"HMCS Vancouver is a Halifax-class frigate, of the Royal Canadian Navy launched on 8 July 1989, as the second vessel of her class. She is currently based at CFB Esquimalt on the west coast of Canada. She is the third vessel to be named for Vancouver, British Columbia." ... Wikipedia.
[Please click on photos for larger view.]
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| Overview HMCS Vancouver docked at Pier 90 Port of Seattle for Seafair 2015 |
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| Snapped this shot from opposite side of slip for Pier 90. |
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| Welcome Aboard Our Tour was on July 31st |
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| Big helicoper inside bay on main deck. The chopper can land on water briefly. It is amazing how the rotor blades can be folded back so the aircraft will fit inside the ship. |
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| Cleaning the ship's bell. |
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| Avon used mostly in rescue work. |
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| Looking up the tower. |
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| Flag at bow. |
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| Bofors 57mm gun |
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| Not your everyday warning. |
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| Bridge Radio and navigation equipment is impressive! |
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| Binoculars ... or scope? Either way, very powerful. |
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| *Security* We are advised that we are on Canadian soil here. |
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| We are advised not to get too close to the anchor chain as it is "under tension". |
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| Not our photo but Public Domain on Wikipedia The Vancouver is on the left. |
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| Not our photo but Public Domain on Wikipedia The Vancouver is in the foreground. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Tina R. Lamb. |
Other vessels spotted on our walk to Pier 90 ...
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| Seattle Fireboat 2 |
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| Seattle Fireboat Leschi |
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| Foss Kalama Tug |
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| Foss Pacific Knight Tug |
Another unusual smoky sunset on August 1st ...
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| Smoke is from forest fires in the region. In this photo the sun is about to set behind the Olympic Mountains to the west across Puget Sound. |
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| About 20 minutes after sunset. Forest fires have been much worse than in recent years. |
For blogging friends here in the Northwest ...
The Seattle PI published an excellent article on why it has been so warm here in the Pacific Northwest. They started the article with this statement: "We're coming up on 17 months in a row with above normal temperatures on average, and several of those months have been the warmest on record in Seattle." They then showed us a picture that makes it all easy to understand ...
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| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Temperature Departure (°C) |
The photo shows us ocean temperature departure from normal. All that red stuff is warmer than normal. The big red blobs along our west coast are sending us warmer and dryer weather. Read the whole story here.
"The Really Big One" ...
We couldn't end this post without mentioning an article published by The New Yorker magazine in their recent July 20th issue. Entitled "The Really Big One", it begins with the premise: "An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when." Not really surprising to most who live here, but unsettling, nevertheless. The article says that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast. That includes us. In the event it does happen, don't expect any updates or posts from us. Blogging will be the last thing on our mind. In the meantime, we will try to appease ourselves with the knowledge that it appears impossible to predict exactly when, and with what magnitude, this kind of event will occur. We simply hope it's after our watch.
Link to the article is here.
Thank you for stopping by John's Island.
Wow, John, this post was just filled with interesting information. Love the HMS Vancouver pictures. And yes, I saw that article about the "big one" too and have discussed it with friends. Apparently it caused a huge run on earthquake survival kits. :-)
ReplyDeleteWonderful collection of images, the tour of the HMCS Vancouver was neat. The sunsets are beautiful, I do hope the fires are out now. The prediction of a big one is scary. My niece, her hubby and their family will be moving to the are in January, I hope and pray they will be safe. Enjoy your day!
ReplyDeletei hope 'the big one' for your area - and california, too - will be a long ways off, yet. the ship tour looks really cool!
ReplyDeleteLove all the boat pictures John :) And I'm amazed at how they fold the blades back of the helicopters. :)) Those sunset pictures look gorgeous - if there were no smoke they wouldn't be that beautiful. But I hope they are put now. And I hope the big one doesn't hit you guys over there. You can't abandon your blog John :))
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful day!
Möwe
The tour looks very neat...with those big guns around, the danger warnings, and the armed security guards, I think everyone would be careful to behave. Nice photos of the smaller vessels and of the sunsets--sorry about the forest fires though. There have been so many science fiction movies about the big one...and so many end of the world movies! Fortunately, not many of them are based in Iowa. Maybe you should move out to the cornfields before the big one comes...but then with your radio skills, it might be good to have you around to help with communications in case of an emergency...so Seattle may not want you to leave.
ReplyDeleteOur "northwest" future does look pretty dark and scary indeed. Great post and terrific captures for the day, John, thanks so much for sharing!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!! I am grateful for some cooler weather -- finally!! I do hope it hangs around for a while!!
ReplyDeleteNice shots and wow - what stunning skies!
ReplyDelete"...article says that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast."
ReplyDeleteWhat if it's everything to the east of I-5 instead? ;-) Then you could say, "oops...didn't see that coming!"
That Canadian security guard looks fierce. Does he know he's Canadian??
Thanks for the tour. Great series of pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour of one of our ships. However we have a very pathetic navy. we have very litlte and most of it is inoperable. I also don't like the royal in the name.
ReplyDeleteFascinating post. Those ships are impressive,whether Canadian or US.The smoky sunsets look familiar,we had that a month or so ago,but the smoke has cleared now.I do hope and pray that when that quake hits,you will be spared from harm.
ReplyDeleteJohn, love those big boats, but then I also like the smaller ones.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tour of that ship!
ReplyDeleteThat must be one epic unforgettable tour. I've never been to that kind of tour though. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThat sunset in photo 21 is wonderful. I wouldn't worry about the big one. The super cauldron to your east will blow before that...and that will be an extinction event...again. Been enjoying 'Last Ship' on TV. (I do love a good dystopian). It's been making me want to grow young and join up. The toys they play with is way too cool.
ReplyDeleteA great tour with interesting images and text.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful the sunset pictures.
Happy weekend!
I'd say the West coast of Canada looks well defended....:)
ReplyDeleteThat is huge and impressive! I remember when I was a kid, I used to wait for ships to dock and open for tours. As a kid everything was majestic to me, it was overwhelming. I'm still pretty impressed by ships nowadays.
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