Columbia (CL 56) - Naval Cruise Book

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the last slice hadn't hit the Captain, who was also playing there. For the eager ones who wanted to make sure they literally stood their watches that night, saddle horses were available. In the realm of baseball, the Columbia nine took the Warrior team-just barely, that is- after being rained out once. And to make the activity library complete, those who contem- plated that most popular pastime of all, namely, eating a good steak ashore, were met with that wonderful Canadian innovation, Meatless Friday. At first we actually were quite amazed at the very generous hospitality of these people but the motive for their actions finally came out when a Flight Leftenant was approached through the medium of slightly alcoholic bever- N l fi 6 ti Q A Ol u V7 - A M H ,, i ' ' ill lzlllalll BUT OF COURSH I APPRESHIRTE' 1 TH-s CANADIAN Hoe.vHPa1-Au'rv! ages. It seemed that what with the advent of the Atomic Bomb and the Russian scare, the Haligonians didn't know quite what to expect when the COLUMBIA, the CLEVELAND, and the MONTPELIER with the DENVER trailing behind, came into the relatively quiet port. A shrewd plan which enlisted the aid of the entire populace was evolved by means of which the Haligonians proceeded to make the procuring of liquid refreshments and amiable companions a very easy matter. By inducing us to imbibe of strange potions, they thought that they would keep us unfit for manning our vessels, and thus the menace of the COLUM- BIA, the CLEVELAND, and the MONT- PELIER with the DENVER trailing behind, was dissipated-and we do mean dissipated! Although there were several things that may have puzzled us, such as the delightful relation- ship between the Canadian and American dollar which made it seem as though they were giving us money when we made a purchase, we all agree that the city of Halifax outdid itself in generosity and goodwill. The kindness with which the Nova Scotians treated us is something we will not forget for a very long time. It was indeed with regret that we hoisted our glasses for the last toast, and then in turn were hoisted aboard our ship, and off of this soil for good.

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Out of the mist and fog on the 12th day of June, three ships of CRUDIV 14 sailed into the beautiful sunbathed harbor of Halifax. It was sunbathed because the Gods which controlled such things knew that Shaky Jake and the starboard watch section would be on liberty that afternoon. The welcome given us by the Haligonians was in reality one of the finest that could be imagined. The motto of the Nova Scotians seemed to be that nothing was too good for the ofhcers and men of the U. S. Navy,', and they immediately set out to prove their sincerity by doing everything possible for us. The facili- ties of the army, the navy, and the RCAF bases were put at our disposal, and their habi- tants gave us the warmest of greetings. The first evening ashore was highlighted by one dance at the gymnasium of HMCS Stadacona for all officers, and one at Dalhousie for the enlisted men. Hundreds of very charm- ing and personable young ladies were at these affairs to entertain us. It was at these parties that we learned of that wonderful combination of l8Wy beer and ham sandwiches. The second evening ashore, after a round of cocktail parties for the officers, brought forth another dance at Dalhousie University, this time for the officers. The third evening of liberty was spent by many not on the beach but back aboard the ship, recuperating from the previous two nights. 1 We were also fortunate in that HMCS Warrior was tied up in the harbor during our stay. This afforded us the chance to visit a Canadian ship, which opportunity was used to its fullest extent by some eager beavers, intent upon furthering their knowledge of U. S.- Canadian Naval Relations, and interested in the Canadian Navy's experiment of making various fruit juices available to the oflicers' guests anytime, day or night. To sightseers and sports enthusiasts also Hali- fax offered no mean attractions: the Public Gardens and the old Citadel for a look at old Halifax, and bowling, tennis, fishing, sailing, badminton, and swimming courtesy HMCS Stadacona facilities. Future Byron Nelson's spent happy-though costly and sometimes wet -hours hunting errant golf balls in the forests of the Ashburn Country Club, and hoping that

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1 -m4nm..k. Reluctantly preparing to leave the hospitality of Halifax and the slightly alcoholic atmosphere of the Warrior wardroom and the RCAF Offi- cers' Mess, we watched the third repeater leave the yardarm, and heard the orders for engine tests. Still burping from our morning beans, we stood at quarters and saw the John L. Sulli- van sidle up to us like a fat water beetle to a stick, and critically followed Pat as he directed casting off the lines from the fantail. Then away from the pier, free of the tug's blunt bow, past the harbor forts and lighthouses-next stop Quebec, and as the sun rose over the fog banks of the Atlantic, we, in our own fogged up way, bid adieu to the wonderful land of Nova Scotia. As usual, CRUDIV 14- was in no hurry to reach the next port, so there were four leisurely days spent following the jagged line of the navigator's chart: northward along Nova Scotia, where we passed the Queen Mary,', with her three huge stacks like hitching posts on the hori- zon's gateway, by Cape Breton Island, where we crowded the lifelines to watch whales blow- ing and splashing off our starboard beam, along Prince Edward Island and north around Mag- dalen Island, where the steep shores and high plateaus made us think we were in a sea of sand and gazing at Nevada buttesg south by Newfoundland, cursing the wind which made us wear foul weather jackets rather than bask under the bright northern sun Without a shirt on, past green Anticosti Island and into the eighty mile wide mouth of the St. Lawrence River, creeping slowly down to the southwest by Cap Chat, and Father's Point, where we picked up our pilot, beyond the river towns of Rimouski, Tadoussac, Baie St. Paul, and finally to the Plains of Abraham-Quebec, we are here! Arriving on the afternoon of the 18th, we were met with our usual convoy of tugs, and escorted to our Wolfe Cove berth. No sooner had the gangplank been brought up and the rat guards put on the lines than about 700 officers and enlisted men-starboard section, that is--were crowding the quarterdeck waiting to spend some of those Canadian shekels im- ported from Halifax, and longing to polish up wx is s 'F f ,git A viwlfx as 4 QV mf ,Q l T' , l 6 K, l ,V aqui J! 3 ., J Lx .li p C 0 X. -. l fx ' 2' v A-A--A l , -5 FX -A ,fx X A A If . A f - l -fs or 4 ,N A fa Knock of? HHS l20'2 g5b Cl'C'lIE'T 5qH0qjfmA nag, qef HNJQVWGL1-