Canadian Museum of Immigration Pier 21 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Flight home to Alberta

Thick fog on way to Halifax

We are up early to get our truck and trailer stored before heading to the airport for our 6:15 flight to Calgary. 

There is quite a rain system about to pass through Halifax and we want to be off the highway before the heavy rain starts. The fog is really thick on our drive. 

Storing our rig for trip to Alberta

Rainy day at Pier 21 in Halifax

After everything is safely stowed, we have a few hours so we head to the Canadian Museum of Immigration - Pier 21. 

Fun fact: Immigration (I for Into a new country)  Emigration (E for Exiting one's home country)

Closest deep water ports to Europe

Pier 21 in Halifax is a historic ocean liner terminal and Canada's last surviving seaport immigration facility. It was chosen all those years ago along with the port of Quebec City, as they were the closest points of land with deep ports to Europe. 

Seven different languages

Operating from 1928-1971 it welcomed nearly one million immigrants plus it served as a major departure and return point for hundreds of thousands of Canadian service members. The Welcome To Canada sign was in seven different languages. Language was one of the biggest difficulties encountered as the customs people in Canada largely spoke English. Apparently there were volunteers who helped where they could with the translations. 

Pier 21 photo wall

Ship arriving at Pier 21 dock

New immigrants disembarking

Crowds of new immigrants to Canada

My dad's ship - SS Volendam

There is a wall with a photo of every ship that ever landed on Pier 21 and I find both my dad and aunt's ships. 

My Aunt Dina's ship - SS Waterman

Someone's travel crate with their valued possessions

We do the tour that takes us through the various stages a newcomer would have had to go through in order to get clearance into Canada. Most people already had jobs or sponsors upon arrival so they would get on the train and head west, as my father and his sister did. 

Model of Pier 21 - boat onto train

The museum also had a couple great films, walls filled with personal migration stories as well as artifacts and many displays of the immigration process.  Pier 21 managed the rising tide of European newcomers until 1971 when it was shut down due to the decline of ocean liner travel for commercial flights. 

Touching good-bye

This photo makes me think it could be my grandma in Holland saying good-bye to my dad...very emotional. 

Back in February, I contacted the Pier 21 research team to find out information on my dad, Gerrit Wilhelm VanderLinde and his sister Dina from the Netherlands. The research team were so helpful and I found out my dad's sister Dina and her family did in fact land right here at Pier 21 aboard the SS Waterman on July 1st, 1952. 

Turns out my dad's ship the SS Volendam from Rotterdam landed in the port of Quebec City along the St. Lawrence docks on July 21st, 1951. We'll visit that location on our way home. They even helped me find my dad's name on the passenger list of the SS Volendam. My dad changed his name to Garry William Linde shortly after landing in Canada and the rest is history. All very cool. 

The Emigrant Monument outside Pier 21

Halifax airport

Next we catch an Uber to the Halifax airport. 

Joel is waiting at the airport and we are home in Cochrane by 9 pm..now to manage the 3 hour time shift.