HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180

 

Gate Vessel

 


 

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180

 

Laid down: 16 May 1950

Launched: 22 Nov 1950

Commissioned: 05 Dec 1951

Paid off: 31 Mar 1996

Fate: Sold to private interests. Sunk as an artificial reef 29 Apr 2004

 

Built by George T. Davie & Sons Ltd., Lauzon, Que, Porte St. Jean was commissioned on 05 Dec 1951. Named after the gate of the French fortifications at Quebec City and Louisbourg, they were designed specifically to operate the gates in anti-submarine booms, but served primarily as training vessels in peace-time. Porte St. Jean was paid off on 31 Mar 1996.

 

Specifications on completion: Displacement: 420 tons full load, Length: 125 ft, Beam: 26.3 ft, Draught: 13 ft, Speed: 11 kts, Complement: 3 officers, 20 men, Armament: 1-40mm.  The 40mm was later removed.

 

From Shipfax by Mac Mackay:  PORTE ST JEAN ended up at the Derecktor Shipyard in the Fort Lauderdale FL area of Dania Beach, and may have been owned by the yard's founder, the late Robert Derecktor. After his death in 2001 work on converting the ship to a yacht was suspended. One photo has been located showing the work in progress, with the deckhouse removed and the start of a new flying bridge type wheelhouse. On April 29, 2004 the ship was taken to sea and sunk as an artificial fish reef and dive site. Tracing the ship was difficult because it had been renamed (perhaps unofficially) Miss Dania Beach. Its location is in Broward County at 26 degrees 08.605 minutes N x 80 degrees 05.502 minutes West in 71 feet of water. A plaque on shore points to the Bob Derecktor Memorial Reef.

 


 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos         The Ship's Bell

 

RCN Memories:  Adrift on Lake Ontario

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

Cdr Leo Ian MacDonald - dates of command unknown

 

Lt Norman W. Fox-Decent, RCN(R) - 1963

 

Lt Norman W. Fox-Decent, RCN(R) - 1964

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

Butler, Rick

Gagnon, Pierre Paul - Summer 1971

King, T. Michael, OS (NR)

McLeod, Ken, RM

Medford, Gary - 1965

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180 - undated

 

DND / RCN PHOTO

Articles on the summer training cruise on the Great Lakes by HMCS PORTE ST JEAN, HMCS PORTE ST LOUIS and HMCS SCATARI

 

The Windsor Star, Sat., 11 Jul 1964

 

Courtesy of Ken McLeod

Page 4 continuation of the above article "The Navy's In"

 

The Windsor Star, Sat., 11 Jul 1964

 

Courtesy of Ken McLeod

 

HMCS Porte St Louis 183 ahead, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180 foreground

UNTD Training Cruise May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Bridge of HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180 (foreground), followed by HMCS PORTE ST LOUIS 183 and HMCS SCATARI 514

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Gary Medford climbing out of the hatch on HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Gary Medford posing in Forward Mess of HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180

Behind the ladder is the hatch to the Main Mess where the hammocks are slung

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Deck evolution, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Main Mess, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, with space for a dozen or so hammocks, one of which is still slung. Officer Cadet A. Hoole, Winnipeg closet to ladder

The Rope ladder connects with the round hatch in the picture below

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

UNTD Officer Cadets Pete Crocker, R. French, H. (Hubey) Hillier all from Newfoundland

The hatch in front of them leads down to the Main Mess deck (see photo above)

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Officer Cadets D. (Hinker) Hicks (left) and Pete Crocker both from Nfld in forward mess, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, which contained a few bunks

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

M. Holland (front) , Victoria and D. Hicks, Nfldin forward mess (with bunks), HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Gary Peak, Winnipeg and A. Brown, Victoria peel potatoes while cooky inspects Fort Henry, Kingston, ON.

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, Kingston, ON, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

L-R:  J.Hearn, Nfld;  Jones, GaryMedford, Montreal;  I. Keighley, BC on the quarterdeck of HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, Kingston, ON, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Breakfast in the Main Mess, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Lunch in the Main Mess, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965. Note the mik bars for slinging your hammock (mik)

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

FN practice on HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965. Target being towed by HMCS PORTE ST LOUIS 183

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Upper deck area on HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, May 1965.  Lt Wooten facing hatch

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180 alongside HMCS CATARAQUI, Kingston, ON, Jun 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Cook hamming it up in the galley on HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, Jun 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, Great Lakes, Jun 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Yeoman on the quarterdeck, cook with his back to the camera, HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180, Jun 1965

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

Anchor windlass compartment on HMCS PORTE ST JEAN 180

From the collection of Gary Medford

Courtesy of Gary Medford

HMCS PORTE ST LOUIS and HMCS PORTE ST JEAN visit Rochester, NY, USA

 

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Sat., 04 Sep 1965

 

Courtesy of Ken McLeod

 

HMCS PORTE STE LOUIS 183 and HMCS PORTE STE JEAN 180

Gate Vessels Visit Picton

The Picton Gazette, 12 Jul 1967

 

photo 1

photo 2

photo 3

(1)  Two Naval Vessels to Lake Ontario Cement Dock - Picton Gazette 07 Jul 1967  (2) Ships Visit Is Huge Success - The Picton Gazette, 12 Jul 1967  (3) HMCS PORTE ST JEAN and HMCS PORTE ST LOUIS Open to Visitors - The Picton Gazette, 14 Jul 1967

 

Researched by / Courtesy of John Lyons

 

Pierre Paul Gagnon from HMCS DONNACONA on board HMCS PORTE ST JEAN for Summer training - 1971

 

Courtesy of Pierre Gagnon

Article on the MV Miss Dania Beach (formerly HMCS PORTE ST JEAN) being sunk as an artificial reef off Dania Beach, Florida

 

Source: Facebook page for "M/V Miss Dania Beach Artificial Reef"

 


 

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