Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2006 7:36 am
Posts: 681
Location: Vigo, Spain
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Decommissioning.
But time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much.
By the mid 1970´s Canarias was well beyond her life expectancy, and her capabilities were not worth the money that she was costing. Other than this, the new American Gearing destroyers freshly come to our Navy, and the construction of the new Baleares/Knox missile frigates, a huge step ahead in our Navy, made Canarias redundant at all effects, and the decision was taken to decommission her, always a sad moment.
This was Canarias on July 2nd. 1975 at Cádiz, about to begin her last outing:
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And here her last crew. What a different feeling when comparing this picture with that of Baleares crew:
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And at last, Canarias entering Ferrol Bay for the last time on July 4th. 1975, being welcome by all kinds of ships:
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And here she is getting into Ferrol Arsenal docks, ready for mooring alongside, again for the last time as a fighting unit. In the background, Empresa Nacional Bazán shipyard, the former SECN, where she had been built a lifetime ago…
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After this last trip, she was decommissioned on December 17th..
A plan was considered to preserve the ship as a floating museum, but the idea did not succeed. It has happened with many other historical warships of many other navies before (think of Yavuz !!!!) so, sadly, why should it have been different with Canarias.
Eventually, she was auctioned and sold for scrap on September 14th. 1977.
And then Canarias was gone…
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Amen dico tibi, hodie mecum eris in paradiso (Lk 23,43).
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