HMCS Ojibwa watchers lined the Welland Canal on Sunday November 18 to watch the submarine make her journey from the Heddle Marine Shipyard in Hamilton through the locks on her way to Lake Erie and Port Burwell.
Lock 3, with viewing areas and a visitor centre became a major observation point for sub-watchers on Sunday morning. They began to gather around 11am to await the sub’s 1:30 arrival. Parking lots were filled and cars lined the road, with St. Catharines residents and visitors from further afield. Rosemary Harper who handles calls at the Welland Canals Centre noted that she had received 205 calls on Saturday and more than 280 Sunday morning with Ojibwa inquiries. “It was probably the busiest day here ever in twenty years, the most exciting event ever!”
Above: On hand at Lock 3 to await HMCS Ojibwa, Lee & daughter Mikayla from St. Catharines (top left); Ian Raven, Elgin Military Museum Curator & Dan McNeil, Project Coordiator (bottom left).
Above: Rosemary Harper, Hospitality Services Associate at Welland Canals Centre (bottom left) & submariner Bill Hom at entrance to Lock 3 (bottom right). Bill, from Fort Dover has some special reasons for his enthusiasm - as a sonar operator (Petty officer 2nd Class) in the Canadian Navy, the Ojibwa was his first submarine.
The submarine's journey started with the announcement way back in June 2010 that the Elgin Military Museum planned to obtain, transport, and mount the HMCS Ojibwa Cold War Submarine as part of a Canadian naval monument and museum.
Those involved in the project have diligently pressed ahead through the necessary regulatory and logistic hurdles (bumps, waves, hurricanes, etc). With a few delays in the final leg of the trip to Port Burwell, pinning down the date might have seemed at times like as much of a mystery as the secrets guarded by the submarine during its Cold War duties. However, around 5am on Sunday morning the tug Lac Manitoba and partner Seahound were able to move with the submarine out onto Lake Ontario, bound for the Welland Canal.
Those involved in the project have diligently pressed ahead through the necessary regulatory and logistic hurdles (bumps, waves, hurricanes, etc). With a few delays in the final leg of the trip to Port Burwell, pinning down the date might have seemed at times like as much of a mystery as the secrets guarded by the submarine during its Cold War duties. However, around 5am on Sunday morning the tug Lac Manitoba and partner Seahound were able to move with the submarine out onto Lake Ontario, bound for the Welland Canal.
The photos in the slideshow below show scenes from Lock 3 on Sunday as crowds waited patiently for two Great Lakes freighters to make their way through the lock before HMCS Ojibwa continued on her journey.
HMCS Ojibwa is anticipated to arrive in Port Burwell on Tuesday November 20th at 8am. Follow her progress at www.projectojibwa.ca.
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