HALIFAX - Loud cries of "hip, hip hooray" rose above Halifax's storied harbour Tuesday as the Queen sailed on a Canadian frigate past a flotilla of international ships during a ceremony that harkened back to the days of wartime convoys.
Hundreds of sailors cheered, saluted and swirled their white caps as Queen Elizabeth stood on the deck of HMCS St. John's and waved to crew aboard more than two dozen ships anchored in the harbour for an international fleet review.
The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, rose each time they passed by the frigates, destroyers and an aircraft carrier and smiled as sailors sang out their cheers.
"This ship has done a great deal of preparation as have they all and it's very nice to have the day come off as an absolute success," Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden, commander of Canada's navy, said aboard St. John's, which carried the Queen and other dignitaries through the harbour.
"It has been quite a while since we've had her, so this really means a great deal to us."
The Queen sailed past columns of ships from Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, the United States, Brazil and the United Kingdom to mark the Canadian navy's 100th birthday.
The rare scene was reminiscent of wartime Halifax, when vessels massed in the harbour before heading overseas in convoys.
Sitting under a white awning on the port side of the frigate, the Queen chatted often with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter, their wives, and Prince Philip during the almost two-hour sailpast.
She sat with a royal blue fleece blanket on her lap as a biting wind swept through the harbour.
A 21-gun salute from HMCS Charlottetown signalled the start of the fleet review, a tradition dating back to the 1700s when British royalty saw fleets off to war.
The Queen briefly toured the ship's bridge with the prime minister as the warship sailed under the city's two bridges and past the British aircraft carrier Ark Royal, the USS Wasp, an imposing American assault ship, and the Canadian submarine HMCS Corner Brook.
Hundreds of people, including construction workers atop buildings, children and navy personnel, lined the waterfront to wave, cheer and sing God Save the Queen as her ship sailed past.
Ann Clarke, 75, of Bristol, England, was one of the many onlookers who came to the waterfront to watch the spectacle.
Clarke, who described herself as a staunch monarchist, said the fleet review was a great event, although hard to see in the gloomy overcast.
"It would be nice if the sun was shining, which we haven't seen much of since we've been here," she said.
Jane Henson said it was important for her to view an event that would add to the city's rich naval history.
"They (the ships) are very impressive -- it is really great to see them," said Henson.
Sea King helicopters and a Cormorant buzzed overhead as the Queen disembarked for the unveiling of two plaques commemorating the navy's centennial and Canada's naval memorial, HMCS Sackville.
Murray Knowles, a retired navy lieutenant-commander from Halifax, presented the duke with a tie from the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust after displaying the plaque for the Sackville, the last of 120 Royal Canadian Navy corvettes that served during the Second World War.
The corvettes played a key role in protecting convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic, one of the longest campaigns of the war.
"I'm deeply honoured to have met the Queen on this occasion," said Knowles, 94, who served six years aboard corvettes and minesweepers during the war.
Andre Rousseau, who served on corvettes and torpedo boats during the war, said he had a quick word with the duke, who asked why he wasn't wearing a medal for the Battle of the Atlantic.
"Well I said I served more in Europe, so I said if you look closely ... I have the little bar," he said during an interview on the jetty. "He's got a sharp eye. I didn't think he was going to notice, but he did."
Rousseau said he was moved by the Queen's presence.
"For us it was out of this world to have her here because she's such a nice person and she represents Canada as well as her own country," he said.
Before the fleet inspection, the Queen -- who wore a blue straw hat wrapped in a band of white ribbon, and a white silk coat with blue bows on the sleeves and pockets -- attended an official luncheon at Canadian Forces Base Halifax. She also wore a white bow-shaped brooch, set in blue sapphires and diamonds, that belonged to the Queen Mother.
Outside, sailors in their dress whites and children with flowers waited for the 84-year-old Queen's arrival.
The fleet review is one of the highlights of the Queen's 22nd visit to Canada, which will take her to Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Waterloo, Ont., over nine days.
Canada's aerobatic team, the Snowbirds, was scheduled to be part of a multination flypast that was to include vintage aircraft and Hornet fighter jets. But poor visibility on a misty day in Halifax caused the flypast to be cancelled.
Fleet reviews were originally done as a show of military strength.
Princess Margaret conducted the first fleet review in Canada in July 1958 to mark British Columbia's centenary, and 11 months later the Queen reviewed Canadian and American warships near Montreal at the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Queen Elizabeth reviewed 30 ships and submarines of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax harbour later in 1959.
The Defence Department says a fleet review was held on the east and west coasts in 1985 to mark the navy's 75th year.
The Queen and Prince Philip attended a reception Tuesday night that showcased Nova Scotia culture through musical performances.
The Queen walked along a red carpet that stretched the length of the large waterfront hall, stopping periodically to chat with some of the 1,500 invited guests.
Dexter told the crowd that the Queen's visit would be cherished for years to come.
"The importance of the monarchy to Nova Scotia has been apparent in the thousands of delighted faces I have witnessed during this historic tour," the premier said.
Anna Ludlow, a 27-year-old fiddler with the group Drum, said she was extremely nervous as she waited to perform.
"But she has a very unique presence and so when she came, everything fell into place and it was amazing," she said.
