CFB Esquimalt

Coordinates: 48°25′52″N 123°25′54″W / 48.43111°N 123.43167°W / 48.43111; -123.43167
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CFB Esquimalt - former Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard
Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada
Canadian naval ships docked at CFB Esquimalt
Coordinates48°25′52″N 123°25′54″W / 48.43111°N 123.43167°W / 48.43111; -123.43167
TypeNaval base
Site information
Controlled byCanadian Forces
Site history
Built1860 to present
In use1842-present
Garrison information
GarrisonMaritime Forces Pacific
Orca (PCT 55) cruises among the Gulf Islands, 1 August 2007

Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters.

The base occupies approximately 41 square kilometres (10,000 acres) at the southern tip of Vancouver Island on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in and around the municipality of Esquimalt, British Columbia, just west of the provincial capital, Victoria.

CFB Esquimalt comprises facilities including Naden (formerly HMCS Naden) [1], Her Majesty's Canadian (HMC) Dockyard Esquimalt, Fleet Maintenance Facility - Cape Breton (FMF-CB), a Fire Fighting and Damage Control School, the Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC Venture), and extensive housing including 716 personnel married quarters located at nine sites such as Belmont Park, Work Point, and Royal Roads.

The present dockyard and drydock, known as Her Majesty's Canadian (HMC) Dockyard Esquimalt, dates to the Royal Navy's Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard (1842–1905) and was the Royal Navy's Pacific Station until 1911 square riggers; Today it serves as the Canadian Naval Headquarters in the Pacific.

Ships

As of July 2009, CFB Esquimalt services the following ships assigned to Canadian Pacific Fleet

Other facilities

CFB Esquimalt operates its a harbour ferry service (the Blue Boat) and bus services to provide intra-base transportation.

The Naval and Military Museum is located at HMCS Naden.[3] Building 20 (c. 1891), part of Naden Museum Square is a Municipal Heritage Property on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.[4] Building 37 (c. 1889) part of the Naden Museum Square is also a Municipal Heritage Property and is also on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.[5] HMCS Naden was named after the Dominion Government Ship Naden, which was commissioned as a tender for the Royal Naval College of Canada from 1918 to 22 for training in sail. [6]

The Lookout is the base newspaper, which covers local, national and international news with specific interest to Navy and Canadian Forces members and family issues.[7]

Other properties that are part of CFB Esquimalt include the Albert Head training area near Albert Head, Metchosin, located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) by road southwest of downtown Victoria. It occupies approximately 88 hectares (220 acres), 4 of which are developed as training facilities. Fort Albert Head was established during World War II to provide shore defence for the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Victoria Harbour. The training area is used for Regular and Reserve Force training throughout nine months of the year year and is home to the Regional Cadet Instructor School (Pacific) that trains Canadian Forces Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) Branch that deliver the cadet program. During the summer months of June, July and August the area houses the Albert Head Air Cadet Summer Training Centre. Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Range at Nanoose Bay is also part of CFB Esquimalt. The facility provides non-explosive technical testing of sonobouys, torpedoes and other equipment. Naval Radio Station Aldergrove in the Fraser Valley houses transmitting and receiving equipment for long distance communications.

See also

Nearby naval facilities

Historical background

References

  1. ^ Naden lost its "HMCS" designation in unification when all RCN shore establishments became part of the CF Base system. "Canada - National Defence: CFB Esquimalt - History"
  2. ^ "Canadian Navy: MARPAC - Maritime Forces Pacific - Esquimalt Harbour". 13 December 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
  3. ^ "CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum Home Page". Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  4. ^ "HistoricPlaces.ca - Listing - Naden Museum Square, Building 20". Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  5. ^ "HistoricPlaces.ca - Listing - Naden Museum Square, Building 37". Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  6. ^ Reference: Esquimalt Naval Base: A History of Its Works and Its Defences, by Major F.V. Longstaff, 1941,
  7. ^ "The Look-Out". Retrieved 2010-02-21.

External links

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