after two weeks adrift off Sable Island in severe weather. Daring stood by in appalling conditions. The tanker was eventually towed to Spain by Irving Miami.

Daring was retired in 1985 when its replacement Mary Hichens was delivered. Mercifully Daring never received the garish yellow SAR paint scheme. (That colour scheme was dropped when the CCG was transferred from the Minster of Transport to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 1995).
Sold to Quebec interests, it was ironically seized in Belize for smuggling drugs in 1986. It was classed as a yacht at that time, and was likely abandoned or scrapped.

And last but certainly not least:

SIR WILLIAM ALEXANDER

One of the finest ships ever built by Halifax Shipyards, it was launched December 13, 1959 and served with distinction until July of 1989. Its service was memorable enough that its replacement received the same name- as much in recognition of the man who had Nova Scotia as an idea, as for the ship itself. The ship was built to the proven pattern established by the Edward Cornwallis (i) as a light icebreaker buoy tender.

 The prototype steamer Edward Cornwallis and the evolved, diesel version Sir William Alexander

Longer and narrower, but to perform the same basic work, Sir William Alexander was the epitome of the Canadian Coast Guard light icebreaker and buoy tender. The winch control room below the bridge and derrick mounted to to the superstructure was dropped in subsequent ships.

Powered by four Fairbaks Morse engines of 1333 bhp each, driving two electric motor it delivered 4250 shp to two controllable pitch props.

Built with a helicopter deck, the telescoping hangar was added later. In 1970 it was host to a Bell 206 A/B the standard CCG 'copter of the day.

The ship's most famous exploit was in rescuing the crew of the tanker Kurdistan in ice in the Cabot Strait in March 1979 when the tanker broke in two. Sir William Alexander assisted in escorting the ship to the Strait of Canso where it was pumped out and patched up for towing to a repair yard.

 

Sir William Alexander tied up at the eastern approach wall to the Canso Canal, standing by salvage operations. The DPW boat Maces Bay is ferrying people out to the Kurdistan, which is anchored beneath Cape Porcupine with a McAllister salvage barge alongside.

Renamed William in 1987 she was kept in service until July 1989 due to delivery problems with her namesake replacement.

In April 1987 William had the rare responsibility of lifting navigation aids in Halifax harbour when flow ice from the Gulf of St.Lawrence blew in. It had to navigate in heavy ice, but was not required to break the ice, since it had already broken up on its way south. Note her bridge had been plated in during a previous refit.

 
When finally laid up she became H-22, in February 1990. After sale to Bahamian owners she languished in Halifax until 1992, then moved to Pointe-de-Chêne, NB for another year. Finally she became the Belize flag Pilar del Caribe. When drugs were found aboard in Kingston, Jamaica in 1995 authorities seized the ship. Before it could be sold for scrap it parted its lines and blew ashore. Beyond salvage it was left on the beach at Bull Bay where it became local landmark.

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Provo Waliis - finally sold

The long drawn out process of selling the former CCGS Provo Wallis has finally been completed - after five tries!
Ownership was transferred earlier this month to Jason Beaulieu of Campbell River, BC. He is a co-manager, with his brother, of Pacific Cachalot Ltd, a company founded by his father Art. They own and operate a variety of watercraft including tugs, barges, and a river boat. Jason is also a noted stock car racer.
See: http://pacificcachalot.com/
Provo Wallis was removed from service in January 2011 and renamed 2011-02. The sale process, managed by Crown Assets Distribution started with an initial call for bids late in 2011. A sale on January 4, 2012 for $406,000 fell through, as did a subsequent sale for $425,000 in February 2012. The ship was re-offered in April for a price of $350,000, and in June for $300,000, which attracted no qualified buyers, Finally in October  it was offered for a minimum $65,000 bid and a sale was announced as "in progress" on October 25 for $75,000.
Reading the fine print on CAD's website it transpires that the buyer must re-register the ship in his own name, a process which takes "approximately" 40 days.That period has elapsed, ownership has been transferred, and it is up to the new owner to remove the ship from its berth in Sidney, BC.
This once serviceable ship, which has been mouldering for two years, with certificates expired, may still have a future, but only time will tell.
A charity, associated with Youth With a Mission was also trying to raise the funds to acquire the ship for medical missionary work, but their web site has not been updated since November. http://www.projectkilo.com/

