Freedom Cruises St. Lawrence Seaway
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS081126-36
Release Date: 11/26/2008 12:18:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Kenneth R. Hendrix, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs
MONTRÉAL (NNS) -- Crew members aboard the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) completed a rather challenging and difficult voyage known as the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System before arriving in Montreal Nov. 20.
Freedom sailed through the portion of the system that extends from Montreal to mid-Lake Erie. The whole seaway extends for 2,340 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the head of the Great Lakes.
The ship transited through a serious of locks, 13 Canadian and two U.S., escorted by a tug boat for every lock. Each lock measures at 740 feet long, 80 feet wide and 30 feet deep over the sill.
A 28 mile section of the seaway, known as the Welland Canal, which links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, was the first challenge for the crew to conquer, said Freedom Operations Officer Lt. Cmdr. Rich Jarrett.
"The deck crew is doing about ten things simultaneously," Jarrett said. "This includes raising and lowering fenders, as the ship's position in the lock changes in an overall effort to keep her centered."
A lock fills with approximately 24 million gallons of water in a matter of seven to ten minutes. It can take 45 minutes to get through one lock at a time.
"You have in flows and out flows of water associated with the lock, along with current in the river that's pushing the ship in our case into the lock," Jarrett said. "Freedom has quite a bit of sail area; therefore ten knots of wind can affect you substantially. Where with another ships that come through here you may not feel it as much."
With the help of the crew, Jarrett successfully maneuvered Freedom through the Welland Canal with ease.
"I can't get over how well the crew has come together," Jarrett said. "It's been an all hands evolution for every single one of these locks. This was first for many of the Sailors to go through a canal system and their fender and line handling techniques looked like they've been doing this seasonally."
Mineman 1st Class (SW) Christian Siangco, the petty officer in charge of foc'sle, said this was the second time he has gone through a canal. During a previous tour, he transited through the Panama Canal. Siangco commented that Saint Lawrence Seaway locks were much more difficult.
"When going through the Panama [Canal], you actually have a trolley pulling you through," Siangco said. "You don't have to worry about manning fenders to keep the ship from rubbing up against the sides of the canal, as opposed to here we had to hand tend all the lines."
Siangco also said his biggest challenge was being able to manage his team of Sailors.
"When you try to hold a ship with just two guys on line is very challenging and difficult," Siangco said. "But everything in the end worked out smoothly."
Chief Damage Controlman Craig Colman, one of the mooring line holders, said even though he has been in the Navy for over 12 years that ride through the locks was a big lessons learned for him.
"Today we showed the Navy that the three years of training they put us through gave us the ability to do what we did, and that we can do this," Cole said.
After the Welland Canal, Freedom headed into the Thousand Islands, a cluster of 1,800 islands at the head of the river before encountering five more locks into Montréal. Jarrett said he was overwhelmed by the beauty of the islands, because of all the green and richly wooded areas.
"If I didn't have other things to do, I would just sit up on the bridge all day and watch the scenery go by," Jarrett said. "It's incredible to see a part of the world I might not ever be able to see again, and it's very energizing."
For more news from U.S. Fleet Forces Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/clf/.
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