After more than a year at sea, HMCS Toronto is home in Halifax.
The Canadian Forces warship has been patrolling the Arabian Sea region for much of the past 13 months, and most crew members hadn’t seen their families since July.
The frigate left Halifax in January 2013 to take part in counterterrorism operations, intercepting and destroying nine drug shipments in total.
“For a total of 8.5 tonnes of elicit narcotics, they’re no longer on the market,” said HMCS Toronto Cmdr. Matthew Bowen.
There was excitement and anticipation in the air Thursday morning as hundreds of families lined the waterfront, eager to greet their loved ones.
Michael Haverstock had been preparing for the moment when he sees his father.
“(I’m going to) give him a big hug and hold up my banner,” he said.
“To have my kids and my mom and my grandmothers here, I mean my whole family's here, it's just an awesome, awesome feeling,” said Leading Seaman Andrew MacNeil.
Nataly Bard’s husband Daniel was at sea when she gave birth to their daughter. He had only seen Isabelle once before, when she was three weeks old.
“Now, he’s going to meet her again at four months,” said Nataly.
“I had to keep her off my mind as much as possible when I was away, in the back of my mind, you know, realizing I just had a baby girl, it’s my first child and it’s quite a thing,” said Daniel.
Among the excitement and celebrations, there was also sorrow. Crew member Lt. Andrew Webster died while on shore leave in the Seychelles Islands in January.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Alyse Hand
