Miss Jenna - Mahone Bay

Miss Jenna appeared to be taking a day off from her normal activities of assisting in wharf and other marine construction projects in the Mahone Bay area.

Acting as a race marker on a day when there was virtually no wind, may be a rather boring chore, but the crew seemed to be enjoying the outing.

Built in 1944 as Listerville for the Royal Canadian Navy, she was based in Halifax and Kingston, ON then was used as a pleasure craft under the names Cavalier and Hercules before Mike Kelley of Mahone Bay bought her in 2012. She appeared in Tugfax soon after returning to Nova Scotia:

http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/2012/11/listerville-i-returns-to-nova-scotia.html

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Navy tugs at work

Canada's navy tugs are crewed by civilians, and operated by the Queen's Harbour Master. As Canadian Navy (Forces?) Auxiliary Vessels they are dedicated to navy work. This morning they were at work moving HMCS St.John's  from HMC Dockyard to pier 21.
Granville was in the lead with a tow line:

Next was Listerville under the bridge with a bow line:

Proving the power from the stern is Glenbrook:

Bringing up the rear was Merrickville with two Yokohama type fenders. While the other tugs turned the ship, the fenders were installed on the pier face:

Later in the morning other Dockyard small craft placed a containment boom around the ship.
Meanwhile the tug Glenside was inbound towing HMCS Shawinigan from refit in Shelburne, NS.

Milk moustaches for pups

The navy's pup tugs Listerville and Merrickville put on their milk moustaches, or if you prefer, their bibs, yesterday to assist a special guest.
The white sheets were to prevent any unwelcome black scrub marks on the pristine hull of USCG Eagle.

1. Listerville plows up the harbour on her way to the Cable Wharf.

2. She nosed up to Eagle's hull, right at the red hull stripe, which is reflected on the bib.

3. Parksville with its bib on, stands by waiting for orders.

See Shipfax for a photo of Eagle after she cleared the dock.

Pup tugs - gofers of the Dockyard

1. Granville on security round, returns from Bedford Basin 2012-02-17.

2. Listerville northbound in the Narrows in 1991 still carries rope fenders.

3. Merrickville in 1990 has the original bow pudding made by Dockyard riggers. When the old hands retired the art of rope work was lost.

4. The original World War II Merrickville hauled out a Purdy Bros. for a refit in 1971.

The Ville class "Pup" tugs are indispensable around HMC Dockyard in Halifax. As Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessels, they carry civilian crews, but they are always doing navy work. I caught Granville yesterday as it was returning from a security round in Bedford Basin. But it could just as easily be seen docking a warship or handling a scow or a fender.

Scores of the original Ville class pup tugs were built by Russel Brothers in Owen Sound, ON for the RCN during World War II. Most were built in 1944-45 and the ones that the navy kept lasted to 1974 on this coast. (One remained in the CFA on the west coast until the 1990s.)

The current version was built in 1974 and looks to outlast the war-built pups.

There are three pups in Halifax, Granville (ex Marysville), Listerville and Merrickville. Of 365 bhp the have a bollard pull of 7.5 tonnes and are single screw with a steering nozzle.

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