Where the seagull soars and the mighty ocean roars
When the winds from the north blow so frantic
On the banks of Newfoundland the oil rigs stand,
In search of crude from the cold north-west Atlantic.
She's the finest in the land, designed and built by man
To withstand all that nature has to offer;
And the Ocean Ranger's crew numbered 84 men,
True to their homes and their sons, wives and daughters.
Look away to the west, there's a storm upon the wind
Bringing rain, snow, and seas four storeys high;
Look away to the west, will you see your homes again,
Or is this the time to say your last goodbye, your last goodbye?
And there's trouble from within, the rig is listing once again,
And the gallant crew are ordered to abandon;
But the hurricane's too strong, when the morning comes she's gone,
Not a soul survived to tell us what had happened, what had happened.
Husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers leave behind so many others
Who will not forget the price their loved ones paid;
Was it fate that dealt the hand, or the carelessness of man
That led so many to an early grave, an early grave?
Look away to the west, there's a storm upon the wind
Bringing rain, snow, and seas four storeys high;
Look away to the west, will you see your homes again,
Or is this the time to say your last goodbye, your last goodbye?
May God grant peace and serenity to our brothers lost at sea,
Give their families strength to bear their grief and pain;
And if our men must sweat and toil in pursuit of off-shore oil,
Pray to God to bring them safely home again, home again.
Where the seagull soars and the mighty ocean roars
When the winds from the north blow so frantic,
On the banks of Newfoundland the oil rigs stand,
In search of crude from the cold north-west Atlantic.
Bruce Moss
Notes:
Ministerial Message - February 15, 2002
(Lloyd Matthews, Minister of Mines and Energy)
(Anna Thistle, Minister of Labour)
20th Anniversary of the Ocean Ranger Disaster
On February 15, 1982, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians witnessed the worst offshore drilling accident in Canadian history. The Ocean Ranger, an exploratory offshore drilling platform, sank during a severe winter storm at the Hibernia oil discovery site. Eighty-four lives were lost on that dreadful night and many lessons were learned.
The tragedy of the Ocean Ranger continues to be a major influence on our offshore industry. Government has continually examined the safety issues that contributed to this disaster and has implemented numerous changes to enhance the safety of our offshore workforce. Major legislative and regulatory changes were made to the Atlantic Accord Acts by the federal and provincial governments to establish strict safety guidelines that must be followed from the initial design of an offshore project to the actual implementation of safety systems during the operations phase of development. These regulations govern the necessary requirements of offshore safety.
Over the past two decades, government and industry players have worked together to ensure that the necessary funding is available to facilitate the important research needed to improve escape, evacuation and rescue systems. New technologies have been introduced including cold water survival suits and improved methods of lifeboat deployment. Training requirements for offshore workers have increased significantly and new facilities have been established to ensure that these workers have the necessary safety skills to avoid tragedy.
The North Atlantic Ocean is a very unpredictable and unforgiving environment. Industry players have worked with government to improve offshore health and safety. Their initiative and success in preventing major incidents is encouraging. New technologies continue to evolve and are regularly implemented. Government will continue to work with industry players to ensure that offshore safety remains the highest priority.
On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, we wish to remember the eighty-four lives that were lost 20 years ago. May they never be forgotten.
2002 02 15 10:40a.m.