Lisa Weighton

News staff

Petty Officer Darren Lemieux kneels on the deck of HMCS Winnipeg to get a closer look at his three-year-old daughter Maia.

He’s waited to see her since he was deployed on HMCS Winnipeg six months ago.

She’s waited to show him her new dress -- a white, knee-length summer frock with petal-pink polka-dots, tied with a pink ribbon around her waist. Her little cardigan is fastened with a single orange button.

It’s perfect -- just the right amount of pouf.

“What a beautiful dress,” Lemieux says. What a nice sweater, too.”

A sea of people and streams of tears flow around her as friends and family welcome home their loved ones, Friday.

But Maia’s focused on Dad.

Lemieux is a weapons technician on the warship, and left on the 5,000-ton frigate in February.

Crew participated in a number of training exercises to protect waterways for maritime traffic.

The vessel also safely escorted a World Food Program ship between Berbera and Bosasso, to deliver 5,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Somalia.

In April and May, HMCS Winnipeg took part in an internationally-recognized NATO-led counter piracy mission along with warships from the United States, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.

During Operation Allied Protector, HMCS Winnipeg disarmed five pirate ships, and the activities of 25 pirates in three separate incidents.

Commanding officer Robert Ferguson said the idea of fighting pirates in the tropical waters off the Horn of Africa only sounds glamourous.

“Think of an L.A. street gang at sea. It’s very much sort of maritime thuggery,” he says.

Winnipeg’s crew claimed pirate’s weapons and money and gave them food, water and fuel before sending them on their way.

“In a very Canadian way, you respect the rule of law, you respect everybody’s rights, so what we do is take away their means to conduct piracy,” he said.

Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile said oceans are the “super highways of the globalized world,” and it’s important to have a safe means to trade goods between nations.

After returning home, Lieut. Ellister Campana isn’t thinking about fighting pirates. He said he’s ready to get reacquainted with his wife, parents and 22-month-old son and “do some normal stuff.”

He’s been in the military for 16 years, but this is the first time he’s been deployed since his son, Archibald was born.

“He’s talking a lot more,” Campana said.

Campana’s wife, Laila showed Archibald pre-recorded videos of his dad so he wouldn’t forget.

Maia’s mom, Tiffany bought her a globe, so Maia could always see where her dad was.

“It’s a long time to be away. We have no family here, which is typical (of military families).”

Tiffany focused on Maia to make it through lonely days.

“Are you happy to be on daddy’s big boat again?” Lemieux asked Maia.

She bounces on both feet, brimming with pure, energetic, three-year-old joy.

“I’m shaking I’m so happy,” Tiffany said.

lweighton@vicnews.com