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76-501: It is about 50 mi (80 km) in length and between 11 and 18 mi (18 and 29 km) wide. Alert , the world's most northerly permanently inhabited settlement, lies nearby. It was named during the 1871 Polaris Expedition , for American George Robeson , Secretary of the Navy in the Ulysses S. Grant administration. This article about a specific oceanic location or ocean current

152-409: A Coast Guard icebreaker came the following month, when a vital undersea defense cable broke near Thule, Greenland. Although she got underway on short notice and steamed far north to join the other Canadian and American icebreakers in the repair operation, Edisto arrived only to learn that the cable had already been repaired. After her return in early December 1965, Edisto spent the entire winter in

228-613: A building uphill from the DOT's JAWS station to house "High Arctic Long Range Communications Research", or signals intelligence operations. In 1957, Alert Wireless Station was conceived as an intercept facility to be jointly staffed by personnel from the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the RCAF. Five additional buildings were constructed: a mess, three barracks/accommodations buildings, and a power house and vehicle maintenance building, in addition to

304-459: A change-of-command. Since Alert has not been regularly accessible by icebreakers due to heavy ice conditions in the Lincoln Sea , resupply is provided by Royal Canadian Air Force transport aircraft which land at the adjacent Alert Airport . Difficult conditions at such a remote northern location have resulted in several incidents, two of which have involved fatalities: Since the beginning of

380-415: A civilian contractor. The contract was initially awarded to Canadian Base Operators (CBO), a subsidiary of Black & McDonald. In 2012, the contract was won by Nasittuq, a subsidiary of ATCO . In 1975, technicians employed by the weather station began collecting flask samples for a greenhouse gas monitoring program. In 1980, this grew to include the weekly collection of filter-based aerosol samples for

456-472: A double bottom above the waterline with the two "skins" being approximately 15 in (380 mm) apart, insulated with cork . Framing was closely spaced and the entire hull girder was designed for great strength. Edisto ' s bow had the characteristic sloping forefoot that enabled her to ride up on heavy ice and break it with the weight of the vessel. Edisto ' s stern was similarly shaped to facilitate breaking ice while backing down. The sides of

532-622: A marginal astronomical twilight—occurs from November 19 to January 22. USCGC Edisto USS Edisto (AGB-2) was a Wind-class icebreaker in the service of the United States Navy and was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284) . She was named after Edisto Island, South Carolina . The island is named after the Native American Edisto Band who inhabited

608-463: A member of Operation Deep Freeze 61. While operating far south of New Zealand in an attempt to salvage a naval vessel that had broken loose from its moorings, Edisto encountered what was probably the worst storm of her career. With tons of ice loading her topside down, she staggered to regain stability at the end of each long, agonizing roll. Before the storm had blown itself out, Edisto had lost most of her rigging and her starboard propeller. As

684-447: A military signals intelligence radio receiving facility at Canadian Forces Station Alert ( CFS Alert , which includes Alert Airport ), as well as the Dr. Neil Trivett Global Atmosphere Watch Observatory , a co-located weather station and monitoring observatory, both operated by Environment and Climate Change Canada . In the 2021 census , the permanent population was recorded as 0. Alert

760-434: A number of smaller stations would be established by air. The immediate plans contemplated the establishment of weather stations only, but it was thought that a system of weather stations would also provide a nucleus of transportation, communications, and settlements, which would greatly aid programs of research in many other fields of science. It was recognized that ultimate action would depend on international cooperation, since

836-586: A party of federal and Northwest Territories (NWT) government officials arrived in Alert in an attempt to reach the North Pole . Alert had been the embarkation point for many North Pole expeditions that relied on weather information supplied by the weather station there. The 1971 expedition was led by Stu Hodgson , former Commissioner of the Northwest Territories , and included in his party were representatives of

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912-574: A storm by sailing towards Nova Scotia . Chilula took over the towing and headed to Hampton Roads , Virginia and then to the Coast Guard Yard, where the two cutters arrived safely on November 30, 1972. After repairs were finished she was homeported in Baltimore, Maryland and used for icebreaking. Edisto ' s final cruise was a three-phase "Arctic East Summer" (AES) voyage that commenced at Baltimore on July 7, 1974. She first sailed in support of

