This section is a work in progress, and more photos will be
added in time. Details of the various salvage operations are derived from
various sources, including visual analysis of the photos, information from
the company when available, the internet, and miscellaneous other sources.
As a result, these details may not be 100% correct. Where there is no obvious
Foundation Maritime involvement in the salvage jobs shown here, I have chosen
to include the photos here on the basis that Foundation Maritime opened a
project number for the job and probably had (at least) some small part to
play. Each job is listed in roughly chronological order.
(click on the thumbnails to view larger pictures)
Foundation Scarboro at work
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Notes:
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Foundation
Scarboro was built primary to aid the Foundation Company of Canada's
construction activities, but was occasionally called up on to aid Foundation
Maritime's salvage operations.
1. Foundation Scarboro raises the wreck of lightship Red
Island in Halifax Harbour in August 1943.
2. Foundation Scarboro raising the wreck of the John G.
Chandler in March 1941. The Chandler was one of a number
of tugs frantically bought up by Foundation Maritime early in the Second World
War. Chandler was rammed and sank at her berth in late 1940, attempts
to repair her were unsuccessful, and she sank once again.
3. Placement of what appears to be an underwater intake structure,
circa 1932.
4. Foundation Scarboro lifts a 9 foot diameter pipe section
while being towed into position by a Foundation tug, the Glenlivet,
circa 1932.
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While entering St.
John's Harbour with a cargo of salt from Cadiz in July 1933, the 385 foot
British registered Marsland tried to avoid hitting a small schooner
that was exiting the harbour and managed to run hard aground on Ship Rock
at the mouth of the harbour. Several salvage attempts followed, including
one by Foundation Maritime, but they were not successful and the ship eventually
broke up and sank during a storm later that summer.
1. Marsland is hard aground on Ship Rock to the right of the
photo, just off Fort Amherst in the narrows of St. John's harbour. Other
ships in the photo include the S.S. Nova Scotia and local ship
S.S. Meigle. Photo courtesy of the Fort Amherst Tea Room.
2. Foundation Franklin lies alongside Marsland during
the salvage effort. Photo courtesy of the Fort Amherst Tea Room.
3. A photo of the harbour mouth taken from one of the batteries on
Signal Hill, showing Marsland aground. Photo courtesy of the Fort
Amherst Tea Room.
4. A recent (2003) photo of the harbour mouth, with the lighthouse
at Fort Amherst to the right. Cape Spear is in the background. Sandy McClearn
photo.
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Maplebranch
sank on the St. Lawrence River at Montreal in August,
1934, after being rammed by
HMS DRAGON
, a Royal Navy cruiser ( ). The wreck was subsequently raised
by Foundation Maritime and rebuilt by Marine Industries in Sorel.
1. Maplebranch lies alongside a pier, with only her superstructure
visible above water. HMS DRAGON is in the background.
2. Maplebranch lies alongside the pier.
3. A compressor or pump barge used to raise Maplebranch.
4. A cofferdam was constructed around the outside of the wreck, and
water was then pumped out to float the wreck. Foundation Franklin
is visible to the right of the photo, behind Maplebranch.
5. Maplebranch refloated, and being towed away.
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Emile Francqui & Jean Jadot
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Notes:
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Two Belgian sisterships
ran into trouble off Nova Scotia in the 1930's, the Emile Francqui
in December of 1934 and the Jean Jadot in March of 1935. Due to a
defective design, both lost their rudders in heavy seas off Sable Island,
and Foundation Franklin helped to rescue both. Emile Francqui
made it part of the way on her own with a sistership acting as a rudder
from behind before Franklin took over when a gale came up. Jean
Jadot was initially taken under tow by the USCGC MENDOTA, but the tow
was handed over to Franklin after MENDOTA ran low on fuel.
1. One of the sisters is shown here, barely visible behind
the crest of a large wave, in this photo taken from Franklin.
2. Dwarfed by her charge, the 653 ton Franklin lies alongside
the 6000 ton Jean Jadot in Halifax Harbour after the ordeal of rescuing
her. The absence of the Jadot's rudder can be seen in the left of this
photo taken in March of 1935.
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In June of 1935, the
collier Kafiristan was making her way through fog near the Magdalen
Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence when the large Canadian Pacific liner
Empress of Britain collided with her near the bow. The
liner's speed was such that a part of Kafiristan's bow was completely
sheared away and sank, taking several crew members with it. The Empress
of Britain suffered minor damage, and continued on her way to Britain
after mounting rescue operations. Another CP ship, the Beaverford,
arrived and the Empress of Britain continued on her way. Franklin
arrived some time later, took up the tow and built a cofferdam
in the casualty to stop the incoming water, and delivered the ship safely
to Sydney, NS.
