# (Final) Bye-bye Ex-HMCS Terra Nova, Gatineau



## The Bread Guy (21 Sep 2009)

This in MERX:


> Department of National Defence (DND), has a requirement for the removal, dismantling and disposal of the "Ex-HMCS Terra Nova & Ex-HMCS Gatineau".



Project overview attached.


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## Ex-Dragoon (21 Sep 2009)

I will say bye bye when they are finally towed out of Halifax harbour because guess what, they are still here.


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## The Bread Guy (21 Sep 2009)

Ex-Dragoon said:
			
		

> I will say bye bye when they are finally towed out of Halifax harbour because guess what, they are still here.


For ten years or so, according to the attachment.

Let's see how long _this'll_ take, then....


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## kincanucks (21 Sep 2009)

Sailed on the Gatineau from 1979 - 1981 and on the Spaceship from 1984-88.  Both good girls.


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## FDO (21 Sep 2009)

Maybe they can find a small town up a river and convince them they would make great bed and breakfasts. Seemed to work for Frazer and Cormorant in Bridgewater.


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## Eye In The Sky (22 Sep 2009)

Didn't the Navy take one of them back from Bridgewater?  I drove by it earlier this spring while down there, she wasn't in very good shape at all.  IIRC, they couldn't maintain it and whatever they had planned for it didn't pan out.


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## FDO (22 Sep 2009)

I had a friend who was in that area a couple of weeks ago and he said they were still there. Several years ago a group bought Frazer and had her towed to the Government warf in Bridgewater. The plan was to bring her back to how she was in her glory days and make a bed and breakfast out of her. They were going to have it just like it was when commissoned. Sleep in the mess, eat in Cafeteria, etc. They even went as far as to try to get a whaler and a motor workboat to hang in davits with the possiblity of trips down the Lahave River. Well so far the ship is there and as far as I know not one "guest" has ever set foot on board. Too bad though it was a different idea. I don't think I would have paid to stay there. I guess the novelty has worn off for me. 

 So until someone has a better idea or they need an artifical reef off the Lahave I guess she'll sit there a monument to the Cold War and sailors long past.


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## AC 011 (22 Sep 2009)

Does anyone know what's happened to the plan to sink the Terra Nova near Brockville as a dive site?  http://www.divercity.on.ca/heritage.html


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## Eye In The Sky (22 Sep 2009)

FDO said:
			
		

> I had a friend who was in that area a couple of weeks ago and he said they were still there. Several years ago a group bought Frazer and had her towed to the Government warf in Bridgewater. The plan was to bring her back to how she was in her glory days and make a bed and breakfast out of her. They were going to have it just like it was when commissoned. Sleep in the mess, eat in Cafeteria, etc. They even went as far as to try to get a whaler and a motor workboat to hang in davits with the possiblity of trips down the Lahave River. Well so far the ship is there and as far as I know not one "guest" has ever set foot on board. Too bad though it was a different idea. I don't think I would have paid to stay there. I guess the novelty has worn off for me.
> 
> So until someone has a better idea or they need an artifical reef off the Lahave I guess she'll sit there a monument to the Cold War and sailors long past.



http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/83591.0.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Fraser_(DDH_233)


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## The Bread Guy (22 Sep 2009)

AC 011 said:
			
		

> Does anyone know what's happened to the plan to sink the Terra Nova near Brockville as a dive site?  http://www.divercity.on.ca/heritage.html



According to the _Brockville Recorder_ about a month ago....


> Proponents of an artificial reef near Brockville say they need a clear chart for navigating the often unpredictable waters of government.
> 
> Members of the Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef Association (EOARA) said Thursday they still hope to sink a 2,800-tonne warship in the St. Lawrence River as a diving attraction, but there is plenty to do first.
> 
> ...



There may be even _more_ paperwork than they first thought now....  ;D


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## Colin Parkinson (22 Sep 2009)

Just visited HMCS Annapolis yesterday as part of my review for a permit to sink her. Interesting butkind of sad seeing the state of the vessel.


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## kincanucks (22 Sep 2009)

It is Fraser or even Frasier but never Frazer.


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## Ex-Dragoon (22 Sep 2009)

As it was named for the British Columbia, FRASER is the correct spelling.


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## FDO (23 Sep 2009)

You are correct it is FRASER. I don't know why I put in the "Z". Add to that I didn't know the CF took her back. You spend a couple of years out of the area and they start to make decisons without consulting you. I hate when that happens. I guess there is no word on Cormorant and what is to become of her?


