CONVOY LIGHT

If one looks very carefully at the stern of HMCS HAIDA, one can see what used to be the remains of a glass window. In Tiller flats there is a box coming away from the window with an ordinary light bulb. It  was on a dimmer controlled from the bridge. By having the light that far in, it could only be seen  if  the observer  was in a perfect line with  it. No illustration is available because the window has been painted over.
 

MASTHEAD STEAMING LIGHT

At night, the Masthead Steaming light is part of Safety at Sea by using different coloured lights in order to be seen by other vessels.  It was not used for signalling or navigation. The  colour and the arc of visibility displayed tell you ( the viewer)  the direction in which the vessel is heading -  right, left or ahead.

These  specifications for the lights  are contained in  "Collision  Regulations. International Regulations for  Preventing  Collisions at  Sea" Rule  23 states (in part) that a power driven vessel  underway  shall exhibit::

" A Masthead  Light  visible  forward  for  six miles. This means  it has to have a height of  30 feet above the  water. HAIDA's Masthead Steaming light is  45 to 50  feet above the waterline, so its  visible for eight miles". There are  a hundred different light configurations- fishing vessels, towing, anchored, engaged in refueling. Knowing  the meaning of the lights is the trade of the Watchkeeping Officers.

The black square on HAIDA's foremast was the location of the Masthead Steaming Light and the Fog Dodger.  On the early lattice mast  it was positioned at the same height as the Crowsnest was on the tripod mast. The Steaming light was also observed on HMCS Huron and other Tribals. (RCN photo provided by Darren Scannell)

A closeup of the early lattice mast aboard HMCS Huron shows more detail. Item #1 is the Masthead Steaming Light. Its arc is 110 degrees on either side  of centre. It  was not used for signalling or navigation.   (RCN photo provided by Darren Scannell)  Item #2, known as a Fog Dodger, is a canvas shroud which could be white or black. When transiting through fog, the Officer Of The Watch might dispatch a lookout to this station. On-build, the Tribals  had tripod masts with a Crowsnest.  When  the tripod mast was converted to the early lattice mast, the Crowsnest disappeared. The canvas shroud was rigged for fog lookout and was meant to be there on a temporary basis.

OIL STEAMING lights were required aboard ships in case there was a massive power failure thus making the electrically powered steaming lights imperative. Fueled by either sperm whale oil or kerosene, they were  not fitted under normal conditions but could be raised by a halyard in case they were needed. There were four different oil steaming lights:  Masthead----Port----Starboard-  stern.  Shown here are the Masthead and Oil Steaming lamps. Click on image to enlarge.  ( Drawing provided by Darren Scannell)

OIL FILLER CAP:  HAIDA's steaming  lights were electrically  powered. In case of a major power failure, provision was made to illuminate these lights using oil lamps. The storage tank for the oil was located in what was then called  "Lamp and Oil Stores".  Today that compartment is called  "Paint and Lamp Stores". The filler cap for the oil tank was discovered around 2007 after being hidden from view under successive layers of paint. The filler port was located on the upper deck, port side, ahead of the break in the fo'c'sle.  In spite of the cap being embossed as "Sperm Oil Fill" , the RCN used kerosene as the fuel for the oil lamps. In Britain, that fuel  was called Paraffin. (Photo by Jerry Proc)

TODAY: This is the Masthead Steaming Light as it is seen today. It is mounted below the Sperry radar antenna teardrop.Click on photo to enlarge. (Photo ny Jerry Proc)

CLUSTER LIGHT

This was not a signalling light nor was it used for navigation.  It was used in daylight fog to provide a warning to ships approaching from astern. The brightness of the light was controlled by a dimmer located on the bridge. Inside the fixture, there were eight bulbs and the fixture was deep enough  to keep the light from escaping out the sides. It was also used to help a ship keep station astern while steaming. On HMCS Cayuga's DND plans, the fixture is labelled as a 'Cluster Light'. Norman Ough, British Naval Historian/Model Maker,  labels it as a ' Fog Light'.

Mounted atop the Squid Handling Room on HMCS HAIDA, is the Cluster  Light, also known as the Convoy Overtaking Light..  It was also used at night as a "Lifeguard" whose one purpose was to illuminate the sea aft of the ship and keeping watch for anyone who might have fallen overboard.   Click on image to enlarge. (Photo by Jerry Proc)

Jun 30/21