Navy vessel and crew return to CFB Esquimalt for holidays after historic deployment

A Royal Canadian Navy crew is back at CFB Esquimalt, just in time for the holidays.

Royal Canadian Navy members aboard HMCS Max Bernays have returned to a crowd of family and friends at CFB Esquimalt, following a historic four-month deployment.

“The ship travelled north in the Arctic, farther north than any ship in Canadian Navy history, and really demonstrated our continued ability to operate in that really important theatre for Canada,” says R. Adm. David Patchell, commander of Maritime Forces Pacific.

The partner of HMCS Max Bernays’ commanding officer says he’s proud of the work that was done. Although his focus Friday was entirely on the reunion of family.

“We’re obviously exceedingly excited to receive mommy back,” says Ben Seaby. “It’s kind of old hat for us in a way. This is not the first deployment. She’s been away and so with each time in some ways it’s easier. And in some ways it’s also a bit challenging now that we know kind of what’s in store as a military family.”

CO Nadia Shields signalled to her kids they could come over soon after she stepped off the ship – and they ran into her arms for hugs.

“(It) feels really good. It feels like I’m not going to have the bed myself tonight,” she says.

The holiday homecoming brings back 96 RCN members.

“Up along the coast, especially off Oregon, we had some more intense sea states. So it definitely feels a lot more stable now and there’s nothing quite like feeling Canadian ground under your feet,” says Sgt. Nick Richards.

He got to disembark first and share the coveted first kiss with his wife.

“Some people waste their time practicing being good at things, but honestly you never lose by being too lucky. So when it’s a draw, that’s all you’ve got,” he says. “(I’ve) been waiting for this moment for all too long.”

“It’s going to be nice to have him home,” adds his wife Holly.

The groundbreaking deployment also included work in the Indo-Pacific region for Operation Horizon.

“I can’t be more proud of the ship, of the crew,” says Patchell. “And I know we need to do more. I know we need to have more ships in all three of Canada’s oceans at all time. We need to be ready. We need to be present and we need to be pertinent.”

On Aug. 29, HMCS Max Bernays reached a latitude of 81° North.

“It is incredible. It is barren. It is breathtaking. It is ice as far as the eye can see,” says Shields. “And I would say that the Arctic is something that we definitely need to protect.”