Travels with Louis
The CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent is
the largest of Canada's icebreakers dedicated
to Arctic service. Her mission is to aid shipping, perform search
and rescue, support scientific research and resupply Northern communities and
government sites. Perhaps most important, though, is her mission
to fly the Maple Leaf and maintain a Canadian presence in the
Northwest Passage at a time when changing ice conditions have
people thinking it won't be long before Canada's
claim to this fabled gateway from Atlantic to Pacific will be
actively challenged — by nations whose commercial ships are
eager to take the 7,000-kilometre shortcut from Europe to East
Asia.
Canadian
Geographic writer James Raffan and photographer Benoit Aquin
spent two weeks aboard the Louis last July for their
feature in the Jan/Feb
2007 issue, "Policing the passage," the first
in a year-long series of stories in Canadian Geographic devoted to
understanding the poles, in recognition of International Polar
Year 2007-08.
Along the way,
Raffan and Aquin became intimately familiar with the inner workings
of the ship: how it is guided through ice, what research projects
are conducted, how safety is assured and how Canadian sovereignty
is asserted.
Here, through
Raffan's daily on-board log, photo gallery and
additional facts and links, you can trace their nautical
journey and discover the sea-bound community that patrols our
Arctic waters.
Day 1 — Off to Sea!
Location: 44°39.624'N 63°33.437'W
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First impression? This ship didn't seem all that big on paper — 24.38 metres wide
and 119.63 metres long — but she's got six decks, not including the engine room, and
I managed to get lost within a few minutes of boarding. "Log" (Logistics) Officer,
Rod Johnson, gave me a quick tour, showed me to my cabin and said, "If you need anything,
just call." The only problem is that I don't know how to use the phone! Oh well. Tried
to go to the crew's mess for a bite to eat but got all turned around and had to ask
directions. Inside the ship all looks a bit the same. But I'm getting it . my cabin
is on the Upper Deck, meaning I can walk out onto the open deck at the bow of the ship
and look down over the side. Below me are the Main Deck, Lower Deck and Engine Room
and above me are the decks of the ship's superstructure, starting with the Flight Deck
and ending with the Bridge Deck with a couple of levels in between. We're set to sail
about 1730 hours. Lots of last-minute loading going on. Louis won't be back in Dartmouth
until late November.
Posted by James Raffan on Thursday, July 20, 2006
Day 2 — Learning the Routines
Location: 45°34.278'N 60°10.476'W
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We're on our way, headed toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Strait of Belle
Isle. Meals are at 0630, 1130 and 1630. The fancy visitors cabins have toilets and
showers. The rest of us use washrooms and laundry facilities located throughout the
ship. Today is intensive safety training and ship familiarization. Last time I was
on one of these ships, I got stuck in my immersion wetsuit and couldn't get out.
This ship has dry suits which are still a bit claustrophobic for some. Had a good laugh
with photographer Benoit Aquin, but this was serious training led by Third Officer
Catherine Legault. When all was said and done (including written and on-line tests!)
we had completed the "Ship Specific familiarization checklist referred to in
FSM-6C1 section 3.3," we had done "Mandatory Occupational Safety and Health
Training," including a computer-based training program called "WHMIS and
You," as per Coast Guard regulations, and had signed certificates to attest to
our success! Learned a bit about the Louis as well. Her whole history is written on
plaques that are affixed to the walls near the forward and aft lounges. One of her
first chores was to escort the Manhattan through the Northwest Passage in 1969. In
1994, she was the first Canadian ship to visit the North Pole. Every hour we travel
about 18 knots (each equal to one minute of latitude) and the ship sucks up 4,026 litres
of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres, which is about 14 gallons per nautical mile!
Posted by James Raffan on Friday, July 21, 2006
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