HMCS Harry DeWolf - Part 1

The second big event of the week was the arrival of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf.  The Harry DeWolf is the first of six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPSs) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).  As the class name suggests, the ships are for patrolling and asserting Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic. 

The second ship, Margaret Brooke, is currently undergoing sea trials, and the third ship, Max Bernays, has been launched, but is being fitted out with equipment.  The fourth & fifth ships, William Hall & Frederick Rolette, are under construction, while construction on the sixth ship, Robert Hampton Gray, has yet to begin.  The ships are modeled on the Norwegian NoCGV Svalbard, a coast guard icebreaker.  Speaking of the coast guard, I think the Canadian Coast Guard will also receive two ships based on the same design. 

There are six regions of Inuit Nunangat: Qikiqtani, Kitikmeot, Kivalliq, Inuvialuit, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut.  Each region will have a designated AOPS.  The Harry DeWolf is assigned to the Qikiqtani region where Arctic Bay is located.  The Qikiqtani region is quite large, with 13 communities, but I’m still betting the vessel will be able to visit all of them during the brief summer months when the waterways are open to shipping.   

The vessel is named after Vice Admiral Harry DeWolf, a Canadian naval officer, who commanded HMCS Haida during the Second World War.  Under his command, Haida sank 14 enemy ships in over a year, earning the ship the nickname, “the Fightingest Ship in the Canadian Navy.” 

The ship began its inaugural deployment on August 3.  It will participate in Operation Nanook and then sail the entire Northwest Passage.  Its journey will continue through the Bering Strait, all the way down to the Panama Canal.  The ship will use the canal to enter the Atlantic Ocean and then sail north, returning to Halifax before the end of the year.  The last time a Canadian naval vessel circumnavigated North America was HMCS Labrador in 1954.  The Canadian government is showing off its new “toy” to the world. 

HMCS Harry DeWolf arrived on August 24 at around 5:30pm.  I happened to be walking home from school when I saw the vessel peeking around the corner of Uluksan Point.  I walked down to the breakwater pier to get some long-distance photographs.  Two military soldiers were already there, waiting for the arrival of a Multi-Role Rescue Boat (MRRB).  The soldiers arrived ahead of time to coordinate the ship’s arrival.  I introduced myself as the commanding officer of the local army cadet corps and asked if they knew about the tour that had been organized between myself & the ship’s captain?  They said they did and instructed me to have my cadets assembled at the breakwater pier on the morning of August 26.  (More on that coming up). 

The MRRB appeared from behind the Harry DeWolf and began driving towards the shoreline.  Two Inuit boys helped signal the boat with their hands to come ashore on the other side of the breakwater pier.  The driver saw the signals and complied.  There were four sailors on the MRRB.  A small crowd of people and a stray dog assembled on the shoreline to greet the sailors.  One of them jumped into the water and waded ashore to see the depth of the water.  I think he was determining the best place for the boat to pick up people and bring them to the ship on the 26^th.  The cadets won’t be the only people touring the new ship.  The Harry DeWolf continued sailing into the bay and anchored itself in the centre.

Seven crewmembers visited Inuujaq School on August 25.  They came bearing gifts of backpacks filled with school supplies for the Grade 4 class.  I wasn’t present in the classroom, but my camera was borrowed for a group photograph.  The students appreciated the gifts.

I took more pictures of the AOPS in the bay after school.  The ship looks impressive from a distance.

August 25 also happened to be the first day of cadets.  I used the opportunity to brief the chosen cadets on what to expect the following morning regarding the tour of the AOPS.  The cadets would be allowed to wear civilian clothing while I would wear my CADPAT combat uniform.  We all had to comply with the rules of the ship and not get separated from the group.  I also stressed that no one be late because we would be the first group on the visitors’ list.

I woke up on the morning of August 26^th, excited to be visiting the RCN’s latest & newest vessel.  I put on my CADPAT combats and made sure my camera was packed.  I went to school first to drop off my backpack, and remind the main office where I would be all morning.  I would be back in the afternoon but would have to teach in my military uniform because I doubted there would be time to go home & change.

