A happy homecoming for their families and friends!
After 126 days away on their Indo-Pacific deployment, the Royal Canadian Navy ships are returning to Victoria on Monday, December 18th, and you can be there to welcome them.
The homecoming event will bring in His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMC Ships) Vancouver and Ottawa, and Motor Vessel (MV) Asterix, as well as nearly 500 sailors and aircrew arrive—all greeted by eager friends, family, and VIPs awaiting on the jetty.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Mme Marie-France Lalonde will also be present to welcome the ships and their crew home.
Although you won’t be able to get up close and personal with the returning sailors, you’ll still be able to secure great vantage points to get a full view of the ships as they come in.
For the best viewpoint, head to Esquimalt Lagoon or the Fisgard Lighthouse and await their grand re-entry onto the island!
Their ships will pass Duntze Head—which is in line with the Fisgard Lighthouse—around 7:45 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
If you’re viewing from Esquimalt Lagoon, you can expect to see the ships just prior to the above times, so plan accordingly based on where you’ll be!
If you can’t make it down but you still want to watch, they will be livestreaming the event on the Royal Canadian Navy Facebook page as well as their Instagram page.
Curious about the Indo-Pacific deployment? You can read more about it on their website, here.
