HMCS Fredericton

I was pleased to attend the Naval Officers Association of Canada (NOAC) - Toronto Branch reception on the flight deck of HMCS Fredericton this past Saturday evening, especially since it gave me the opportunity to spend some time with Chris Taylor and his better half. Funds raised at the reception will be put towards a scholarship fund, and so it was a worthwhile event from another standpoint as well.

Many thanks to Lt(N) Paul Hong for the invitation, to SLt Michel Lebouthillier (apologies if I didn't spell that correctly from memory) for providing a surprisingly extensive and detailed tour of the ship, and to LCdr Al Fry, formerly of Margaritaville and currenly XO of the ship, and the kind fellow who tasked the diligent SLt to take us on the tour. It pays to have old dirt on folks with clout.

We couldn't have had a more beautiful night to stroll around on deck, and the Fredericton was...yes, I have to say it...in ship-shape form. Hopefully, lit up like she was at night, or flags flying like she was during the day, she attracted a lot of potential recruits - which is the real intent of driving around the Great Lakes anyhow.