Bluenose X launched today

The latest iteration of the schooner Bluenose took to the water today in Lunenburg. After a two year construction period, the essentially new vessel, is expected to resume the role of its illustrious predecessors as the icon of Nova Scotia.

If you have watched the construction on the web through the excellent web cams on site you will have noticed that this is a keel up new construction.

For political reasons (I guess) the boat is named Bluenose II, even though precious little of the previous Bluenose II remains. The spars from the previous BII will be re-stepped and some other equipment will be re-fitted into the new boat.

If I were to write the boat's name now I would call it Bluenose II (ii) since it is a new vessel. It could not be named Bluenose III since that name is already taken, the Province of Nova Scotia was in a quandry as to a name, so they took the only route open to them and re-used the name. However they muddied the waters from day one by insisting that it is a reconstruction. I have never seen or heard of a reconstruction that is so extensive, so why they could not admit that it is a new Bluenose II I will never understand. Perhaps that is why I will never be a politician.

In any event it is a beautiful boat, and well built, and it will be a credit to all.

Sea-Land Eagle has Landed

Maersk Line's Sea-Land Eagle arrived at noon time today. The 49.985 gross ton ship has a container capacity of 4062 TEU( 350 reefers), amd much larger than the usual Maersk ships we have been seeing.
This one was bilt in 1997 by IHI Shipyard in Kure, Japan for the American company Sea-Land Shipping, which was taken over by Maersk. Sea-Land used to call in Halifax when it was an independent line.
Interestingly this ship and several sisters did not change name since the Sea-Land name was so well established in the US. (They pioneered container shipping)
In 2009 the ship was transferred to US flag after various other registries including UK and Hong Kong. It is registered in Norfolk, VA, which is also Maersk's US headquarters.
The ship normally serves on Maersk Transatlantic service to the US.

Marine Coaster III - another litle car ferry

The diminutive car ferry Marine Coaster III arrived today and tied up at pier 28. Built in 1976 and measuring only 112 gross tons, it was originally the Lady White Head and ran between Grand Manan Island and White Head, NB in the Bay of Fundy. When its replacement was delivered last year, the ferry was sold to the Puddister Trading Co of St. John's and acquired its present name.
It is en route to Newfoundland, where the residents of Bell Island hope it will enter service to from Portugal Cove.
Why does it carry the number 'III" you may ask?

Puddister Trading Co is an old established ship operator in Newfoundland, and over the years have owned many small cargo and passenger ships, and this is the third Marine Coaster they have owned.

The first Marine Coaster began its life in 1902 in Paisley, Scotland as the Druid, built for the Canadian Minister of Marine. Its builders, Fleming and Ferguson, produced the 160 foot, 503 gross tons ship as a lighthouse supply vessel. Powered by a 60 nhp steam engine it worked out of the Quebec Agency of what eventually became the Department of Transport.It was sold in 1950 and converted to a diesel powered cargo ship and carried the names Steve Ahern, Ile Verte, Vega, Eva Marie and Eva until purchased by Puddister Trading Co in 1971 becoming the first Marine Coaster.

2. The Marine Coaster outboard of the Marine Trader in St.John's.

As a cargo ships it travelled far and wide including the Great Lakes several summer supply trips to Hudson Bay in 1956, 1962, 1963, 1968, [and perhaps other years also]. It delivered 90,000 lbs of cod to Hubbards, NS in 1966, and was often chartered to CN Marine for freight service around Newfoundland and up and down the Labrador coast. It also filled in as temporary ferry between St. Barbe and Blanc Sablon in 1976. In 1977 it was hired as a base ship to search for the wreck of the William Carson which sank in ice off Labrador.
In 1977 the ship had finally reached the end of its useful life and was laid up. In December 1986 it was towed out of St.John's and scuttled at sea. For more data see: http://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessel/view/001768

The second Marine Coaster was one of six search and rescue ships built for the Canadian Coast Guard in 1963.  Named Rally it was capable of 15 knots, powered by two 1200 bhp engines and measured 140 gross tons. Built by Davie Shipbuilding in Lauzon, QC in June 1963 it conducted trials from Chester, NS in July. Not long after entering service it suffered majort storm damage and had extensive repairs at Stenpro in Liverpool. It served the CCG until 1983 and figured in a good many rescues and towed countless fishing boats into various Nova Scotia ports.

