HMCS Chaleur

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Dan Keller recounts:

In 2007, I met (and got a tour from) its owner, Laura Bertone, and am cherished friends with its Chief Engineer, Michael Stocker. Chaleur had about half the gross tonnage of Lucid but was actually seaworthy. They sailed her from Canada -- quite a perilous journey -- to the SF Bay where she was moored for a few years at Treasure Island. Received a special dispensation (mooring) because her huge generators served as emergency backup power for the island in case of the Big One. They did a loving restoration.

Here is a little more info: wikipedia: HMCS Chaleur (MCB 164).

Michael Stocker recounts:

Laura bought her moored in a Canadian Navy trial basin on Victoria Canada. Contrary to what's written at Wikipedia, Chaleur was not being dismantled, and came with 20,000 gallons of diesel, which Laura could have sold for what she bought her for.

We buffed her up for a couple of weeks -- I restored the three communication systems on board, and as we were getting ready to sail the Chief EE had a family emergency and I became the Chief EE as we set forth from Victoria to Treasure Island. So no, it was not scrapped and towed.

We set off on Friday afternoon because a Force 5 Gale was coming in from the north, and we didn't know how long it was going to dog us if we stayed. And it crept up on us as we headed south to the point where we were really wet with 18ft south-bound swells at 11 seconds. Messy. We were still in it as we passed by the Columbia River Delta outflow. Even at 250 miles offshore it was a nasty washing machine.

Laura thought this was going to be a smooth cruise and provided all sorts of food and drink. But everyone on the boat was seasick except for the two diesel engineers and myself -- because we were too terrified to be sick.

As you know, the wheelhouses of minesweepers are really high for visuals, so those who were taking turns at the helm were subjected to even more wicked torments at 40 feet above the waterline. But when I was up there speaking with the Captain or helms person, agreed that from my station below, I would report regularly to the helm. If they did not hear from me in five minutes, they were to stop the ship until they had established communications with me.

Fortunately we never had to stop the ship, because had anyone fallen overboard, they would have lasted maybe 10-15 minutes before hypothermia killed them. (The water off Oregon was 46 degrees F.)

Laura moored her on Treasure Island. I did not hear about the generator deal, but her mooring fee was $700/month which included water, electricity and sewage services. So for $100,000 and $700/month she had a really exquisite home with a fabulous view for a few years. It was also a blessing that she found a couple of retired navy men who had worked on similar vessels and who took to restoring her as a retirement hobby -- only wanting to take her out on the Bay for a few social occasions in exchange.

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