HMCS Vancouver, a homecoming marked by tradition

Sailor 1st Class Dante Brun-Letourneau, winner of the ship’s first kiss, greets his partner, Nadia, at the brow of the ship as the first to disembark HMCS Vancouver on Dec. 5. Photo: Sailor 1st Class Koller

Paul Dagonese, Staff Writer 

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After a six-month deployment starting in Hawaii and continuing throughout the Indo-Pacific region, HMCS Vancouver returned to CFB Esquimalt early in the morning of Dec. 5. As the ship waited just outside Esquimalt Harbour, excited onlookers gathered early at Duntze Head for the ceremonial sail-past, catching distant glimpses of their friends and loved ones. Others waited at C-Jetty where the homecoming celebrations began.

Vancouver docked and before crew members and their families could embrace, one lucky first kiss sailor won the privilege of disembarking first.

“I got one ticket … and that’s all I needed,” says Sailor 1^st Class (S1) Dante Brum-Letourneau, the winner of the first-kiss raffle. “That’s some good luck.”

His partner of four years, Nadia Tymoshuk, met S1 Brum-Letourneau at the center of the brow. They embraced, kissed, and leaned back into a pose mimicking that of the iconic U.S. Navy sailor photo in Times Square taken on V-J Day in 1945.

The couple took a selfie while hundreds watched and cheered.

Winning this raffle is considered to be prestigious as even the ship’s Captain had to wait to disembark until after the first kiss.

“It’s a great coming home gift for my first deployment,” said S1 Brum-Letourneau.

When he asked Nadia if he should buy more than one ticket for the raffle, she said, “You’ll only need one ticket to win.” But when he told her he won, she admitted she didn’t believe him at first.

While waiting to disembark, Vancouver’s Coxswain, Chief Petty Officer 1^st Class (CPO1) Ian Billerd, waved to his kids Hailey and Colton.

When asked what he was going to do with dad that night, Colton said, “Dad owes me a game of Fortnite.” In addition to playing video games, CPO1 Billerd was excited to be home to watch his daughter’s hockey skills.

“Little Hailey has hockey practice tonight, and I want to see her play because I haven’t seen that since March,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to it”.

S1 Alex Bautista brought his wife Jhem and son Leander aboard Vancouver’s main deck to take in the view. Alex shared that when he left in June, Leander was just beginning to talk, but now he’s riding his bike and chatting away nonstop.

The 184-day deployment began with Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the largest joint maritime exercise, in Hawaii and continued with participation in Operations Horizon and Neon before concluding in the Philippines.

Welcome home, Vancouver!