In the belly of the boat: aboard CCGS Des Groseilliers

The chief engineer of the CCGS Des Groseilliers, Martin Bérard, left, speaks to second engineer Roby Ruel on Aug. 10 below deck. The Des Groseilliers will remain in Frobisher Bay outside Iqaluit until mid-August. After that, the ship will head further north to Nanisivik, the Eureka weather station, and Kugaaruk before returning to its home port of Quebec City in mid-October. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

The CCGS Des Groseilliers, an icebreaker whose home port is in Quebec City, lies off Iqaluit in Frobisher Bay Aug. 10. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

The chief engineer of the CCGS Des Groseilliers, Martin Bérard, peers upwards inside the engine room during a media tour provided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Aug. 10. The ship’s six engines are capable of providing over 13,000 horsepower of thrust and a maximum speed of 16 knots. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

One of the first things you’ll notice when you climb aboard the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Des Groseilliers — and go below into the belly of the icebreaker — is how easy it is to get lost in the maze of narrow passageways.

You’ll also notice the steep and narrow steps between the many floors, and how hard it is to keep up with those who have “found their sea legs.”

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans invited media aboard the CCGS Des Groseilliers, currently anchored in Frobisher Bay just outside Iqaluit, on Aug. 10.

Captain René Hardy, with 25 years of experience in Arctic waters, hosted an information session in the captain’s quarters before handing reporters off to different crew members for tours and interviews.

But Hardy navigated those ladders and passageways so quickly, I soon found myself lost and alone, exploring the nooks and crannies of a ship that some 30-odd crew members call home for six weeks at a time.

I stumbled upon a surprisingly roomy bathroom, a nursing station and laundry facilities while lost in passageways that all looked the same and were lined with paintings that seemed to come from a hotel sale.

Some hallways had doors cut-out on either bulkhead, curtains drawn across the door frame, and little placards that read “Personal Residence” and “Quiet Please.”

Hardy eventually found me and led me first to the ship’s chief engineer for a tour of the engine rooms below deck, and then to the logistics officer for an interview.

A constant whirr filled the engine rooms and work spaces below deck where the ship’s six engines are housed, giving the ship more than 13,000 horsepower of thrust and speeds of up to 16 knots.

Marine engineers and mechanics busied themselves at work tables, including one young engineer, recently graduated from the Coast Guard College in Sydney, Halifax, who said he was welding parts for the ship’s grey water system and on-board water distiller.

The crew’s fresh water comes from a distiller that turns salt water into fresh water, the young engineer explained, meeting the daily needs of 80 people.

Back above deck, sitting in the officers’ lounge, logistics officer Julie Castonguay talked about life at sea.

“Of course we can use as much water as we need, but we try to conserve,” she said.

As logistics officer, Castonguay said she’s responsible for managing the ship’s stewards, cooks and extensive inventory.

“What I like about my job is that it’s varied. I’ll order food like berries, and also protective wear for the crew, paint for the ship or get contractors for minor maintenance,” she said.

Castonguay said she’s never been seasick but when the weather is rough, everything must be secured.

“In rough waters, it’s very easy to cut yourself [in the kitchen], so you make very easy stuff. And you don’t fill up your sauce or the soup too much.”

Although she works 12-hour days herself, the officer said she’ll give the ship’s head cook a break sometimes by cooking a meal for the crew — otherwise the cook works seven days a week.

The Des Groseilliers leaves its home in Quebec for Arctic waters for about 18 weeks, Castonguay said, with a fresh crew flown to the ship every six weeks, along with a fresh supply of perishable food.

Is six weeks long enough for cabin fever to set in?

I’m happy when I go home, but six weeks is okay,” Castonguay said. “Ideal would be four weeks, but we’re not there yet,” she laughed.

After a cigarette break on the lower deck in an unofficial smoking spot for crew where a “no smoking” sign hangs, I find myself lost again in the labyrinth of hallways.

One crew member points to the onboard bar, which is open for two hours a night but isn’t open to the whole crew.

“Some people aren’t happy about that,” the crew member says.

Another crew member points out a popular piece of artwork, which the crew member says is often joked about.

The picture shows a woman sitting in a rigid pose, with a no-nonsense look on her face. A placard beneath the picture identifies her as Mary Pépin who christened the Des Groseilliers in 1981.

Back in the captain’s office, Hardy says his vessel has three main missions in Arctic waters: to assert Canada’s sovereignty; to provide search and rescue efforts; and to provide icebreaking services.

The ship’s voyage, which began July 27 from its home port in Quebec City and will end in mid-October, will include three trips from Nanisivik on north Baffin Island to the Kitikmeot community of Kugaaruk to escort cargo.

The Des Groseilliers will also deliver fuel and cargo to the Eureka weather station in the High Arctic.

Crew members stand of the aft deck of the Des Groseilliers to pose for a photo. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)