Provo Wallis - here we go again

1. CCGS Provo Wallis returns to Halifax with a deck load of buoys.

For the third time this year the vessel 2011-02 ex CCGS Provo Wallis is for sale. The 1969 built buoy tender was put up for bids late last year and in January a bid of $406,000 was received, but fell through. In February another bid of $425,000 was accepted but it now has also fallen through. Yesterday the ship was put up for bids again, with a closing date of April 20, and a minimum bid of $350,000 is required.

I received a fair amount of flack for my comments (and rant) the last time around, so I won't add much now, except that it's too bad that a good ship is allowed to deteriorate until becomes an expensive liability.

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Provo Wallis homage

1. CCGS Provo Wallis alongside the Dartmouth Coast Guard base in 1976. Even at that early date the lower bridge windows were covered from inside.

2. Anchored in the Northwest Arm of Halifax harbour setting out summer buoys. The crew are using the landing craft/workboat to get to some really shallow spots. The boat is worked from a big gantry davit.

3. Post refit, the ship shows its form on the cradle at Dartmouth Marine Slips. The icebreaking bow is normally not visible. The draft is also relatively modest.

4. An early morning run up the Narrows in Halifax. Note the workboat has new davits, the hull is 20 ft longer and the derrick system is new. Also the lower bridge windoes are gone. They added rub rails for the work boat post-refit.

4. Healing over at the Coast Guard base, Provo Wallis loads a freshly painted summer buoy.

5. Part of the refit work included installing a fast rescue boat on the starboard side.

The government of Canada, through its Crown Assets Distribution agency has just listed for the sale the former CCGS Provo Wallis.

Built in 1969 by Marine Industries Ltd, in Tracy, QC, (Hull No.387) it was a navigation aids tender with light icebreaking capability. At 189-5" long and 1313 gross tons, and relatively shallow draft of 12'-6", it was able to service small ports, bays and rivers in Atlantic Canada, and was based in Halifax.

Provo Wallis was a fine vessel, and in 1990 it was dispatched to Marystown, NF where it was lengthened by about 20ft. At the same time it received a new derrick system, rated at 20 tonnes and other modernisations. One feature that it lost in the refit, was most of the low level bridge windows. This second tier of windows at deck level of the wheelhouse had been covered from within, almost from the time the ship was new, but now they were plated over. Only the windows at the extreme outer edges of the bridge remained.

The ship was now classed as a Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessel. It would respond to Search & Rescue calls, conduct patrols, protect the environment and whatever other tasks could be fitted in.

The ship went into cold layup at the Dartmouth Coast Guard base in May 2003, but was taken out of mothballs in March 2006 and sent to St.John's for a refit. On its return in May it left for the west coast where it was to replace sister ship cover for CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier while it was in a major refit. At the time it was said that Provo Wallis would be coming back to the east coast when the Laurier returned to service.

Sister ship Bartlett (MIL Hull No. 388) had been based in St.John's and Parry Sound, ON but had been on the west coast for several years, and was retired in 2006 at about the time the Wallis got to Pat Bay, Altough its propulsion controls were upgraded by Halifax Shipyards in 1988, it had not been lengthened and still had its original derrick system.

It came as a surprise to me when Bartlett was chosen for a life extension refit at Allied Shipbuilders in Vancouver. Starting in July 2009 and ending in September 2010, the $21.9mn project was intended to extend the ship's life for 10 years. Both ships still have their original twin Mirrlees-Blackstone 6 cyl engines, producing 2,100 bhp total and driving twin screws, giving 11 knots.

When Bartlett returned to service Provo Wallis was decommissioned and renamed 2011-02 and is up for sale. The reserve price is $400,000.

Details of the ship and its equipment can be found at: http://www.crownassets.pwgsc.gc.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=83112&lcn=227175&lct=L&srchtype=&lci=&str=1&ltnf=1&frmsr=1&sf=ferm-clos

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