There was already a small crowd at the breakwater pier.  I met the officer-in-charge and formed up the cadets.  The most senior cadet took roll call.  A loading craft, different from the MRRB, arrived from the Harry DeWolf and lowered its ramp on the rocks of the breakwater pier.  Unfortunately, it couldn’t get close enough to shore.  We were given life jackets and then boarded the craft.  The ramp was raised and the boat slowly backed out.  We were on our way.

The ship slowly grew in size the closer we got.  This new class of ships is larger than a minesweeper, but smaller than a frigate.  We circled around and stopped next to a raised staircase.  The staircase was lowered once the loading craft was secured to the ship with ropes.  We ascended the stairs and removed our life jackets.  A senior officer introduced himself to me and led the cadets & I up to the flight deck.  The tour began.

                                                                    To Be Continued . . . 

New Playground & Swings

The week of August 22 – 28, 2021, was very busy.  Aside from the usual routines of preparing lessons & teaching, three large noteworthy events occurred.  Each event will receive its own post to prevent confusion.  (Two of them happened at the same time, spanning five days).  I will start with the installation of the new playground and swings at Inuujaq School.

I think the last time the school’s recess area received new playground equipment was in 2015.  They were a track ride, a slide, and two seesaws.  Before that, it was a swing set that only had 2 swings.  Six years later, it was time for an upgrade.

The out-of-town contractors and local workers began work on Sunday, August 22.  A loader was brought in to tear down the track ride, slide, swings, a small horse spring rider, and a wooden playground that sat in front of the school.  I was surprised to see all of them gone; I thought they would be repaired.  The head contractor explained the new swing set would replace the wooden playground and the brand-new playground would be built just to left of the main entrance.  And as for the other stuff?  He just had orders to bulldoze and dispose them. 

The head contractor showed the principal & I a printed photo of the new playground they were building.  It looked big and better than what the kids had been playing on for years.  He assured the principal that there would still be space for emergency vehicles.  I gave him a copy of the school’s schedule so that he could stop work when kids went outside for recess, lunch, and home.

Work on the playground & swings began on Monday, August 23.  Students were instructed to stay away from the construction area and not bother the workers.  The contractors brought a small sea can on site to store their tools.  Sand was dumped by a loader, and a bulldozer spread & flattened the sand.  The sand raised the ground level in front of the school by a foot or two.

The secret to keeping a playground & swing set level and together are the metal frames that lie on the ground.  The workers build this first and then install the components the children will use onto it.  Once completed, the frames are buried under sand to prevent damage and kids getting hurt.  It’s a good way to avoid dealing with permafrost.

Children stood and watched from a distance as the playground & swings took shape.  You could tell they were really excited and eager to try them once they were completed.  I wonder if any teachers & parents felt the same way? 

The original plan was to have both structures completed by Friday, August 27.  However, the contractors and local workers managed to finish construction in the afternoon of August 26.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t present when the head contractor gave the children permission to test out the playground and swings, but I was told both structures were immediately swarmed.  He said he never saw kids rush into a new playground so fast in his life. 

I photographed and filmed the kids playing for several minutes.  I would post a few pictures and a compilation video on the school’s Facebook page.  A young student came up to the head contractor and thanked him for installing the playground and swings.  I was glad whoever put in the order, purchased a larger swing set.  This one has 4 swings, meaning less lines.  I’m guessing there will be non-stop playing for the next three months.

The new playground and swings are the hottest attractions in town for kids. 

First Days Of School & Visit To Nanisivik

Arctic Bay. August 19, 2021.

I have written about the difficulties of travelling in the Canadian territories in many previous posts, detailing how the unpredictable Arctic weather can wreak havoc on all forms of transportation.  On foot, by dogsled, atv, skidoo, vehicle, boat, airplane, it doesn’t matter.  Mother Nature always wins, even with the best weather monitoring & warning technologies at our disposal.  Sometimes, it’s not the weather, but the equipment that fails.  These delays are always frustrating and unwelcome, but the best we can do is adapt and overcome.

So far, the majority of weather-related delays I’ve experienced are during the winter months.  I’m always surprised when a delay occurs in the summer.

Arctic Bay. August 19, 2021.

I returned to Nunavut on August 13.  I was not required to isolate in a hotel for two weeks because I am double vaccinated against COVID-19.  My next flight was the following afternoon, so I enjoyed a day in the territorial capital.  Unfortunately, my flight on August 14 was cancelled due to “crew issues”.  Canadian North offered a hotel voucher, but I declined, because I could stay with my brother.  The airline rebooked me for August 19.  Naturally, I was very surprised to see the faraway date in the email, but the Customer Relations people on the phone explained there was a backlog of passengers for that travel route.  I requested them to find a seat for me on an earlier flight.