1. Franklin is shown here alongside what is probably Kafiristan
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In 1942, the
Canadian Government owned ship
Maurienne
caught fire and sank at Pier 27/28 in Halifax Harbour,
Nova Scotia. She was subsequently raised by Foundation Maritime, and returned
to service in 1943.
1. Maurienne lies on her starboard side after capsizing and
sinking at the pier, her superstructure facing towards the pier. Her
port side only just breaks the surface in this photo.
2. Small wood cofferdams were constructed in two locations along
the side of the hull, and were pumped out. Large wooden masts were then
attached to the hull within the cofferdams in June 1942; Foundation
Scarboro is lowering one of these masts into place in this photo.
The forward mast has already been installed, in the background of the
photo. These masts will be used as levers to right the ship.
3. The port side of the bridge superstructure breaks the surface.
4. Looking from aft, both masts and their supports in place, and
strain is taken up on the cables to begin righting the ship in late July,
1942.
5. Taken about the same time, this photo looks from the bow aft.
6. Maurienne's superstructure starts to become visible as
she is slowly righted.
7. Still sitting on the bottom, but no longer on her side. The air
issuing forth from the water was presumably trapped in the hull when
she capsized.
8. Looking aft from the bow, Maurienne sits on the bottom
of the harbour.
9. Another cofferdam, this one more extensive, is built around the
outside of the ship covering most of her length. The cofferdam, and the
ship, are pumped out and two barges appear to be lifting as well.
10. The hull mostly pumped out, Maurienne once again sits
on the surface.
11. Maurienne afloat. The brackets where the two masts were attached
during the righting operation can be seen on her side.
12. Maurienne afloat.
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HMCS QUINTE
was a BANGOR class minesweeper. In late 1942, after completing a
refit, she ran aground, capsized, and sank at the entrance to St. Peter's
Canal, Cape Breton. Foundation Maritime worked through the winter and into
the spring to right and refloat QUINTE, and in 1943 she was towed to the
Pictou Shipyard for repairs which were completed in June, 1944.
1. QUINTE on her side, lies alongside the side of the frozen canal.
Lifting masts have been placed on the side of the canal to right the ship.
2. Another view, this time from astern.
3. QUINTE now lies upright alongside the edge of the canal.
4. The Foundation operated tug Ocean Eagle (ex. ST. ARVANS)
and Foundation Scarboro arrive to begin refloating
QUINTE.
5. QUINTE is now refloated.
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The Joel R.
Poinsett was a war-built Liberty Ship. On March 1, 1945, she broke
in two just ahead of the bridge during a storm 400 miles off the coasts
of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. A patrol aircraft spotted the still floating
stern section the next day, and Foundation Franklin was dispatched
to find and retrieve the remains of the ship. Never repaired, the stern
section was used as a depot ship.
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Towing of Ladder Dredge #17
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Notes:
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Ladder Dredge
#17 was built during the war to keep various ports open for operation.
After the war, she was sent to France, and was towed there by Foundation
Franklin. Franklin had to make frequent stops
on her way across the Atlantic to top up her coal bunkers. Upon arriving
in France, no pilot was immediately available, and Franklin had
to make her way up a poorly marked and mined channel.
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Towing of LST 209 - "Operation Mustard"
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Notes:
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In February
1946, the Department of National Defence disposed of some of its chemical
weapons by sinking them at sea off Sable Island. The material, in this
case chlorine gas packed in steel drums, was loaded aboard LST (Landing
Ship - Tank) 209 and towed out to sea; the LST had previously been towed
from Montreal to Halifax by Foundation Maritime. LST 209 was then sunk
by a combination of scuttling, naval gunfire, and depth charges (the latter
two from HMCS MIDDLESEX).
1. LST 209 lies alongside a wharf.
2. The hold of LST 209 is filled with drums of chlorine gas. Note
the wood planking being set on top of the drums, before another layer of
drums is placed on top.
3. LST 209 settles in the water.
4. LST 209 finally heads for the bottom.
5. Capt. Dykeman stands on the iced-up bridge of a tug.
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In October 1947,
the 5,600 ton freighter
Manchester City
was inbound on the St. Lawrence from the UK when she ran aground
in thick fog near Cap Saumon, PQ. The collision badly damaged her bow, and
caused the two forward holds to flood. The twelve passengers on board were
picked up by the passing Clarke Shipping North Pioneer, but the fifty
crewmembers stayed on board. She was refloated by Foundation Maritime.
