HMCS Cedarwood (AGSC 539)

HMCS Cedarwood was a surveying vessel in the Royal Canadian Navy.

The wood boat was built as RCASC General Schmidlin (and MV JE Kinney) by Smith and Rhuland in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and used in the harbours of the east coast of Canada.

Royal Canadian Navy
Her purchase was requested by the Pacific Oceanographic Group who wished to use her as an oceanographic survey vessel to replace the HMCS Ekholi, which was considered too small for their needs. Her purchase was approved and she was commissioned on 22 September 1948.

The Cedarwood was based in Esquimalt. During her service with the Royal Canadian Navy she was used to travel into the Arctic Ocean and test equipment. She also did bathythermographic surveys along with general biology, oceanography and acoustic surveys. During her time in the Bering Sea, she laid submarine cables and carried scientists of both Canada and the United States on survey missions, mapping a large amount of the British Columbia coastline.

On the 22 September 1950, the Cedarwood was heavily damaged by a storm while in the Hecate Straits. The repairs took a month to fix. She continued in her service until she was paid off on 9 July 1958.

After her naval service she was converted as a replica of the Paddle Steamer Beaver (also as Commodore) and sold in 1959.

Commanders

 * LCDR J.E. Wolfenden (RCN)
 * LCDR E.S. Cassels (RCN)