A brand new Navy ship stuck in Montreal since Christmas Eve because of winter ice is finally on its way to the warmer waters of Florida.
The USS Little Rock was commissioned in Buffalo on Dec. 16 and began making its way up the St. Lawrence Seaway toward the St. Lawrence River, which would eventually bring the littoral combat ship into the Atlantic Ocean. But heavy ice stranded the ship in a Montreal port hours before Christmas.
Now that temperatures are warming up and enough ice has subsided, the ship has resumed its journey to Mayport, Florida — a much warmer locale that will serve as its home port.
"The ship was moored at the Port of Montreal until weather conditions improved and the Saint Lawrence Seaway melted enough for the safe passage of the ship," Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson told the Navy Times. "Keeping the ship in Montreal until weather conditions improved ensured the safety of the ship and crew."
The Little Rock was in Montreal until Saturday. The ship had extra heaters and more than a dozen de-icers to help keep the crew warm and the hull free of ice. Crew members also received warmer clothing to deal with the winter conditions.
"We greatly appreciate the support and hospitality of the city of Montreal, the Montreal Port Authority, and the Canadian Coast Guard," said Cmdr. Todd Peters, the Times reported. "We are grateful for the opportunity to further enhance our strong partnerships."
A public Facebook page for the crew has several photos of the icy conditions in Montreal that kept the ship in Canadian waters for three months.
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