Tracking Vessel Movement

Tug Florence M has been difficult to track on www.marinetraffic.com.  Once she enters the seaway proper, movements should be visible on The Official Great Lakes Seaway website

Position Report 1700 31/05/2012

Ojibwa tied up at section 26  Quebec City awaiting tide.  ETA for departing Quebec is 2300 today

POSITION REPORT 08:00  5/30/2012

OJIBWA reported approx 50 miles east of Rimouski, will pass within 4 miles of Pointe-au-Pere...Scramble the Air Force....wouldn't it be awsome to get an arial shot of the two O boats, together for the last time?

more on www.projectojibwa.ca

Tug Florence M expected to pass Rimouski By Noon Wednesday!

Capt Dave Yager reports the lady is behaving well and the tow is making good time. Ojibwa will pass by Rimouski about noon Wednesday, hopefully the sisters will have a chance to say hello,

 I will Talk with Capt Dave Wed am  and ask him to steam as close to the South Shore as possible,and try to get an estimate of her ETA at various  POI's in the upper St Lawrence

Remember, there are more news photo's and updates available at www.projectojibwa.ca

"A Very Short Sail With a Lifetime of Memories"

Guest post By Jim ‘Lucky’ Gordon

She had been laying here at NAD, in the view of all who crossed the Angus L MacDonald Bridge, since her decommissioning 14 years earlier. I would often catch a view of her as I crossed the bridge. I always felt bad for her and pondered her fate. Having known her so intimately for so many years I hoped she would not suffer the brutal torches of the breakers yard. She deserved so much better.

On this special day, 26 May 2012, I would have the pleasure of simply sitting on the fin as she was loaded aboard the Heddle Marine Drydock.

At NAD, as I walked slowly down the jetty I observed that sections of her casing had been removed and I could see the flaking paint and rust showing through on her pressure hull and tank tops. The black of the remaining casing and her once proud fin had faded to large blotches of grey and white. Civilian riggers and seamen from the Heddle Marine Drydock were fitting her with unfamiliar rigging required for securing to the dry dock that would transport her to her final destination in Port Burwell. She was sitting very high in the water, void of torpedoes, equipment, liquids and stores removed many years earlier. Ugly marine growth covered her ballast tanks up to her original waterline. Up close she was a dreadful and pitiful sight. I think I could sense that she knew I was there. Her embarrassment seemed evident to me. I think she hung her head to avoid my shocked expression.

Her appearance was far from that when she first entered Halifax harbour on that cold windy day in January 1966. Even on that day she hadn’t looked her best. The 11 day dived transit of the unforgiving North Atlantic, her first of many, had taken its’ toll on the linseed oil and lampblack over flat black paint I had applied back in Chatham Yard to give her that sleek, black messenger-of-death look she was so proud of. But on that special occasion she wore her sea scars proudly. On that day I stood on her casing with heaving line in hand as she approached Jetty 4 with authority. I could feel her swell with pride when the Stadacona Band broke into a rousing rendition of Heart of Oak and the inboard berthing party and dignitaries applauded and cheered. On that day she was welcoming their inspection with all her glory. And my heart swelled with pride knowing that she trusted me to be a vital member of the crew that gave her the eyes, ears and tender loving care essential to her success.
And now, 46 years and 4 months later, I wanted to apologize for crossing her brow to invade her misery. I made my way up into the fin. I tried not to see the filth left behind by years of nesting birds. I was sorry that the deck of the bridge was gone. I paused for a moment at the top of the ladder to recall the many times I had stopped there, on my way below, with main vents open , to shut the upper voice pipe cock and then proceed quickly below through the conning tower as she slipped quietly into her comfort zone below the surface. And at the bottom of the ladder in the control room, watching the Diving Officer of the Watch in the tower I would repeat his report to the Captain, “Upper lid shut, one clip on, two clips on, ..upper lid shut two clips on sir”. I could still hear the wash of the sea into the fin and over the conning tower as we slipped into an expanse very few would ever be privileged to know.

