Safer waters ahead: New Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue lifeboat Mira Bay welcomed into service in Cape Breton

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Mira Bay was officially welcomed into service during a ceremony at the Canadian Coast Guard Academy in Westmount on Thursday morning. JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Jeremy FraserArticle contentThe Canadian Coast Guard welcomed its newest vessel into service on Thursday morning.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentCanadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Mira Bay officially went into service in front of an estimated 100 people during a ceremony at the Canadian Coast Guard Academy in Westmount.Article contentArticle contentMira Bay is the last of 20 bay class search and rescue lifeboats that have been delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard and will be stationed in the short-term out of Louisbourg.Article contentArticle content“Mira Bay is unique in that it serves no one community in Atlantic Canada but will rather be used throughout the region where it is needed and will be operated by many skilled and dedicated crews,” said Trevor Hodgson, senior director of fleet for the Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic Region.Article content Trevor Hodgson, senior director of fleet for the Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic Region, speaks to a crowd of around 100 people during a ceremony to officially welcome the newest vessel, Mira Bay, into service at the Canadian Coast Guard Academy in Westmount on Thursday. The vessel will be used for search and rescue. JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Jeremy FraserArticle contentOverall, 14 search and rescue vessels are located in Atlantic Canada. Each has four crew members who are on site in a residence near their respective search and rescue stations.Article contentIn Atlantic Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard receives more than 2,000 search and rescue calls every year. The coast guard responds to various calls including missing people at sea or along the coastline, boats in distress and broken down as well as medevac for boats.Article content“We never really know what we’re going to see, and we just respond as best as we can,” said Adam Costello, commanding officer of the Mira Bay.Article content“We get medevac off of cruise ship taking someone to Sydney hospital and there’s some tow jobs in there during lobster season where vessels break down in the area and we tow them in.”Article contentArticle contentThe Mira Bay is a high-endurance search and rescue lifeboat built by Hike Metal Products Ltd., in Wheatley, Ont. The vessel was delivered and accepted last November to the Canadian Coast Guard.Article contentThe spacious 62-foot vessel can go as fast as 25 knots and as far as 120 nautical miles – 222.24 kilometres – offshore.Article content“If it ends up in some difficult weather and waves, even if the vessel were to turnover, it will come right back up – it’s built that way that it can continue to operate and get home,” said Hodgson.Article content“The core mandate of the Canadian Coast Guard really is to keep the waters safe along with enabling shipping and keeping our water ways clear. Having these (search and rescue) stations and crews throughout Atlantic Canada, a lot of them are from the community they serve and are able to go and help save the lives of people from that community.”Article content Keptin Stephen Augustine, hereditary chief and vessel sponsor, left, prepares to break a bottle on the bow of the Mira Bay, the newest search and rescue vessel in the Canadian Coast Guard fleet during a ceremony at the Canadian Coast Guard Academy in Westmount on Thursday. JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Jeremy FraserArticle contentCostello has had nothing but positive feedback about the new vessels.Article content“We really love these new vessels,” said Costello. “They’re much more like bigger vessels in their handling and maneuvering. They have a lot of power, they go 25 knots so we can get out pretty quick, and their much more comfortable and we very much enjoy that.”