By Lookout on Aug 08, 2016 with Comments 0

Sonya Chwyl, MARPAC PA Office ~

If you’ve spent time at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in the last two months, you may have noticed dredging underway in the harbour by A and B Jetties.

It’s all part of the Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project, which aims to remove contaminated sediment from the area and improve the harbour for sailors and marine life alike.

But it’s not just sediment that has been brought to the surface – so far, hundreds of man-made artifacts have been recovered including lighters, keys, dishware and identification cards from as far back as 1955.

While most of the items can’t be traced back to their origins, at least one has found its way back to its owner.

At the recent Maritime Forces Pacific Change of Command ceremony, Rear-Admiral Couturier presented Vice-Admiral (Retired) Gary Garnett with a coffee mug that belonged to him almost 30 years ago.

VAdm (Ret’d) Garnett’s name, along with the name of his squadron and ship, is still visible on the worn plastic coffee mug that was pulled from the harbour.

From August 1986 to July 1988 VAdm (Ret’d) Garnett was Commander of the Second Canadian Destroyer Squadron. He says that’s when the mug must have found its way overboard.

“It was somewhat worse for the wear, like myself,” said VAdm (Ret’d) Garnett, who is recovering from recent surgery.And while VAdm (Ret’d) Garnett may not have plans to use the souvenir to hold coffee anytime soon, he says it will find a good home in his office amongst his other military memorabilia.

Currently, a team of archeologists is cataloguing the artifacts pulled from the harbour and reviewing each item for significance. Photos and descriptions of the items are being sent to the CFB Esquimalt Military Museum, who will decide if they want to add the items to their collection.

Anything not claimed by the museum will be sent for recycling or disposal at the end of the project.

For nearly 150 years, Esquimalt Harbour has been a hub of naval and industrial operations. While these activities have become more environmentally friendly over the years, previous practices contributed to the contamination of some areas of the harbour seabed.

The Esquimalt Harbour Remediation project is the Royal Canadian Navy’s ongoing effort to address this issue by reducing the exposure of marine life to contaminated sediments and providing a diverse habitat for marine communities.