I hitched myself up onto of the top of the fin and sat just forward of where the attack periscope would, once, silently rise for the final set-up on the surface target or one last all round look before going deep. It didn’t take much imagination to see the compass repeat and the back of the Officer of the Watch’s head as he took a fix on an edge of land. Just for a moment I thought I heard the much anticipated request through the voice pipe, “Bridge helm permission to relieve the lookout”. Great, my watch is over. I can’t wait to get that cup of tea and watch the movie in the forends. Wow, I want to stay in this place I’m in. It’s hard to come back to reality.

Down below on the casing the Heddle crew were scurrying around, taking lines from the tugs and preparing to slip the berthing lines from the jetty. It didn’t seem very seamanlike and it looked a bit confused. Damn! I wish I could go down and take charge of that lot. But I closed my eyes and imagined the orders from the XO on the bridge at Harbour Stations, “let go four, let go three, hold two, heave in on the capstan, slow ahead starboard.“ Then, “stop together, starboard 10, slow astern together,… Let go two, let go one.” I felt a bit of a rush as the last line was gone and the tugs were setting us free of the jetty. The tugs moved us out astern and began manoeuvring us out of the chamber and around the jetty. I swear I felt the guttural rumble and throb of the port donk as it flashed up and belched huge white billows of diesel exhaust out of the surface muffler. Ahhhh, that sweet permeating smell of diesel.

As we cleared the north end of the jetty and moved south out past the Heddle dry dock I felt the strong south easterly wind blowing up the harbour on my face. I could smell the open sea. She smelled it too. We moved up ahead and then they positioned her stern at the opening of the drydock and slowly began to move her astern into the cradle. She balked, reluctant to be pent up. With a ships head of 120° she was pointed directly out to sea, past George’s Island, McNabs, Maugher’s Beach Lighthouse and gone baby gone! I felt her shudder and list, ever so slightly, to starboard. It might have been the little pup tug pushing at us below the fin to force her into position. But in my heart it was a shudder of eager anticipation. Like a energized Arabian steed champing at the bit. She was trying to break her reins and snorting “Let me go. I long for the deep blue water where I belong!”

My last harbour stations in this fine lady was truly an honour. It gave me excellent opportunity to reflect on the eternal esteem and comradeship that lies in the hearts and souls of my underwater messmates. I submersed myself in a flood of exciting memories afforded by this magnificent vessel. And I appropriately rounded off my time with her. From commissioning on 23 September 1965 at Chatham England where she was built, to her grand entrance to Halifax Harbour 26 January 1966, to now, the last time she would grace the waters of this historic sea port. She has always been such an important part of my life and who I am.

And now I am content that her life will continue in a new role that presents the legacy of an era of the brotherhood of submariners who served her well. She will represent the finest of professionalism and tradition as an example for the new breed to follow. Complete with a face lift, a little make-up and a fresh coat of flat black paint, she will stand proud at the Elgin Military Museum for all to see.
Until we meet again lady.

Fair winds and a following sea.
HMCS Ojibwa, Ne Ke Che Da" on Project Ojibwa's timeline.

Submariners gather to send off OJIBWA

Submariners Left to right
John Madison
Shawn Preston
Terry (Chooch) Chatham
Rick (Rattler) Morgan
Jim (Lucky) Gordon
Tim (Slinger) Wood (front)
Boyd (Bennie) Thomas
Pete (Blotto) Braun
Shayne Irvine
Irving (Soapy) Watson
Brian Noble
Jim Donovan
Sylvain Rouillard
All former  OJIBWA crewmembers with the exception of Shawn Preston,  HMCS Okanagan

Kneeling RAdm (Retd) Dan McNeil

RAW CAMERA FOOTAGE FROM JETTY 6 -May 26 1530

Ojibwa's departure was delayed two hours, most of the spectators had left and I had a plane to catch.  When I dropped Shawn and Brenda at NAD to pick up the truck, I was on my way to the airport with 1/2 hour to spare before check-in.  Since the harbour pilot had arrived I thought I'd take a chance and see if I would be lucky enough to be there when she let go lines..

