More on the HMCS Halifax

Here are some more articles about the HMCS Halifax's visit to Kingston:

Halifax anchors off city's shore

Kingston man second in command on HMCS Halifax bridge

Also, here are some pictures of the Halifax in Kingston that I found on-line

More pictures and articles are coming, I hope, since the Halifax is now officially in Toronto (though Jake says the fog is so thick he can hardly see the shore!)

To tide you over, here are a couple of pics from the Fisheries Patrol the Halifax did back in February (from the Dept. of Defense website):

Master Seaman Bailey keeping lookout as the Halifax approaches St John's, Newfoundland

Plowing through the waves during one of February's massive storms

HMCS Halifax comes calling

HMCS Halifax comes calling

Frigate's Montreal stop is first of what will be many along St. Lawrence, Great Lakes for workhorse of Canadian navy

RENE BRUEMMER, The Gazette

Published: Saturday, April 21, 2007

A Canadian naval frigate that enforced United Nations sanctions off the coast of Yugoslavia and hunted for Al-Qa'ida operatives in the Persian Gulf after 9/11 is in Montreal on a public relations offensive this weekend.

Just under 11/2 football fields long, with an engine large enough to power a city of 5,000, and armed with Sea Sparrow missiles, torpedoes and .50-calibre heavy machine guns, HMCS Halifax will be open to the public this weekend in the Old Port.

Its 209 crew members, 19 of them women, will be on hand to greet visitors - if they're not on shore leave enjoying Montreal.

"The whole purpose of our trip is to go and meet Canadians and raise the profile of the forces and the navy and let them meet sailors and come on board," said Commander Scott Bishop, who is nearing the end of his two-year rotation as captain of the Halifax.

With most Canadian naval bases located abroad, it's difficult for most Canadians to see what the navy does, Bishop said.

"This ship can do up to 30 knots (about 55 kilometres an hour), but the fuel mileage is lousy," he deadpanned.

The first of 12 such helicopter-carrying frigates built in Canada in the 1990s, the Halifax is known as the workhorse of the Canadian navy, a multi-role patrol frigate equipped with anti-submarine technology as well as defence against surface and air threats.

In addition to combat, training and diplomacy, the ship is used to patrol Canadian waters and enforce fishing zones.

The Montreal stop is the first of several for HMCS Halifax along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes over the next month. The visit here has been highly anticipated by crew members eager to take in the city, and some eager to come home.

Ordinary Seaman Alexandre Lebrun, 27, of Laval's Ste. Dorothee district enlisted about two years ago to see a bit more of the world. Despite the fact he discovered on his first naval voyage that he gets seasick easily - "The first few days of every trip are bad" - he is loving the life of cramped quarters and high seas.

"Before this, I hadn't left Quebec," he said. "Now, I've seen a lot of Canada, and I'll see the world."

Rough waters shouldn't be a problem this weekend. If they are, the Halifax is known to withstand seas in excess of 10 metres high, and is designed to right itself if it capsizes - or at least remain afloat if it doesn't.

HMCS Halifax is docked at Alexandra Pier in the heart of the Old Port. Visiting hours are 1 to 4 p.m. today, tomorrow and Monday.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007

The sailor's memorial, downtown Halifax

Jeanne and I, hanging out in Friday's beautiful weather, down on the waterfront

Look: teeth!

One year (and a little bit) + more pictures of Jeanne

Hi everybody,

Many apologies for not having posted in a while (yet again).

It just occurred to me that the Cotter blog just missed its 1-year anniversary, which was April 3, but hopefully we'll be around for many more (and maybe actually celebrate on the right day from now on). We're getting ready to move to a new place, June 1, and though we'll be staying in the general vicinity we'll soon have a lot more room.

As some of you may know, too, Jeanne's Grandma Marie is moving to Halifax to be with us and we'll be sharing this new house. We are all just so excited, especially Jeanne who just loves spending time with Grandma. With Jake at sea, and me busy with packing and driving lessons, the house is super crazy, but Marie keeps it going smoothly (and you can actually see the kitchen countertop!)

Anyhow, I hope you're all doing well (Jeanne's fan club, and other friends of the Cotter blog), and that spring is coming your way as it is ours (though you wouldn't know it lately).

Be well,
Ellen et al.

Jeanne in her Easter bonnet

Speaking of Easter, uh, wasn't it supposed to be Spring already?

Yes, this is from the Easter weekend, not Christmas.

Pretty dress. Oh, and in case you didn't hear, Jeanne got her first two teeth over the Easter weekend.

Jeanne is so obsessed with playing with the TV remote (I guess it's because she sees us 'playing' with it all the time), that we took the batteries out of an old one we weren't using and gave it to her. I think she's a little disappointed that it doesn't actually do anything.

Jeanne isn't actually crawling yet, but somehow managed to get under this chair the other day, all by herself.

Eight Months

Jeanne Marie is 8 months old!