988-554: A thick as 6 feet (1.8 m). In early October 1972, one of the Mizar ' s engines went out, so Edisto took her in tow, intending to take the research vessel out of the ice. On October 6, 1972, Mizar slipped out of its tow with Edisto and collided with the icebreaker, doing minor damage to Edisto ' s starboard side superstructure . Later, Edisto , due to the heavy ice; lost her starboard propeller and damaged her rudder and starboard shaft. Although Mizar repaired her engine,

1064-592: A training cruise to Greenland , she crossed the Arctic Circle for the first of many times in her career. Upon her return to Boston , Massachusetts, Edisto was assigned to Task Force 39 for the Second Antarctic Development Project. She sailed on November 1, 1947 for a rendezvous via the Panama Canal with USS  Burton Island at American Samoa . Together, they ventured south, becoming

1140-555: A unit of the task force for Operation Deep Freeze 63 in 1962–1963, she spent 131 consecutive days in the ice. During this time, her crew witnessed the breakup of Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd 's Little America III, built in 1940 and 1941. Instead of going south for the 1963–1964 season in the Antarctic, Edisto entered the Boston Naval Shipyard . Then, on June 15, 1963, she departed Boston for military resupply operations in

1216-406: A university co-op student). It is managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada . While Alert has no permanent residents, it has been continuously inhabited since April 1950. This population, while initially small, grew to upwards of 250 in the 1970s and 1980s, before being downsized in the 1990s when information gathering operations were relayed to CFS Leitrim near Ottawa for collation, reducing

1292-515: A variety of data. Except for brief repairs in Boston for replacement of a broken propeller shaft, Edisto continued this grueling grind until September 25, 1948. During December 1948, in company with USS  Hoist , she successfully rescued USS  Whitewood , which had been damaged by ice and had run aground in Tunulliarfik Fjord at Narsaq , Greenland. The next cruise of Edisto to

1368-547: A visit to Alert as part of his campaign to promote Canadian sovereignty in the north . On November 8, 2009, the 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay arrived at Alert via airplane from Churchill , Manitoba , reaching its most northerly point on land. The next day it travelled to Iqaluit . On January 19 and 20, 2015, Governor General David Johnston flew into Alert on a C-17 Globemaster transport from CFB Trenton . He toured Alert, received an overview of its operations, met with civilian and military personnel and presided over

1444-460: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Qikiqtaaluk Region , Nunavut location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Greenland location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Alert, Nunavut Alert , in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut , Canada, is the northernmost continuously inhabited place in

1520-574: Is covered with sea ice for most of the year but the ice pack does move out in the summer, leaving open water. Evaporation rates are also very low, as average monthly temperatures are above freezing only in July and August. Other places on Ellesmere Island are the weather station at Eureka (480 km (300 mi)) and the Inuit community of Grise Fiord , 800 km (500 mi), to the southwest and south, respectively. Siorapaluk (540 km (340 mi) to

1596-424: Is named after HMS  Alert , a British ship that wintered about 10 km (6.2 mi) away in 1875–76. The ship's captain, George Nares , and his crew were the first recorded Europeans to reach the northern end of Ellesmere Island . Over the following decades, several other expeditions passed through the area, most notably Robert Peary during his expedition to reach the North Pole in 1909. Shortly after

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1672-542: Is so low that door handles are covered in electrical tape to prevent static electricity . February is the coldest month of the year with a mean temperature of −33.2 °C (−27.8 °F). The yearly mean, −17.7 °C (0.1 °F), is the second-coldest in Nunavut after Eureka . Snowfall can occur during any month of the year, and the typical year sees no more than five days in a row without frost. Average highs rise above freezing only in mid-June and drop below freezing at

1748-551: The Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, where she underwent major repairs and alterations. Part of the alterations consisted of installations of a new flight deck with a telescopic hangar to house two helicopters which she would carry. The summer of 1966 saw Edisto deployed to the Arctic waters off Greenland and Iceland to participate in "Arctic East Summer" (AES) operations, which entailed the annual resupply of American bases in

