HMCS CORMORANT is the second Canadian Ship, and twelfth overall to bear the name since 1757. She distinguished herself in support of battles such as the Plains of Abraham, American War of Independence, the French Revolution and the China War, where the expression, "Blood is thicker than water" grew from her efforts which were in vain.
The name CORMORANT ideally suits this vessel in her role as a Canadian Naval Diving Vessel. Cormorants are excellent divers, at home in both salt and fresh water, and are known for their wariness and alertness to danger.
The vessel, originally named "ASPA QUARTO", was purchased from Italy and brought to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in mid 1975. Then late in 1977 she was turned over to the Davie Shipbuilding Co., Lauzon, Québec, refitted and converted as a submarine support diving vessel and commissioned in November 1978 as "HMCS CORMORANT".
DISPLACEMENT: 2350 Tons
LENGTH:
245 FT (74.7 meters)
BEAM:
39.4 FT (12 meters)
DRAUGHT:
18 FT (5.5 meters)
COMPLEMENT: 10 Officers,
70 Crew
DIVING SYSTEMS
SDL-1 (Submersible Diving Lockout - 1) SDL-1 has a capability of operating at depths of up to 2000 ft (610 meters) for a period of up to 6 hours. It is designed to accommodate and lock out 2 divers, to a maximum depth of 1000 ft (305 meters).
Open Diving Bell
Operating up to 300 ft (91.5 meters), it is a surface supported diving
system, where the Diver's life support (while in the Bell) is provided
directly from the ship.
Recompression Chamber
A standard recompression chamber for decompression treatment. It will support
a maximum of 6 people.
The submersible endurance is governed by its battery capacity and, in no way, approaches that of its larger sister, the submarine. Whereas the latter travels from place to place under its own power, the submersible is transported by CORMORANT and only enters the water when its services are required.
The handling system fitted is a hydraulically powered, overstern launch and recovery system. It was designed by Vickers Oceanic Ltd., specially for launching and recovering of submersibles. Its efficiency has been proved operationally over almost a decade, before being chosen by the Canadian Department of National Defence.
A very accurate underwater sound tracking system is used to track the submersible, so its precise location, is always known. Operations with the submersible can be carried out in conditions of up to sea state 5, with winds of up to 30 knots. The CORMORANT carries modern surface navigation radars, direction finders and precise echo sounders.
The communication facilities are telephony and telegraphy on HF/VHF/UHF frequencies (either Military or Commercial). A Facsimile is borne, as an aid to the Navigator, for maps and charts. Ship to submersible communications is conducted by VHF telephony while on the surface, or by underwater telephone, when submerged.
Ship's propulsion is accomplished by 3 Diesel Generators, connected electrically to 2 main motors, which in turn drive a single, variable pitch, constant speed propeller. Shaft horsepower is 1900 maximum. The ship has a cruising speed of 12 Knots, a range of 10,000 miles (nautical), and an endurance factor of 90 days.
CORMORANT's unique capabilities have been employed in projects as diverse as retrieving evidence from a military air crashes off the East and West of Canada, assisting with both fresh-and-salt water fisheries research, and containing oil leakage from a sunken barge off Prince Edward Island. CORMORANT has played a substantial role assisting RCMP counter-drug operations by locating and recovering millions of dollars worth of narcotics, such as cocaine, plus vital evidence from submerged caches and deliberately scuttled drug-running ships off the East Coast.
HMCS Cormorant, was decommissioned from service, on the second of July,
1997, and is currently for sale, complete with SDL submersible. The crew
has been transfered to other ships and shore units.