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## The Bread Guy (24 Sep 2009)

....it seems two out of the three stakeholders are keen to see the ship move to Brockville and sunk - shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the _Copyright Act_.

*Bid to sink warship treading water*
Ian Elliot, Kingston Whig-Standard, 24 Sept 09
Article link 

The federal government would love to see the decommissioned HMCS Terra Nova sold to a local diving group that wants to turn it into a diving attraction.

The diving group would love to have it.

But plans to sink the 112-metre anti-submarine destroyer escort near Gananoque are facing an opponent more formidable than anything the ship faced on active service: provincial regulations.

Michael Ryan is a member of the Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef Association, a group of divers that has been trying to turn the boat into a diving attraction for several years.

He says the biggest holdup to date has been the Ontario government, and the maze of agencies that need to be consulted for the plan to proceed.

"We are still very interested in having it," he said yesterday, "but there isn't a policy for this sort of thing in Ontario, and we're having a hard time with all the agencies we have to consult to get permission to do this."

Most ships that are deliberately sunk are done so in salt water, not in the Great Lakes. Scuttling a ship at sea is not always easy, but there is a procedure in place.

While there are many wrecks in this area regularly explored by divers, they got there by accident over the years, not as a result of a planned sinking.

The diving group not only has to consult with the Ministry of Environment and other agencies with a mandate to preserve the ecosystem and aquatic life, but also with agencies such as the culture ministry.

"They want to make sure we're not dropping it on something else that might be on the bottom of the lake," Ryan explained.

The old destroyer would be cleaned up so it does not present an environmental dangers, have its interior cut apart so it doesn't present any hazards a diver could get snagged on, and then sunk in a place and in a depth of water where it wouldn't present a hazard to other boats.

The area being looked at for the Terra Nova is just east of Gananoque, in about 130 feet of water four kilometres east of Brown's Bay.

The $2-million project has the enthusiastic support of local politicians who are eager to reap its economic benefits, and number of area councils have passed resolutions supporting the idea.

Proponents have said it could attract up to 6,000 divers annually, generating $8 million a year for the region's tourism economy.

The Department of National Defence, which reissued tender papers for the Terra Nova and a decommissioned sister ship this week, also wants the ship gone.

It has been tied up in Halifax for more than a decade while a new home for it is sought. As long as it stays there, besides the cost of stripping out asbestos and other components, Canadian taxpayers are footing bills for its storage, monitoring and regular hull repairs to fix leaks.

Documents on the state of the Terra Nova and HMCS Gatineau hint at the rough shape the vessels are in, citing hull leaks, rust, mould growth and possibly dangerous air quality below decks.

The divers won't buy the boat until they have what is known as a sink permit in hand from the government because the government requires that buyers tell them what they plan to do with the ship before they buy it as a condition of sale.

"We need to have that permit, because if we can't sink it, we're not allowed to really do anything else with it, and I don't really have a use for 450 tonnes of floating scrap steel," Ryan said.

The group will continue meeting with government officials and says such projects typically take at least four or five years to being to completion.

_Article ID# 1766731 _


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## Pat in Halifax (5 Nov 2009)

An article in yesterday's Chronicle Herald says they (GATINEAU and TERRA NOVA)are sold to a company in Pictou to be cut up for scrap. Hints at an attempt to retain as a museum piece and/or dive reef unsuccessful.
Nine years of my life (1987 - 1996) in the hallowed flats/messes/machinery spaces on GATINEAU.


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## The Bread Guy (17 Nov 2009)

....in this news release:


> On November 17, 2009 the decommissioned destroyer-escort Gatineau will be towed to Pictou, Nova Scotia, where the final stages of disposal will take place. The Terra Nova is scheduled to follow on November 20, 2009. Both tow dates are weather dependent and subject to change.
> 
> A contract for the removal and dismantling of the destroyer-escorts was awarded to AECON FABCO on October 21, 2009, and is valued at approximately $4.2 million. The survey of the two decommissioned destroyer-escorts conducted by AECON FABCO progressed ahead of schedule, allowing the ships to be removed from Dartmouth earlier then anticipated.
> 
> ...


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## kincanucks (17 Nov 2009)

kincanucks said:
			
		

> Sailed on the Gatineau from 1979 - 1981 and on the Spaceship from 1984-88.  Both good girls.



Well perhaps a drive to Pictou is in order to say a last goodbye to the old girls.  Think they will give me the port and stbd wings since I spent most of my freaking time out there?