A teacher I had been travelling with managed to get a seat on the August 15^th flight by putting himself on the standby list.  I decided to do the same on August 16^th.  No luck.  Thankfully, the ticket counter staff verbally guaranteed me a seat on Wednesday’s flight (August 18^th).  I would miss the first day of school.  I notified the principal of my situation.  Wednesday’s flight went ahead without serious problems.  We were only delayed by an hour.  I finally made it home after being stuck in Iqaluit for 5 days.  In August!  I hope I don’t have to go through that again in the future.  I quickly unpacked, organized my apartment, and prepared for the second day of school.

The second & third days of school went well.  I went over the course outlines, the layout of my classroom, handed out binders & folders, and began the first units of each class.  I breathed a sigh of relief when school was dismissed for the weekend.

Friday evenings are usually spent at home relaxing after a long week of teaching.  This time was different.  On Friday, August 20, I visited the Nanisivik Naval Facility (NNF) with Frank to see if all the structures & equipment were still in good order.  The NNF is in the final stages of becoming operational.  I think the government is aiming for the summer of 2022. 

The trip reminded me of the previous trip I took with Frank in 2014.  We passed several people picking berries near the Road to Nanisivik.

We started the inspection at the Interim Site Office (ISO).  The ISO belongs to the Department of National Defence (DND) and I believe was the first structure to be built at the site after the mine closed in 2002.  The ISO was used as a political tool by the federal government in Ottawa as a way of asserting sovereignty in Canada’s Arctic.  I’m not sure how effective the building is in that regard because it’s a portable building sitting on metal stilts.  The building has been sitting locked for most of the year.  I’m assuming the building will see more activity when the NNF becomes operational.

Frank drove down to the docks to continue his inspection while I remained on foot.  I took several landscape photographs as well as pictures of the facilities.  As mentioned before, the largest structures are the two white diesel silos.  I’m not sure how many litres of diesel they store, but I bet it’s a lot.  The fuel is meant for the six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship(s) (AOPS) that will be patrolling Canada’s Arctic.  The Harry DeWolf is the only active AOPS at the moment.  (More on this in a future post).

Seeing the pipes going from the silos to the piers looks complicated.  They stop short of the piers and to the left of the tall fuel crane.  (This was my first time seeing the crane in the summer).  A separate pipe will be used to connect the AOPS to the diesel pipeline for refueling.  The crane & its ropes will hoist the pipe off the ground to prevent damage.  It’s already been done with other navy vessels.

The modular barracks are still there, built by Almiq Contracting Ltd.  All the windows are boarded to prevent break-ins. 

There’s a large assortment of vehicles at the NNF.  There are cranes, excavators, loaders, pickup trucks, gas trucks, and even an ambulance.  Arctic Bay could use an ambulance. 

A small fenced off section of the facility is reserved for the Canadian Coast Guard.  The only items I saw were a few shipping containers.

Next to the Coast Guard area sat piles of large anchor chains and anchors.  I didn’t try picking them up because they appear to be really heavy. 

Satisfied that everything was in order and not disturbed, Frank & I got back into his red pickup truck for the drive home.  We stopped in front of a road sign that stated that Arctic Bay was 40km away by road.  Frank reset his odometer and I photographed the sign.  He wanted to prove his hunch that Arctic Bay is closer than what the sign said.  He was right.  When we entered Arctic Bay proper, the odometer read 37.5km. 

I thanked Frank for the tour of NNF and immediately went to work cropping & editing some of the photographs I took. 

Strathcona Sound. August 20, 2021.

Summer of 2021 - Part 2

I travelled to Petrolia in mid-July to visit a high school friend, his family, and his newly opened brewery.  I remember when it was just an idea with a business plan in 2016.  After much time, investment, and hard work, Black Gold Brewery (BGB) was finally operational in late 2020.  And then COVID-19 had to come along and make things difficult.  Thankfully, the brewery has been surviving thanks to the support of its patrons.

