CCGS Provo Wallis Goes West

On May 8th, 2006, the CCGS Provo Wallis sailed from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia heading for Pat Bay on Vancouver Island. The picture shows the ship passing through the Gatun Locks, Panama Canal.

The vessel was reactivated from over a 2 year lay-up in December 2005. The main engines and fluid drives had extensive work before the ship was docked at Newdock, St John’s Nfld for regulatory survey.

To help in the southern passage, air conditioning units were installed in the accomodations and engine control room. Temperatures in the accomodations still reached 32*C with the air conditioning working full out! A reverse osmosis water making machine was also installed to provide the vessel with potable water.

The vessel is scheduled to relieve the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier from operational duties, allowing the Canadian Coast Guard to perform vessel life extension upgrades over the next year. When the Laurier returns to active duty, the Provo will once again transit the Panama for the East Coast, relieving the next ship due for life extension.

The vessel is expected to arrive at Pat Bay on June 4th.