HMCS CHALEUR 164
Bay Class Minesweeper
Built by Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, she was commissioned on 12 Sep 1957. Her specifications when built: Displacement: 396 tons, Length 152 ft, Beam 28 ft, Draft 8 ft, Speed: 16 knots, Complement: 3 officers and 35 men, Armament: 1-40 mm. CHALEUR, along with five of her sisters, was a member of Training Group Pacific until paid off for disposal on 18 Dec 1998. She was later sold and converted for private use being delivered to San Francisco in 2002/2003. As of Jun 2017, the CHALEUR is located on Little Potato Slough off of the San Joaquin River near 8 Mile Road, Stockton, CA. The Stockton Maritime Museum, which is helping to restore the USS Lucid (MSO-458) museum bought parts from the previous owners who were "scrapping it out" and had removed the after deckhouse. The owners had plans to renovate the ship and use it either for treasurer hunting or as a prepper haven. A google maps satellite and street view image dated Dec 2021 shows that she sank at her moorings outboard the "Aurora" in the Little Potato Slough.
In Jul / Aug 2025 the former CHALEUR was cut up in situ in the Little Potato Slough and the pieces craned onto a Coast Guard barge to be taken to a disposal facility - her saga has finally come to an end.
Photos and Documents Ship's company photos The Ship's Bell
Commanding Officers
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
(CHL001) HMCS CHALEUR 164 - date unknown // From the collection of Sid Dobing // Courtesy of Brian Dobing
(CHL002) Sailors onboard HMCS CHALEUR 164 with guests. One of the two women is Betty Meyers, the other unknown // Courtesy of Dan Lawrence (CHL003) J.R. Terry Walter (right) on HMCS CHALEUR - other officer unknown // From the collection of Terry Walter, Lt (N), RCN / C.A.F. // Courtesy of Bruce Walter (CHL004-CHL005) Former HMCS CHALEUR 164 (outboard ship) located on Little Potato Slough off of the San Joaquin River near 8 Mile Road, Stockton, CA circa Jun 2016 - last sighted in same area in Jun 2017 // Courtesy of / © 2016 Jack A. Frost, LCdr, Medical Service Corps, United States Navy (retired)
The former HMCS CHALEUR 164, having sunk at her moorings in the Little Potato Slough in 2019, is shown here in Google Satellite and Street view images from Dec 2021. The CHALEUR can been seen outboard the Aurora.
Surrounded by a containment boom to prevent pollution from spreading, the former HMCS CHALEUR 164 is being cut up in situ in the Little Potato Slough near Stockton, California. The bridge structure has already been removed and craned onto a Coast Guard barge (below). The ship will be cut into 4 sections and raised out of the water and onto the barge then taken to a facility for disposal. The process of cutting her up and removing her from the water is expected to take several weeks. Source: ABC10, Stockton, California, USA - 20 Jul 2025
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