It was taken up by the RCN in 1983 for reserve training and assigned pennant number 141. After nearly ten years of use it was sold to Puddister Trading in December 1993 but was not renamed until July 1995. It was modified to carry 40 passengers and light freight ferry to such ports as Rose Blanche, Las Poile and Grand Bruit until 2009 when it was retired from service. Although it has been for sale, it is need of major repairs and remains laid up.

Yorktown - a familiar look

1. Yorktown arriving at noon time.

The small US flag cruise ship Yorktown arrived today for bunkers. The ship has spent a good part of the summer on the Great Lakes and St.Lawrence River, visiting ports that would not otherwise see cruise ships.
Built in 1988, it measures 2,354 gross tons and is rated for 138 passengers.
Its original name was Yorktown Clipper, becoming Spirit of Yorktown in 2001 and taking its present name earlier this year.
If the ship looks familiar it is because of its smaller near sister that used to call in Halifax. Nantucket Clipper it was built in 1984 and was rated for 102 passengers. It was slightly smaller at 52.6m loa vs. 68.3m  for Yorktown, but otherwise of essentially the same design. It was renamed Spirit of Nantucket in 2006.
It struck a submerged barge in the Intracoastal Waterway in November 2007 and came close to sinking. It was repaired and sold for further use in Alaska and started the 2008 season there as Spirit of Glacier Bay, the name it still carries.

2. Nantucket Clipper in its original all white colour scheme in 1996.

3. In 2004 it sported a blue hull.

HMCS Iroquois and HMCS Athabaskan - back when

As orginally configured the four Tribals including HMCS Iroquis and HMCS Athabaskan had canted funnels, giving them a truly distinctive and even racier profile. Unfortunately it gave them a too distinctive radar and heat singnatures, and they received conventional funnels, similar to Halifax class during their TRUMP refits.
A recent posting on Boatnerd  (go to Information Search) had some photos of Athabaskan in refit at Seaway Marine & Industrial in St.Catharines (Port Weller). A huge tarped staging  had been built around her mast, but that has now been removed. It is still hoped that she will be completed in time to leave the Seaway before freeze up.

USS De Wert, back from the Lakes, to refuel

USS DeWert made a brief return visit to Halifax today, just long enough to refuel. The ship left Halifax July 23 [ see: http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2012/07/ville-de-quebec-leads-dewert-and.htmland ] and has toured the Great Lakes in company with Canadian ships to commemorate the War of 1812.

The Walter Gray - back again [and update]

The small deck ferry Joshua Slocum was built in Halifax in 1973 by Halifax Metal Workers for the Minister of Highways. It  entered service on the short run between East Ferry, and Tiverton, Digby, County. Fitted with twin steerable props - one at each end, it could carry 15 cars (or a combination of trucks, school buses and cars). At each end of the run it would shove its own ramp onto a shoreside ramp to load or unload. It was essentially double ended, meaning it did not have to turn in the very stiff tidal currents running through Petite Passage. It was expected to carry 54,000 vehicles per year.

1. Joshua Slocum approaching the landing ramp at East Ferry. Note the strong tide sweeping the ferry's wake.

2. Docked at Tiverton, again note the tide. The ferry maintains its position at the dock by keeping full power on its props.

It operated on that run until 2004 when it was replaced by the Petite Princess, built by Halifax Shipyard.
It was then purchased by Beaver Marine, and stopped off in Halifax en route to Point Tupper where it was laid up for a time. It was then sold for fish farming use, and renamed The Lost Joshua and later The Walter Gray.

3. In its new role it has been fitted with a knuckle boom crane, and one leg of its bridge support has been straightened.

4. One propulsion unit has been swung up out of the water. The engine house is on deck, with a direct connection to the drive unit.

It is now back in Halifax for the third time with another boat called Juggerknot, which is also a fishing vessel. but is presumably towing the former ferry. Juggerknot does not seem to be registered under that name.

Update:
The Walter Gray sailed on the evening of September 24 for Port aux Basques, under its own power.