Well I hung in and grabbed this footage (It's rought), jumped in the car and made it to my check-in with ONE minute to spare! It was worth the risk to be there.  Seems like there's been a number of close calls in this adventure.

Only a small bit of drama here. As the tug pulled away, we noticed she was still tied up with a 1" fender line.  You'll see it flash by when it parted  at one point.  Maybe I'm overly sentimental, but it seemed to me that Halifax was reluctant to let her go.

Well she may be gone from the east coast, but she's going to a better place where she will be wanted and cared for:  This is really exciting!!

ENJOY!!

OJIBWA WILL ARRIVE CANSO AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Captain Dave Yager, skipper of the tug Florence M, called to report on progress.  They are making good time in fair weather and they expect to arrive at Canso Pilot station at 1600.

Ojibwa should enter the Canso lock at approx 1800 today!

OJIBWA SLIPS JETTY 6 -  ETA CANSO LOCKS 2100 SUNDAY

A merry throng of submarines has a tot in her honour and not a dry eye on the Jetty;

Your reporter managed to hang in for the festivities, Made his flight with mere minutes to spare and arrived safely home in London at 20:00.

Will post pictures and video tomorrow.   Bravo Zulu all involved!!

THE END OF THE BEGINNING

HMCS OJIBWA Transferred to Elgin Military Museum

Ojibwa moved onto Heddle drydock HM1 and into the possession of the Elgin Military Museum at approximately 1500. Several submariners were present among them Jim "Lucky" Gordon, who served on Ojibwa for a large part of his career from Able Seaman to CPO.  Lucky, who stood by on the casing as Ojibwa entered Halifax for the first time, had the honour of manning the bridge as she slipped Jetty 6 for the last time in her career

Congrats mate, you take the dreams of all your shipmates along on this cruise.

OJIBWA READY TO MOVE!

Project Ojibwa's "Muscle"( Rick Morgan & Shawn Preston)  strike a triumphant pose on the foredeck. We have de-stored and packed everything moveable, managing to load 3, 1000lb, 40 Foot long periscopes into an enclosed van,  What an incredable feat.

I really intended to post more, but the volume of work keeps expanding to fill the time available.  I'm loving it.  I don't know if it's adrenaline or emotions but I feel great and full of energy.  I'll take some time at the end of this week to figure out why. For now I'll keep going with the flow

The dock has been prepared and will be flooded this morning OJ is ready to be floated onto the dock and we expect this all to be completed by dinnertime today.   There will be quite a bit of activity tomorrow morning as a large number of shipmates gather to see the Black Lady sail off to a new life!

  AWESOME!!

You'll find more pictures of this weeks activities on our website in the "move" section- www.projectojibwa.ca 

Preparations are underway!

A heavy Halifax mist pelted NAD this morning as divers did a hull inspection and cleanup.  Reports are that Florence M is making good progress & Heddle's move crew and heavy equipment scheduled to arrive in Dartmouth today. 

 A quick survey shows everthing just about as I left it 18 month ago, just a little bit tattier now.

What were we thinking?

Fair Weather May Move Departure Forward

Tug Florence M is reported in the mouth of the St. Lawrence well north of Rimouski.  Benign weather and calm waters anticipated for the coming week.  Ojibwa departure date from Halifax may be as early as Saturday.  See the PO Bulletin Board at  www.projectojibwa.ca for regular updates

The End of the Beginning!!

Some time has passed since my last post.  Nothing really to report until the bureacratic machine stopped spinning and spat out the inevitable result.  Just a shame it took so long and cost so much to accomplish what looked so much like a slam-dunk when all this began 3 years ago.

There will be time for a rehash of the maddening history of this project at some point soon.I especially regret the personal cost to the family of Alan Montgomery, who didn't survive the voyage and I believe worked himself to death in the effort.  Well done AL, you can rest in peace now!

However, we have a lot of work to do and I'll be off to Halifax on Monday as Elgin Military Museum's official representative for the submarine's departure from the Navy's control.  Please follow my blog I'll do my best to post pictures, video and information as events transpire

Thanks for all your interesting past  reporting John (whoever you are) too bad you didn't have clue about any of this,  I'll take over from here