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The C.C.G.S. Miskanaw

by John MacFarlane (with Frank Statham) 2021

Miskanaw

The C.C.G.S. Miskanaw (Photo from the Frank Statham collection.)

Recently Frank Statham, who has previously contributed to several articles in the Nauticapedia, sent me copies of several imaged of the C.C.G.S. Miskanaw. Statham worked on telecommunication and electronic equipment for the Canadian Coast Guard during his working career. The photographs in this article were taken by him in May of 1986.

The CCGS Miskanaw was a Special River Navaids Tender (Type 700). Designed by the naval architects German, Milne & Gilmore she was built in 1958 at Vancouver BC by Allied Shipbuilders Ltd. She was 66.8’ x 21.2’ x 2.5’ (20.36m x 6.46m x 1.74m) steel–hulled 98gt 41.67nt. She was twin screw powered by 2–22bhp diesel engines Cummins Engine Co., Columbus IL USA. In 1958 she was delivered to Waterways AB.

The CCGS Miskanaw was based in Fort McMurray AB. She worked based out of Fort McMurray in Alberta, Lake Athabasca in Saskatchewan, and then north up the Slave River to Fort Fitzgerald. The Miskanaw pushed a small barge which served as a work deck. She was commissioned in 1958 for service by the Canadian Coast Guard in the Mackenzie River system. In 1958–1989 she was owned by The Minister of Transport, Ottawa ON.

He wrote "The Coast Guard of the northern fleet vessels were, for a period of time, the responsibility of the Coast Guard’s Pacific Region. (I think they are part of the Central Region now.) In the fall the northern vessels are winterized, locked up and the crews head home. Smaller vessels may get hauled out of the water, such as you see with the Miskanaw, larger ones tied up at the base in Hay River, or left at some isolated anchorage on the Mackenzie River. In the spring the reverse happens."

Miskanaw

Some of the smaller vessels were hauled up on shore to protect them from the winter river ice. Skids are greased to aid the launch, and that is what the lad is applying in the photo. Across the river from Fort Providence (NT) the Mackenzie River boats get the same treatment. The day before I arrived for the launch at Fort Providence the guy in the picture with the grease bucket was one step ahead of a bear who was lapping it up. He was applying beef or pork fat which is supposed is more eco–friendly and attractive to the local wildlife. (Photo from the Frank Statham collection.)

"Getting the vessels ready in the spring is quite an undertaking. There were half a dozen vessels to service and perhaps only a couple of weeks to get the new radio/navigation electronic systems installed and the old ones checked out. The Hay River electronics workshop only had two lads and they needed help. So for a couple of years I headed north to help them out servicing the electronics."

Miskanaw

The Miskanaw ready for launch. (Photo from the Frank Statham collection.)

Miskanaw

These river vessels were all shallow draft with the propellers ducted–up in the hulls. Keel coolers were used to avoid sucking in sediment in the shallow waters. (Photo from the Frank Statham collection.)

Miskanaw

Statham writes "The props are in a wedge shaped tunnel and spin higher in the water than the ship’s bottom. I would say ‘wedge’ as the tunnel is not much longer than what is shown, it doesn’t extend to the bow. The rudders again dip into the water shallower than the ships bottom. The rudders are duplicated as shown to provide the bite into the water a similar sized single rudder would provide. This done to protect the rudders and props from damage in the shallow waters or groundings. Thus once the hull grounds there is no danger of damage to the props or rudder so the skipper is free to wiggle his way out of the predicament. In the spring breakup the ice and water flow shifts existing sandbars and creates new ones. The Coast Guard vessel’s job is to mark the safe passages." (Photo from the Frank Statham collection.)

"In the spring ‘Mother Nature’ does help out in her way, as the Mackenzie and Hay Rivers become ice free at different times. Great Slave Lake becomes ice free a bit later. So we had the opportunity to work on the vessels at staged intervals as the ice opened things up.

Miskanaw

The ship’s master was Captain Len Wylie who spent 28 years serving in the Miskanaw. He started his career on paddlewheel vessels, probably cutting firewood. (Photo from the Frank Statham collection.)

The CCGS Miskanaw was commissioned in 1958 for service by the Canadian Coast Guard in the Mackenzie River system. In 1958–1989 she was owned by The Minister of Transport, Ottawa ON. In 2003 she was acquired by The Fort McMurray Historical Society, Fort McMurray AB where she is now part of their permanent collection.

"One year I discovered that a tied up vessel can be frozen to the bottom. When I climbed aboard the CCGS Dumit to start my routines while she was tied up at the Hay River Base. The fluorescent lamps in the passage ways would not work for me, it was too cold for them I discovered later. So I headed to the engine room to check the circuit breakers. Opening the engine room door, I shone my flashlight into the gloom and found water up to the second step from the top. The ship had settled on the bottom when the river level had dropped over the winter and was frozen in place. In the spring the water had risen, (even to a higher level than normal due to the ice floating down the river and damming the mouth). There was not much free board to begin with these shallow draft vessels and the water flowed over the deck and into the engine room. Fortunately fresh water is not as corrosive as salt water which minimized electrical damage. The engineers got their space pumped out, and the Caterpillar dealership made a few extra bucks putting the engines back into ship shape. This extra work did not affect the Dumit’s schedule at all."


To quote from this article please cite:

Statham, Frank (2021) The C.C.G.S. Miskanaw. Nauticapedia.ca 2021. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/Miskanaw.php

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