HMCS Windsor crew welcomed home at Halifax waterfront

HMCS Windsor returns home Friends and family of the HMCS Windsor crew gathered at the Halifax waterfront on Tuesday to welcome the sailors home.

Families and friends gathered on the jetty at the Navy dockyard in Halifax Tuesday afternoon to welcome HMCS Windsor home.

"It's exciting. He missed her first birthday and first steps so it's exciting to see him come home," said one sailor’s family member.

The only submarine on Canada's East Coast was deployed overseas as part of the multi-nation joint exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2016.

During the exercise, submarines travelled from one point to another, while surface vessels tried to track them down and simulate an attack.

"We actually extended them after Dynamic Mongoose, and so when there was a requirement to say, ‘can you provide a submarine,’ we're in a position to say, ‘absolutely.’ We've got a phenomenal capability that we can put in NATO's disposal," said Royal Canadian Navy Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd.

HMCS Windsor was at sea for more than 50 days, but not without running into some obstacles.

"We had a small problem with one of the engines,” said HMCS Windsor Commanding Officer Peter Chu. “The DND staff here in Halifax did an outstanding job getting things back ready, getting us out the door in very, very quick time."

For now, sailors will enjoy what's left of the summer with family and friends before heading out to sea again in a month's time.

"One of the things that just amplified why I want to join the subs was just the comradery with the crew. We're very close knit. It really helped make the trip ease along,” said sailor Anders Berglund.

In September, Maritime Forces Atlantic will host international exercise Cutlass Fury. Windsor will be joined by other Halifax-based warships along with those from NATO and allied nations.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau.