“Cormorants are excellent divers, at home in both salt and fresh water, and are known for their wariness and alertness to danger.” 

 

– HMCS Cormorant 

Welcome Aboard booklet 

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In the early 1980s, HMCS Cormorant became the first vessel in the Canadian Navy to board a mixed gender crew. This historic first was tarnished by the rampant sexual harassment and misogyny that occurred on board, earning it the nickname “The Love Boat” among sailors. 

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After a long career as a diving support vessel for the Canadian Navy, HMCS Cormorant was decommissioned and abandoned at a dock in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia where it languished for over 20 years. During that time the ship was neglected and eventually became an environmental hazard, with reports of toxic waste accumulating in its fuel cells. 

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After years of public pressure, the Cormorant was finally towed away for scrapping in 2020. 

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In a province where gender-based violence is on the rise, HMCS Cormorant is a reminder of the visible and invisible tolls of trauma. The works presented in “Love Boat” map the Cormorant’s last resting place on the LaHave River: panoramic paintings include physical changes to the dock that took place during the ship’s stay, a scale boat model displays breaches along the ship’s hull, and a plywood decoy of a shag bears witness to it all. 

 

Thank you to Arts Nova Scotia for their generous support of this project.