1824-551: The International Geophysical Year . From April 16–26, 1959, while en route home, she stopped in Montevideo , Uruguay , which was experiencing disastrous floods. The crew labored many long hours in flood relief work, rescuing 227 persons by helicopter, thereby receiving the personal thanks of the president of Uruguay on their departure. Her next Antarctic trip came during the winter (Antarctic summer) of 1960-1961 as

1900-537: The International Ice Patrol , studying some 35 icebergs of varying sizes and shapes off the west coast of Greenland and the east coast of Baffin Island , Canada. Her crew took aerial, surface, and sonar measurements of bergs to be used by marine scientists to determine their rates of deterioration and drift. As tribute to their wives, some of the crew named the icebergs under study after their loved ones. During

1976-687: The Roly McLenahan Torch that was used to light the flame at Whitehorse , Yukon , for the Canada Winter Games , passed through Alert. While the Canada Games torch was supposed to pass over the North Pole, bad weather prevented a Canadian military Twin Otter from making the trip. The torch did not travel outside Alert that weekend (April 9–12). In August 2006, Prime Minister, Stephen Harper , made

2052-597: The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), died in a crash while making an airdrop of supplies to the station. The last United States personnel were withdrawn on October 31, 1970, and the following year operation of the weather station was transferred to the newly created Department of the Environment , with the Department of Transport retaining control of airfield operations for several more years. In April 1971,

2128-444: The 16th century voyages around the world of Magellan and Drake and has yet to be accomplished by surface vessels of any nation. In 1968 and 1969, Edisto participated in Antarctic polar deployments in support of operations Deep Freeze 69 and Deep Freeze 70. In 1971, as in every summer since she became a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker, Edisto took part in "Arctic East Summer" (AES) operations. From December 1971 to December 1972, she

2204-483: The Antarctic as a unit of the task force for Operation Deep Freeze 65 on an assignment unprecedented in icebreaker history. She had the responsibility for constructing the new Palmer Station for marine biological studies on Anvers Island off the Antarctic Peninsula. No sooner had she accomplished this assignment and returned to Boston, than Edisto was ordered to sail on a polar rescue mission. Drifting south

2280-461: The Antarctic near Cape Hallett , leaving "Edisto Bay" and "Edisto Acres" penguin rookery named in her honor. After her return to Boston the ship was again assigned to Arctic missions, aiding shipping in the Newfoundland and Labrador area for the remainder of 1956 and all of 1957. In December 1958, Edisto departed for Operation Deep Freeze IV. Her work in the Antarctic this time was in support of

2356-536: The Arctic and the advancement of polar sciences. As in the previous winter, Edisto was ordered on an unusual winter penetration into northern Baffin Bay . The vital undersea cable connecting the remote North American defense outposts with the mainland of the United States had broken again. Reaching the break area on December 12, 1966, the icebreaker braved extreme cold, continual darkness, gale winds, and heavy icing until

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2432-645: The Arctic in support of the northern defense outposts and for oceanographic survey work. Before her return to Boston in early October 1965, a message informed her that she would be the first of the United States Navy icebreakers turned over to the United States Coast Guard under the transfer agreement signed between the United States Department of the Treasury and United States Department of

2508-561: The Arctic. While on this cruise, Edisto used Prince Christian Sound instead of rounding Cape Farewell, Greenland probably making her the first US naval vessel to transit this sound since USCGC  Northland in 1941. Before returning to Boston in early October 1964, she picked up ten Navy scientists in Iceland and proceeded to the waters between Greenland and Spitsbergen , Norway to carry out an oceanographic survey between June 25 and August 26. On December 10, 1964, Edisto departed for

2584-490: The Canadian Arctic Aerosol Sampling Network (CAASN). By 1984, the number of ongoing monitoring programs and the amount of experimental research had outgrown the abilities of the weather station to maintain, and plans were made for the construction of a permanent observatory. This observatory, 400 m (1,300 ft) southwest of Lancaster Hall (more commonly known as the far transmitter building),