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## Colin Parkinson (17 Nov 2009)

They certainly would if you were willing to pay. Buy the wheelhouse/bridge and Ops room and have it cut off and transported by barge  to be used as cottage in some remote bay.


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## kincanucks (18 Nov 2009)

Colin P said:
			
		

> They certainly would if you were willing to pay. Buy the wheelhouse/bridge and Ops room and have it cut off and transported by barge  to be used as cottage in some remote bay.



Excellent idea then I could give my wife and her mother watch rotations during holidays.


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## Pat in Halifax (19 Nov 2009)

I actually have some pics of GATINEAU's "final sailpast" yesterday and am trying to figure out how reduce the resolution (they are a little large). I think I mentioned it already somewhere here but 9 years of my life (1987-1996) etched into her!!! Will get them on somehow today!


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## Colin Parkinson (19 Nov 2009)

Upload to photobucket and copy the image link here


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## Occam (19 Nov 2009)

If you're at work, any Baselined PC should have MS Picture Manager installed.  You can use the Tools ----> Resize option to reduce them to "Web - Large" size.


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## Pat in Halifax (19 Nov 2009)

I am afraid I am not very computer savvy-some work mates may even refer to me as a dinosaur - I cannot figure out how to resize nor how to use photobucket. I will see if my neighbour's 10 year old can help me out when I get home tonight! I did send them to one of you via PM - Help!!!!


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## Colin Parkinson (19 Nov 2009)

dinosuars stuck around longer than we have so far! 

Go to http://photobucket.com/   hit "register" follow the prompts, pick a name and password you will remember. At the end it will tell you to check your e-mail

Go to your e-mail click on the link in the messageand bingo you have an account. 

Click on "create album" give it a name, hit ok, wait a bit. Then a blue button called "unload photo's" will appear at the top of the album, it will open a "browse window" which will let you find the file you put the pictures on.

Left click the first picture you want. If you wqnt to upload more than one, hold the "Ctrl" key down while left click the other pictures, which should show a sort of blue overlay. Once finish picking pictures. hit "upload pictures" in RH bottom of the window. 

After a bit, a window will appear asking you to name the pictures, you don't have to and you can ignore the "tagging stuff, down at the bottom it says "back to album" Clic that, wait a bit.

The album will appear, hold the mouse over the picture you want, the list will appear, move down to "IMG CODE" (this may take a few times as the list likes to disappear) 

Left click on IMG CODE this highlights the link, hit right click scroll down the "copy"

Return to the thread in Army.ca and paste the link.

Doing so will impress the 10 year and he will think that perhaps he can teach you something new, good luck.


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## Pat in Halifax (20 Nov 2009)

Holy s***!. That's more steps than doing a MANUAL flash up of an LM 2500 on the ship!!! I will do all this when I get home tonight as I didn't register with my "@forces.gc.ca" address. As well, for info, as I type, tugs are securing TERRA NOVA for her departure as well.


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## Old Naval Guard (3 Aug 2010)

Sad to see what has become of the old girl(Terra Nova). She will always have a soft place in my heart. I was young and in the "Navy" when she was in service. Farewell


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## Pat in Halifax (3 Aug 2010)

Once again - I have some pics of both vessels sent last week from a buddy working with one of the sub-contractors in Pictou but alas, no way to put them on here.

They are pretty depressing anyway - both stripped down to Burma Road.


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## Nemecek (4 Aug 2010)

I actually live 10 minutes from Pictou and over the past few months I've seen the ships slowly dismantled. If anyone would like, I could probably take some snaps of what remains from the water sometime soon.

Pat in Halifax, you said you had some pictures but couldn't post them? Is that because you weren't supposed to have them in the first place or because of something else?

I don't know the regulations surrounding photographing dismantled warships. I could be wrong but I don't think it would be a huge issue to get some shots if I can.


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## Ex-Dragoon (4 Aug 2010)

If you are outside the dockyard or wherever the ships are being dismantled then it will not be an issue.


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## Pat in Halifax (4 Aug 2010)

Nemecek:
I am unable to post pics, but here is a link with a pic each of ex-HMC Ships GATINEAU and TERRA NOVA taken a little while ago - I suspect there is not much left now.
http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5338


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## Colin Parkinson (25 Apr 2012)

Just an update, the ARSBC hopes to sink HMCS Annapolis in July of this year. If you are in the Vancouver area, they are looking for volunteers to help them with the final cleanup. One of the big delays was finding steel bars in the fuel tanks that had to removed by hand. The other was DFO, but everything is coming together.


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