As part of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Fleet Week currently taking place, there have been a few interesting vessels floating around North Vancouver’s Burrard Dry Dock Pier.
Docked alongside HMCS Vancouver, HMCS Corner Brook, and Mexican naval vessel, the ARM Benito Juárez, is the HMCS Regina.
The Halifax-class vessel is nearing her 31st birthday, having been in commission since September, 1994. Although the narrow hallways all around the ship make it seem like the complex system of pipes and machinery is all there is, the vessel actually contains much to explore.
HMCS Regina uses its limited space productively to provide its personnel with facilities that allow for recreation. Through the countless doorways and many ladders, there is a library, a gym and cardio equipment scattered throughout the ship for the standard crew of 225 personnel.
The vessel holds three areas for members to unwind, besides their bunks. There is the wardroom for officers, the Chiefs and Petty Officer’s mess, and Junior ranks mess. In these areas, the crew can play board games, watch films, read, and relax.
Three bars exist on site, where members can have no more than two drinks and only under strict conditions: no more than six hours prior to their work schedule, as long as it is above deck and only when the ship is docked. You can also find a kitchen cooking appetizing meals such as beef brisket, and even an ice cream parlor for those with a sweet tooth. This way, personnel aboard the ship can still experience daily life’s small pleasures while they’re out at sea.
HMCS Regina has taken its members all over, even crossing the Arctic Circle last year, giving crews the right to paint theirs, and the ship’s, noses blue.
In 2019, as the vessel was returning from the Persian Gulf, it crossed the equator and the International Date line at the exact same time, awarding it the “Golden Shellback” distinction, and the bulbous nose was painted gold for a year.
Of course, HMCS Regina did not make it to all these lengths with just its libraries and ice cream. The vessel contains a multitude of weaponry on board. The Naval Remote Weapon System is a newly added 50-calibre machine gun that is remote-controlled but can also be fired manually, and contains one of the best cameras on board.
The ship’s main gun, the Bofors 57-millimetre MK III Gun System, can fire 220 rounds a minute, and hold 120 rounds in the mount.
HMCS Regina will be docked at the pier until July 6th as part of this year’s Fleet Week.
“Many Canadians probably don’t even know we have a Navy,” said Commanding Officer Darren Sleen, when asked about the importance of events such as Fleet Week. “Even though we have sailors with 10 to 30 years of experience and very niche capabilities that are important for the maritime security of our nation, they’re quite humble and quiet about it. When there’s an opportunity like this to engage with Canadians, it can be really uplifting for them to be able to talk about what they do, and why they’ve gone away from their families.”
Zain Alragheb is a student intern reporting for the North Shore News. She can be reached at [email protected].
