Thursday, July 16, 2009

Sailing Into Edmonton

When we were on Vancouver Island we visited the Naval Museum. A young lady came up to us and asked if we wanted to take a taxpayer sponsored tour of the shipyard. We agreed, along with around 8 other people who all happened to be from Alberta....you loving our Alberta bucks yet BC? We got closer to the ships then we would have been able to by ourselves.



Guess the name of this ship! It is one of our supply ships, and is very impressive up close.

Remember the 2 submarines the Liberals bought from the British? Here is a picture of the stripped down sub. Look deep into the belly of the structure, it's in there. You've got to wonder who the Liberals were paying off, those subs will never sail again, ever.


Got home in time for Capital Ex...aka Klondike Days. What interests me most is that some of the crew from the HMCF Edmonton will be in town to try and convince some prairie boys and girls to sign up.

The commanding officer and 14 members of the ship's company arrived in Edmonton yesterday and will stay for a week to participate in the annual summer event and to run their information booth.

Commanding officer Lt.-Cmdr. Patrick Montgomery said the "incredible hospitality" they receive from the people of Edmonton is the reason Canadian sailors keep coming back to Capital EX every year.


.... The ship, commissioned in Esquimalt in 1997, serves as part of Canada's Pacific fleet and is one of 12 Maritime Coastal Defence vessels.

The ships are 55 metres long, 11 metres wide and are each equipped with two 50-calibre machine guns and a 40mm Bofors guns.



I think it's one of these:



But I could be wrong. If any navy people read my blog, please correct me if I am, and tell us landlocked Albertans why we should like so much water!

I want to welcome the crew from the HMCF Edmonton (I bought one of your hats) to our city and I hope you have a great time here, but if I can't even get my 16 year old to bring his swimsuit on holidays, I don't think you are going to have much success with recruitment.

10 comments:

Southern Quebec said...

It's HMCS not HMCF you idiot!

Her Majesty's Canadian Ship! errrr

"I want to welcome the crew from the HMCF Edmonton (I bought one of your hats) to our city and I hope you have a great time here, but if I can't even get my 16 year old to bring his swimsuit on holidays, I don't think you are going to have much success with recruitment."

My guess is that they don't do much swimmin' in the Gulf of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz. I thought Conservatives were big supporters of the troops? Oh, right, they only go on a ship if they are being served martinis! (But they do wear red shirts on Friday -- and that's what's important!)

Anonymous said...

Shorter Huntsy today:

"Wheee I'm on a taxpayer sponsored tour of some big military boats and I bought a hat! Fun Wow!"

Shorter Huntsy yesterday:

"Whoah how dare Obama try to get taxpayers to sponsor healthcare based on their income - it's immoral"

Southern Quebec said...

Shorter Huntsy today:

"Better other people's kids fight my battles! Just like High School! HA!"

Anonymous said...

Now stand by as Huntsy refuses to change/correct HMCF on "principle".

Anonymous said...

Get a room you two.

Southern Quebec said...

Eskimoo: I'm from Quebec -- you can join us!

Hunters next target -- The Canadian Air Farce!

West Coast Teddi said...

Thanks for visiting Victoria and the Esquimalt Base - home to the Canadian Pacific Fleet. I will be heading there for the tour as well with my grandson. The base is the largest employer in the south island and we are very proud of our women and men who serve.

Read about the HMCS Edmonton here: http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/edmonton/0/0-s_eng.asp Ship number 703.

Being a Calgary lad "we have one too!!" HMCS Calgary.

It is "sad" about the subs - I think you are right that the "Victoria" will never sail but that's a liberal for ya

Glad you enjoyed your trip here and the video was great of the whales.

Looking forward to the return of the FNF

liberal supporter said...

Did you know that there is a naval base in Edmonton? It is called the HMCS Nonsuch. In WWII, it was called a "stone boat" since it is a building!

My dad trained there. Although it had the equipment of the time to train on, which was its purpose, they couldn't really get their sea legs there since it never left port. They all had a lot of fun, probably trying to keep straight faces because they had the full shipboard routine, the six bells, the tot of rum at noon and all that. I think they couldn't leave the building until the Captain would declare they were officially "in port" and the gangplank set.

West Coast Teddi said...

HMCS Tecumseh is the "ship" in Calgary. Daughter did her cadets there and really enjoyed it. My uncle from Edmonton went to sea in WWII so there are lots of prairie folk on the sea - sea of wheat or sea of water.

maryT said...

Just heard about the fire in Kelowna. Please let us know if your family are safe.