2660-638: The Icelandic Sea and then, on September 2, 1974, made Reykjavík. Edisto departed Reykjavík on September 5, 1974 and sailed for the Labrador Sea for the third phase of her cruise. Arriving off Cape Farewell, Greenland on September 8, 1974, her crew took 52 "STD Casts" in the Labrador Sea and along the coast of Labrador, Canada. On September 14, 1974 she finished the third phase and began her return journey to Baltimore, arriving there on September 24, 1974. She

2736-606: The JAWS project, the Canadian Armed Forces had been interested in the establishment at Alert for several reasons: the JAWS facility extended Canadian sovereignty over a large uninhabited area which Canada claimed as its sovereign territory, and its proximity to the Soviet Union made it of strategic importance. Alert is closer to Moscow (c. 4,000 km (2,500 mi)) than it is to Ottawa (c. 4,150 km (2,580 mi)). Thus,

2812-577: The Navy . As Edisto sailed south, U.S. Coast Guard officers boarded who would command the vessel following the turnover. On October 20, 1965, Edisto was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard and re-designated as USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284) . The icebreaker was decommissioned by the U.S. Navy, transferred, and immediately commissioned by the Coast Guard at Constitution Wharf, U.S. Coast Guard Base in Boston, Massachusetts. The Coast Guard changed Edisto ' s hull number to WAGB-284. Her first mission as

2888-619: The RCAF officially took responsibility for CFS Alert from Canadian Forces Information Operations Group (CFIOG). On April 13, 2006, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the heating costs for the station had risen, as a consequence of which the military proposed to cut back on support trade positions by using private contractors. By 2008, maintenance operations on the station—including food and housekeeping services, vehicle maintenance, powerplant operation, and heating, electrical, and plumbing—had been transferred to

2964-529: The RCN, RCAF, and Canadian Army to form the Canadian Armed Forces saw Alert Wireless Station change its name to Canadian Forces Station Alert (CFS Alert). Its personnel were no longer drawn from only the air force or navy, but primarily from the Canadian Forces Communications Command. At its peak, CFS Alert had upwards of 215 personnel posted at any one time. The station became a key asset in

3040-410: The break was located and repaired. For their "extremely meritorious service in support of Coast Guard operations" during this emergency, Edisto and her crew were awarded the U.S. Coast Guard Unit Commendation for the period of December 2–22, 1966. In 1967, while in company with USCGC  Eastwind , Edisto made an unsuccessful attempt to circumnavigate the Arctic, a feat that would have rivaled

3116-419: The call for assistance. Fortunately, Edisto managed to work her way through the open leads in the ice while Southwind , with only four of her six engines running was able to reach Mizar , still icebound where it had struck Edisto , and freed her. Southwind then took Edisto in tow, and made for Reykjavík. They arrived on October 23, 1972 and Edisto ' s crew made temporary repairs to her rudder for

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3192-555: The construction of radar stations in the far north. The following year, on August 6, 1950, Edisto set a record for northernmost penetration by reaching latitude 82 degrees North while conducting oceanographic surveys. In 1952, the work she had begun in Operation Bluejay was completed. While participating in Operation Deep Freeze I during the winter (Antarctic summer) of 1955–1956, Edisto penetrated unexplored areas in

3268-548: The end of World War II , Charles J. Hubbard of the United States Weather Bureau aroused interest in the United States and Canada for the establishment of a network of Arctic stations. His plan, in broad perspective, envisaged the establishment of two main stations, one in Greenland and the other on the archipelago, which could be reached by sea supply. These main stations would then serve as advance bases from which

3344-448: The end of August. Being far north of the Arctic Circle , Alert experiences polar night from October 14 to February 28, and midnight sun from April 7 to September 4. There are two relatively short periods of twilight from about February 13 to March 22 and the second from September 19 to October 22. Nautical twilight lasts from October 29 to February 11. Astronomical twilight , where 24 hours are in effect completely dark with only