1. The ship lies with her starboard side facing the shore, with a
tug and the Foundation ship Traverse lying alongside.
2. The white tug at the freighter's stern is the Davie tug Manoir.
3. Foundation Franklin lies alongside Manchester City
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4. Safely installed in a graving dock for repairs, the ship's damaged
forefoot can be seen to good effect.
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Leicester
was a war-built Liberty ship sailing in ballast out of Britain in 1948,
when she was caught in a hurricane about 400 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The ballast shifted during the storm, and Leicester developed a serious
list. Although most of the crew were rescued (6 were lost), the ship continued
to drift on her own. Foundation Maritime sent Foundations
Josephine and Lillian to search for, and if
possible, recover her. The two radar-equipped tugs searched for several days,
and found Leicester about 1300 miles off New York, with a 50 degree
list to port. This list later increased to 70 degrees. Josephine
managed to put a line on board Leicester, and with
Lillian escorting and keeping her searchlight on the tow
during the night, they headed for Bermuda. The heavy list and a jammed rudder
caused Leicester to sheer from side to side during the tow. After towing
Leicester for about 850 miles, Leicester was delivered
to Murray's Anchorage in Bermuda. The story did not end there, however, as
a second hurricane caught up with the ships, and drove both Leicester
and Josephine ashore (Lillian having already
left to rescue another freighter). Leicester was salvaged once again,
and was towed to Newport News by a chartered tug. Josephine
herself required a gruelling salvage operation, and further required
6 months of repairs before she returned to service. The complete story is
told in Farley Mowat's The Serpent's Coil.
1. Leicester found listing heavily to port, in this photo from
astern.
2. Foundation Josephine's crew prepares lines prior to boarding
the derelict vessel.
3. Lines prepared, Josephine approaches Leicester to put
a towing hawser aboard.
4. Crew from Josephine pull the hawser aboard. The crew returned
to the tug before the tow began.
5. With a line aboard, the long tow for Bermuda begins. Lillian
can be seen at the right of the photo.
6. With Josephine in front and Lillian partly obscured behind
Leicester, the tow continues.
7. The tow approaches Murray's Anchorage. Three additional tugs were brought
out to help with the tow, including the Admiralty tug JUSTICE (right) and
the US Army tug ST-10 (bottom).
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Notes:
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In September 1949,
the tanker Merrimac ran aground on Dixon's Rock, Nova Scotia. She was
carrying a cargo of 14,000 tons of gasoline. She was rescued by Foundation
Josephine.
1. Foundation Josephine hauls Merrimac.
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The ESSO Rochester
was a tanker that broke in two in 1950. The stern was rescued, rebuilt,
and returned to service. She served until 1966, when she was broken up.
1. Foundation Vera with the stern section of the ESSO Rochester.
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Ryholm
was a small Swedish freighter (1,733 tons) built in 1951 for Sweden
America Lines. In 1952, carrying a cargo of cars, she was rammed on her
port side ahead of the bridge (cutting a gaping hole about 48' in length)
and sank on an even keel in 30 feet of water (at low tide) on the St. Lawrence
River, about 31 miles below the city of Quebec. This location is subject
to tides of between 19 and 23 feet, and she alternated between having only
the top of her superstructure and her decks visible. This gave the salvors
between 1 and 3 hours per day when work was possible. Apparently the first
attempt to salvage her was unsuccessful, with a wooden patch built to cover
the gaping hole in her side. She therefore had to wait until the next spring,
in 1953, before being refloated; the wood patch was replaced with a more
robust steel patch at that time. She was refloated on June 6, 1953, and
was delivered to a drydock for repairs on June 20. Ice in the river seems
to have scraped much of her paint off during the winter. After being salvaged,
she was repaired and returned to service.
1. Ryholm soon after the collision, perhaps not completely
settled on the bottom.
2. Now fully sunk, and presumably at high tide, only the top of her
bridge is visible above the water.
3. The following spring, with ice still in the river, Foundation tugs
return to try again.
4. The new steel patch is lowered into place.
5. A diver prepares to enter the hold. He appears to have headphones
for an underwater radio system.
6. The bow of Foundation Frances peaks around the edge of the
bridge superstructure. The same diver from the previous photo is visible.
7. Foundation Frances stands by Ryholm.
8. The new steel patch in place, pumping begins to refloat Ryholm
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9. Ryholm's cargo of cars has been covered in sediment during
their time underwater. It is doubtful the cargo was worth anything after
being underwater for so long.
