![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Aug. 5th, 2006
(no subject)
Aug. 5th, 2006 01:50 pmBack from the SeaFair ship tours. We went on two- an Aegis-class destroyer and the HMCS Saskatoon, a Kingston-class shore defence ship.
Whereas the contingent from the Canadian Forces was the same class of ships as last year, the compositions were somewhat different- last year, the crews were middle-Canada- Quebec to Alberta. This year, they were almost completely from Atlantic Canada- several Haligonians and other Nova Scotians, one ensign born in Toronto but raised in St. John's, and a few other Newfoundlanders. Only talked with one British Columbian and one Albertan, who noted that they were very much in the minority amongst the crews of the Saskatoon, the Yellowknife and the Edmonton.
Surprised one of the ensigns giving the tour by knowing where Placentia Bay was- lovely girl, very stereotypically Irish looking, who obviously hasn't been away from home long enough to lose the accent. Guess she didn't expect to find folk in Seattle who might just know a thing or two about Newfish geography. Seems a class were stationed at Esquimault a few months ago and are finishing up their rotation there learning to helm and navigate on the Kingston-class before returning to Halifax to do the same thing on the much larger Halifax-class vessels. In the last week, they've sailed the Georgia Straits, Puget Sound and Elliott Bay fifteen times
The boys got all sorts of swag- folks were handing out University of Washington football schedule magnets and Husky keyrings, they got little cardstock fans and plastic cups from the Coast Guard, sundry things from the Navy, and pens, post-it notes, stickers and temporary tattoos from the Canadians. As usual, got amused comments on wearing Senators jerseys. It'd be tempting to go back tomorrow and do an inverse-Rick Mercer and do a "Talking to Canadians" spot and voice post it. ;-)
Whereas the contingent from the Canadian Forces was the same class of ships as last year, the compositions were somewhat different- last year, the crews were middle-Canada- Quebec to Alberta. This year, they were almost completely from Atlantic Canada- several Haligonians and other Nova Scotians, one ensign born in Toronto but raised in St. John's, and a few other Newfoundlanders. Only talked with one British Columbian and one Albertan, who noted that they were very much in the minority amongst the crews of the Saskatoon, the Yellowknife and the Edmonton.
Surprised one of the ensigns giving the tour by knowing where Placentia Bay was- lovely girl, very stereotypically Irish looking, who obviously hasn't been away from home long enough to lose the accent. Guess she didn't expect to find folk in Seattle who might just know a thing or two about Newfish geography. Seems a class were stationed at Esquimault a few months ago and are finishing up their rotation there learning to helm and navigate on the Kingston-class before returning to Halifax to do the same thing on the much larger Halifax-class vessels. In the last week, they've sailed the Georgia Straits, Puget Sound and Elliott Bay fifteen times
The boys got all sorts of swag- folks were handing out University of Washington football schedule magnets and Husky keyrings, they got little cardstock fans and plastic cups from the Coast Guard, sundry things from the Navy, and pens, post-it notes, stickers and temporary tattoos from the Canadians. As usual, got amused comments on wearing Senators jerseys. It'd be tempting to go back tomorrow and do an inverse-Rick Mercer and do a "Talking to Canadians" spot and voice post it. ;-)