3420-428: The existing operations building, built in 1956. The operations building housed the radio intercept and cryptographic equipment. On September 1, 1958, control of the station was transferred from the air force to the army, and it officially began operations. The following decade saw a dramatic expansion of the station, with a correspondingly greater number of personnel stationed there. The February 1, 1968, unification of

3496-547: The facility was passed to DND's Information Management Group following the disbanding of CF Communications Command with force restructuring and cutbacks in the mid-1990s. With Canada's commitment to the global war on terrorism following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Arlington County, Virginia, CFS Alert has received renewed and increased funding to expand its SIGINT capabilities. On April 1, 2009,

3572-537: The first ships to penetrate the pack ice east of the Ross Sea . While in the Antarctic on this deployment, Edisto trained sailors and tested cold weather equipment, as well as investigating installations and equipment left by Operation Highjump of the previous year. She also collected valuable scientific data concerning geographic, hydrographic, photographic, oceanographic, meteorological, and electromagnetic conditions in

3648-667: The global ECHELON network of the AUSCANNZUKUS intelligence sharing alliance, also known as " Five Eyes ", with Alert being privy to many secret Soviet communications regarding land-based and sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launches and many operational military deployments. The first military women to serve in Alert arrived in 1980 as part of the Canadian Forces' Women In Non-Traditional Roles study. After its completion in 1983, women were fully authorized to serve in all roles. The first female commanding officer

3724-453: The icebreaker were rounded, with marked tumble home, that enabled the ship to break free from ice by heeling from side to side. Such heeling was accomplished by shifting water rapidly from wing tanks on one side of the ship to the other. A total of 220 tons of water could be shifted from one side to the other in as little as 90 seconds, which induced a list of 10 degrees. Ballast could also be shifted rapidly between fore and aft tanks to change

3800-533: The icebreakers and prepared to take over the tow but severe weather prevented a switch. By November 13, 1972, however, the weather moderated and she took over towing, and set course for Baltimore , Maryland. Southwind then made her way to the Great Lakes. On November 24, 1972 she rendezvoused with USCGC  Chilula approximately 35 miles (56 km) west of the Nantucket Lightship after first dodging

3876-458: The impact on the crews, headquarters also determined that the ships would simply exchange their entire crews. Southwind ' s crew would take over during the repairs on Edisto while Edisto ' s crew would join Southwind once she made her new home port of Milwaukee , Wisconsin in preparation for the 1972-1973 winter season. On November 10, 1972 USCGC  Morgenthau rendezvoused with

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3952-471: The island and the surrounding area. As of 2011 there is a namesake cutter USCGC Edisto (WPB-1313). The newer Edisto is a 110-foot Island-class patrol boat and is stationed in San Diego County, California . Edisto was one of the icebreakers designed by Lieutenant Commander Edward Thiele and Gibbs & Cox of New York, who modeled them after plans for European icebreakers he obtained before

4028-590: The land masses involved were under Canadian and Danish control. Following negotiations between the United States and Canadian governments, a group of five weather stations was established, known as the Joint Arctic Weather Stations (JAWS). On the Canadian side, the stations were to be operated by the Department of Transport (DOT). The locations for each station were surveyed in 1946, and a cache of supplies

4104-493: The long tow back to the U.S. They departed and headed for the U.S., but the repairs did not hold and they once again returned to Iceland. On November 2, 1972 they once again set sail. U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters decided that Southwind would take Edisto ' s place on the Great Lakes for that season. They were under pressure to get a second icebreaker there before the Welland Canal closed on December 15, 1972. To lessen

4180-463: The next year in protected areas, but enough melts to prevent glaciation. The warmest month, July, has an average temperature of 3.4 °C (38.1 °F), with only July and August averaging above freezing, and those are also the months where well over 90 per cent of the rainfall, which averages only 17.4 mm (0.69 in) per year, occurs. Rain is rare in June and September and virtually unheard of during