10. Flanked by Banscot (left) and Foundation Josephine II
, the refloated Ryholm is prepared for the tow.
11. With the hired Davie tug Manoir in front, the tow begins.
12. Foundation Josephine II, Ryholm, and Banscot.
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Formerly the
S.S. Lena
, built in 1940, the Carla Maria G. was sold in 1950 to an Italian
firm and renamed. In October 1953 while on the St. Lawrence above Quebec
City, she was rammed on her port side just forward of the bridge by the Norwegian
Stugard. Unlike the Ryholm above (with which she
shares Swedish ancestry), the Carla Maria G. did not sink and was towed
to Lauzon for repairs.
1. Carla Maria G. with a gaping hole in her port side and
a list to port.
2. The bridge of Foundation Josephine II can be seen just
above the gaping hole.
3. Foundation Josephine II alongside the freighter.
4. Carla Maria G. passes under the Quebec Bridge with Foundation
Josephine II on her starboard side.
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Thalassoporos,
a 7,250 ton Liberian registered Liberty ship, ran hard aground on St. Paul
Island while travelling at top speed in thick fog in October, 1954. The speed
of the collision had put her bow high and dry, suspended out of the water
by the rock she had hit. The bottom of the ship was ruptured in several locations,
and some flooding occured. Foundation Josephine II was sent to the
rescue. After several unsuccessful attemps, Thalassoporos was freed
using a combination of towing by Josephine II, the ship's own power,
and the use of ground tackle and the ship's own winches. Thalassporos
was towed first to Sydney, NS, for assessment, and then on
to Halifax for repairs.
1. The ship hard aground.
2. Another view showing the whole starboard side, with the forefoot high
and dry. The rock can be seen under the bow of the ship.
3. A view showing just how rocky and inhospitable St. Paul Island is. According
to company literature, no previous records existed of a ship being salvaged
from this island.
4. Another view of the grounded freighter. The smoke from the funnel indicates
that the engine room is dry and functional.
5. The ship's stern, with lines aboard for the start of the salvage operation.
6. A view of the damage to the ship's starboard bow, upon arriving in drydock
in Halifax.
7. A diagram from a company publication showing the arrangement of towing
and ground tackle used to rescue the ship.
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In July 1957, the
Canadian Hydrographic Service ship
CSS Baffin
rather ironically ran aground on Black Rock, just off Cape LaHave near
Bridegwater, NS. A full two-thirds of her length were hard aground on this
rock; fortunately, her engine room remained dry. One story is that during
a test of new navigation equipment, there was a misunderstanding over just
who was navigating the ship. The Foundation tugs Foundation Vera
and Foundation Josephine II were dispatched to the scene,
and began the recovery operation. The salvage crew sealed off all deck opening
to the forward hold, and forced compressed air into the space to force
the water out. At high tide, a combination of tug towing power and ground
tackle were used to pull Baffin off Black Rock. Baffin was
then towed by Foundation Vera to the nearest drydock, at the Halifax
Shipyard.
1. Baffin hard aground on Black Rock.
2. See above.
3. Foundation Vera towing CSS Baffin.
4. CSS Baffin in drydock.
5. Looking aft along the starboard side, some of the damage is visible
- here the starboard bilge keel is bent out of shape.
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Cosmic was
a Liberian registered iron-ore carrier that ran aground in the Gulf og St.
Lawrence in July, 1958. Carrying 45,000 tons of ore, she was hard around
and had large holes in her hull. Due to the exposed position, and the danger
of losing the ship should bad weather arise, a total of four tugs, 2 barges,
and 100 men were sent to the scene of the wreck of rescue the ship. This
entailed jettisoning 15,000 tons of iron ore, sealing the hatches, and forcing
out water with compressed air. In heavy rain, high winds, and rough seas,
Cosmic made her way under her own power, under the escort
of Foundation Vigilant, to Halifax for repairs.
1. Cosmic partially sunk.
2. See above.
3. The forces arrive to begin the salvage operation. It would appear
the the jettisoning of the iron ore cargo has begun, from the look of the
sediment plume to the right of the photo (or a fuel tank was ruptured).
4. The tugs Foundation Vera, Foundation Vigilant, Foundation
Josephine II, Banscot, and the crane barges Foundation Scarboro
and Foundation Masson surround the wreck of the Cosmic.
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Fort William
was a freighter that apparently capsized at the wharf, possibly due to
improper cargo loading. Foundation Maritime may have had no involvement
in this project.
1. Fort William partially righted.
2. The arrangement of beams used to right the Fort William
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3. Fort William fully righted and alongside.
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More to come....
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