Columbia (CL 56) - Naval Cruise Book

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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-

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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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on that high school French with some seductive little mademosielle from Quebec. It soon became obvious that this was going to be like no other spot we had seen. With the citizens babbling their sibulant French, it was like being in another nation, and yet it seemed to epitomize the whole tour: the antiquity of Charleston, the greenery of Bermudan or Maine countryside, the Hne stores and restaurants of New York, the neighborliness of Nova Scotia. The lust for local scenery had many men wear- ing their shoeleather thin as they tramped about town seeing such famous spots as the Chateau Frontenac where Roosevelt and Churchill held one of their historic meetings, the Church of Notre Dame des Victories, the Ramparts, with its old muzzle-loading canon standing guard ,,, Q over the city and menacing our ships, the Hrst Navy pilgrimage to Sainte Anne de Beaupreg Montmorency Falls, higher than Niagara, Dia- mond Cape and the Citadel, all these made Qqebec a fairy city for their wanderings, and for those who could find pretty feminine guides -and word has it that this was not impossible- it was even more enjoyable. iffy But with more of the generosity and for- sight already seen in Canada, there was much more available for us than roaming aimlessly about: dances, where we learned at least the very pertinent bits of French, and were relieved to find that the young ladies divined that we wanted to dance when we approached with something gleaned from our pocket dictionary which probably meant, I love you passion- ately, will you marry me? We are happy to state that there have been no breach of promise suits. Not all things were changed in the French language, however 3 cab drivers knew what dol- lar meant, and Scotch and gingeralen was still Scotch and gingeralefl Also arranged were a picnic at Lake St. Joseph, baseball games at the municipal stadium, and the pilgrimage to Boswell's Brewery and that delightful feeling