4256-757: The north polar regions was for purely exploratory purposes. Not even waiting for summer, she sailed out of Boston Harbor on January 24, 1949 to determine how much an icebreaker would be limited by the foul Arctic storms and lowest temperatures. She weathered extreme sub-zero conditions and returned to Boston on March 25, 1949. From 1949 until her transfer to the U.S. Coast Guard on October 20, 1965, Edisto continued her support to exploration in both Arctic and Antarctic regions. The icebreaker supplied bases, reported ice packs and floes, took part in oceanographic , hydrographic , geological , coast and geodetic, and hydrophone surveys, and participated in Arctic convoy exercises. In 1949, Edisto took part in Operation Bluejay,

4332-477: The northeastern tip of Ellesmere Island , on the shore of the ice-covered Lincoln Sea . Alert lies just 817 km (508 mi) from the North Pole ; the nearest Canadian city is Iqaluit , the capital of the territory of Nunavut, 2,092 km (1,300 mi) distant. The settlement is surrounded by rugged hills and valleys. The shore is composed primarily of slate and shale . Argillite and greywacke also occur. Some of these rocks are calcareous . The sea

4408-399: The on-site staff considerably. Its current population ranges from a winter minimum of 65 to a summer maximum of 110, plus a variety of short-term visitors, who can swell the total to 150 or more. Alert’s temporary population typically consist of both military personnel and civilians, both making up an almost one-to-one ratio in Alert. Alert is 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Cape Sheridan ,

4484-488: The possibility of utilizing the site for the purpose of intercepting radio signals was deemed to warrant a military presence. In 1950, Alert Airport was established. It is the only airport serving the settlement and is presently part of CFS Alert . In 1956, the RCAF, which was expanding its presence throughout the high Arctic with the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line radar network, established

4560-421: The prime minister's office, the Canadian Armed Forces , the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development , as well as a large media group including Pat Carney of Gemini Productions, Ed Ogle of Time magazine, Val Wake of CBC News , and a television crew from California. While waiting in Alert for a weather window to fly to the pole, the party's television crew spent a lot of time filming at

4636-411: The remaining eight months of the year. Alert is the fourth-driest locality in Nunavut and averaging only 158.3 mm (6.23 in) of precipitation per year, the vast majority of this occurring as snow. The heaviest snowfalls occur during July to October, and Alert sees relatively little snowfall during the winter months. September is usually the month with the heaviest snowfall. The relative humidity

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4712-434: The ship could not break ice, so the need for a fully operational icebreaker still existed. U.S. Coast Guard officials, through the U.S. State Department , arranged for the support of Canada's 315-foot (96 m) icebreaker CCGS  John A. Macdonald , in case Southwind was unable to free Mizar . John A. Macdonald sailed from Baffin Bay around the southern tip of Greenland and berthed at Reykjavík , Iceland and awaited

4788-465: The south polar regions. Upon her return to Boston, Massachusetts on March 31, 1948, Edisto immediately began preparing for operations in the far north. During this summer deployment, her task force resupplied weather stations at Thule , Greenland , and on Ellesmere and Ellif Renghes Islands. The ships in this task force did reconnaissance to establish additional weather stations, trained men in cold weather operations, tested equipment, and collected

4864-482: The south) is the nearest populated place in Greenland. Hans Island which from 2023 has a land border with Greenland , a territory of Denmark , is located 197 km (122 mi) to the south. Alert has a polar climate , technically a tundra climate ( ET ) with characteristics of an ice cap climate (EF). There is complete snow cover for at least 10 months of the year on average and snow from one year persists into

4940-567: The start of World War II . She was the last of seven completed ships of the Wind class of icebreakers operated by the United States Coast Guard . Her keel was laid on May 15, 1945 at Western Pipe and Steel Company shipyards in San Pedro , California , she was launched on December 28, 1946, and commissioned on March 20, 1947. Her outer hull plating was constructed with 1 + 5 ⁄ 8 -inch (41 mm)-thick high tensile steel. Edisto had

5016-483: The station and nearby Ward Hunt Island . In August 1986, the Government of Canada opened Alert Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network . By the 1990s, the original buildings of the original weather station had fallen into disrepair and were burned in the summer of 1996, leaving only the hydrogen shed and a wooden outhouse. The weather station and observatory offices were moved to Polaris Hall. In early April 2006,