My friend, the owner, gave me a tour of BGB.  The location, layout, equipment, merchandise, and beer selections are very impressive.  The brewery features: outdoor patio, indoor seating, a merchandise store, many beers on table, and free popcorn & hot dogs.  I got to see the very large beer tanks in the back.  I did try several of the beers and found the Liquid Gold flavour to be the best.  My friend admitted it’s the most popular flavour at the moment. 

He and his investors really struck gold just from the location.  The brewery sits in the heart of downtown Petrolia next to the Petrolia’s Farmers’ Market.  He hopes his brewery will revitalize business and increase pedestrian traffic in the city centre.  If you happen to be passing through Petrolia in the future, stop by Black Gold Brewery for a cold one.

My friend also showed me the mansion featured in the horror movie Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark.  I didn’t know it was in Petrolia . . . and next to the main road that runs through town.  You don’t see that in the movie; the film crew positioned the camera so that the mansion appears in a secluded forest. 

We went to Sarnia for a few hours one day.  We ate a good lunch at Los Puntas Cantina and checked out the Alexandra Bridge that crosses over to the USA.  The last time I saw the tall bridge was in 2016.  It was being fixed at the time.  I filmed the large and long American barge Maumee passing under the bridge, on its way to Detroit.  We bought French fries to go from Bluewater Bridge Fries before returning to Petrolia.  Apparently, it’s something you have to do when visiting Sarnia.

I bought the last BGB cooler in the merchandise store and filled it with various beer cans.  I also bought several t-shirts and a hat.  I thanked the owner for the tour, his wife for putting up with me, and wished them all the best in promoting & expanding the business.

Dundas Square

Union Station

I stopped in Toronto to take a break from driving, relax, and walk around the city centre.  It’s my favourite area because of the tall buildings.  Some of the places I saw were: Aura Tower, Dundas Square, Nathan Phillips Square, Union Station, CN Tower, and Eaton Centre.  Union Station has been undergoing an expensive revitalization project for many years and the project looks almost complete.  I didn’t take the elevator to the top of the CN Tower this time.  I just photographed people doing the EdgeWalk.  There were plenty of masked shoppers at the Eaton Centre.

CN Tower

Eaton Centre welcoming back shoppers.

The last town I visited on my road trip was Kingston, Ontario.  I think the last time I was there was in 2007?  Kingston is known for hosting many current & former penitentiaries.  There are currently six of them in operation.  The most notorious one is Kingston Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison that opened in 1835 and closed in 2013.  It’s now a National Historic Site.  I always thought the infamous prison was located outside of Kingston.  Well, I quickly learned it’s actually located in the heart of the city.  You can pay to tour the facility, but I chose not to.  Maybe next time.  I also walked by and photographed the Prison for Women facility.  It opened in 1934 and closed in 2000.              

Prison For Women

The last trip of the summer was to Regina, Saskatchewan, in early August.  I visited extended family, and watched a Roughriders football game.  It was their first game of the season and they faced off against the BC Lions.  The last time I saw a game at Mosaic Stadium was in 2018.

Streams of people wearing green filed into the stadium, eager & excited to see the Roughriders back on the field.  Our seats are close enough to the field, but not too close to become targets for the tv cameras.  There were a few BC Lions fans in the stands.  The Lions were introduced first.  The Roughriders were given a grandiose entrance, complete with music, lights, and plumes of fire.  The emcees recognized & acknowledged the presence of the Aboriginal community and the fact that the stadium sits on Treaty 4 territory.  Two CF-18 fighter jets flew twice over the stadium after the singing of ‘O Canada’.  Those jet engines are loud!

Overall, the football game was alright.  The Roughriders started with a strong lead, but lost it near the end.  However, they didn’t give up, and narrowly beat the Lions 33 to 29.  Hopefully, the team will make it really far this season, perhaps all the way to the Grey Cup!

And just like that, my summer vacation came to an end.  Now I’m back in Arctic Bay, getting ready for the upcoming school year.  I’m glad I didn’t have to spend two weeks isolating in a hotel.  The Government of Nunavut made the decision in mid-June to allow fully vaccinated Nunavummiut to return to the territory by applying for a Travel Declaration Form.  You present this form to the airline when checking in.  You’re also required to wear a mask for 14 days after you return to the territory and self-monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19.

                                                           End of Summer 2021 mini-series.