5092-504: The trim of the ship. Diesel electric machinery was chosen for its controlability and resistance to damage. Edisto was built during peacetime, so she had a much lighter armament than her war-built sisters, one 5 in (127 mm) 38 caliber deck gun when in Navy service, and unarmed for the Coast Guard. On April 11, 1947, Edisto sailed for the United States East Coast on a shake-down cruise . That summer, during

5168-553: The voyage north, Edisto assisted USNS  Private John R. Towle , a cargo ship that sustained ice damage to her hull off Hamilton Inlet , Labrador . Edisto then sailed for Edinburgh , Scotland, arriving August 12, 1974. She departed Edinburgh on August 17, 1974 and headed for the Icelandic Sea for the second phase of her cruise, where she worked in conjunction with the Icelandic government. Her crew took 40 "Nansen Casts" in

5244-664: The weather station. The military was unhappy about the film crew working on the station, but the weather station was seen as being a sort of no-man's land. The commissioner's party made two attempts to reach the pole and failed. Some of the incidents surrounding this event are recounted in Val Wake's memoir My Voyage around Spray with Apologies to Captain Joshua Slocum . In August 1975, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his then three-year-old son, future prime minister Justin Trudeau , visited

5320-571: The world. The location is on Ellesmere Island (in the Queen Elizabeth Islands ) at latitude 82°30'05" north, 817 km (508 mi) from the North Pole . It takes its name from the Royal Navy vessel HMS  Alert , which wintered 10 km (6.2 mi) east of the present station off what is now Cape Sheridan in 1875–1876. All Alert residents are temporary, typically serving three- to six-month tours of duty there. They staff

5396-906: Was Major Cathy Cowan, who took command in January 1996. The first female Station Warrant Officer (SWO), MWO Renee Hansen, was appointed in December 2017. Budget cuts to the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Forces in 1994 and modernization of communications equipment saw CFS Alert downsized to approximately 74 personnel by 1997–1998, when most radio-intercept operations were remotely controlled by personnel at CFS Leitrim . Remaining personnel are responsible for airfield operations, construction/engineering, food service, and logistical/administrative support. As of 2024, there are about 55 people stationed at CFS Alert, and they consist of military personnel, ECCC and other civilian employees. Only six persons are now responsible for actual operations, and control of

5472-523: Was dropped at Alert in 1948 by USS Edisto . Alert was the last of the five to be settled when the first twelve personnel (eight permanent staff and four to assist with construction) arrived on April 9, 1950. Construction began immediately, with the first priority being the creation of an ice runway on Alert Inlet before work began on the permanent all-season runway on Cape Belknap. Until its completion, supplies were parachuted in. On July 30, 1950, nine crew members of an Avro Lancaster aircraft, operated by

5548-581: Was homeported in Milwaukee , Wisconsin to take part in a test, along with USCGC  Mackinaw , of icebreaking operations designed to extend the length of the shipping season on the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway system. In the autumn of 1972, however, Edisto conducted icebreaking operations off Greenland in concert with the U.S. Navy oceanographic research ship USNS  Mizar . She

5624-614: Was opened August 29, 1986. Originally known as the Alert Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network (BAPMoN) Observatory, it was subsequently renamed the Dr. Neil Trivett Global Atmosphere Watch Observatory in honour of the Environment Canada researcher who provided the impetus for its construction. The observatory employs two technicians who reside at CFS Alert, an operator and an assistant operator (normally

5700-402: Was sent there from the Great Lakes after the cutter originally assigned the duty, USCGC  Southwind , suffered an engine casualty; although she remained off Greenland. Edisto arrived in the Arctic on September 30, 1972 and began escorting Mizar into the icepack for oceanographic research. At one point, the two were as far as 40 miles (64 km) into the heavy ice, some of which was

5776-493: Was the Ice Island Arlis II, with 20 scientists on board waiting to be evacuated before the island broke up underneath them. Departing Boston on April 6, 1965, after a stay of only five days, she battled some of the thickest and hardest ice ever encountered by an American icebreaker to moor alongside Ice Island Arlis II and to effect the evacuation of the men and equipment. During the summer of 1965, Edisto again sailed to

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