Profile: Captain Stuart Aldridge

On the high seas aboard the W.E. Ricker

Stuart Aldridge, the captain of a science research ship, loves his duty calendar. It’s rather unusual: he works for 28 days straight, then gets 28 days off.

Captain Aldridge on the W.E. Ricker

A brilliant morning sun shines through the salt splattered windows of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship W.E. Ricker. Commanding Officer Captain Stuart Aldridge looks out across Puget Sound off the coast of Washington State, eyeing the vessel traffic in the vicinity. A large trawl net stretches beyond the stern of the 58-metre-long W.E. Ricker while the crew, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) scientists and U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife officials eagerly await the catch. They expect the trawl to produce a host of specimens that will help the researchers determine the health of salmon stock, both in U.S. and Canadian waters.

The W.E. Ricker is an offshore fishery science vessel and, like many in the Coast Guard’s fleet, it is equipped to multitask. This means the ship is equipped to carry out two or more different functions while on a mission—a feature that allows the Coast Guard to support multiple clients efficiently (like fishery conservation officers and scientists). Captain Aldridge could be called to act as the on-scene commander of a marine oil spill while in the midst of an active search and rescue operation. In fact, Captain Aldridge has seen just that happen more than a few times in stormy winter conditions off the Queen Charlotte Islands in Northern B.C. The real possibility of such a call coming at any time requires that the crew continuously maintain a high level of preparedness.

Always something new to learn

Even 20 years after graduating from the Canadian Coast Guard College in Nova Scotia, and working his way up the ladder to command a vessel, Captain Aldridge admits there’s always something new to learn.

“For example, spending time with the scientists gives me a whole new appreciation for their perspective,” he says. “A few months ago, during a whale research project aboard the W.E. Ricker, the crew spent the week learning about tracking the feeding patterns of orca whales. I’ve been a mariner all my life, and I’m only now getting the broad perspective on this incredible species.” The Captain also believes he has seen parts of the country that many Canadians never get the opportunity to see.

Life as captain of a vessel

For Captain Aldridge the public sector offers a couple of things that private sector jobs can’t match: the sheer diversity of a multitasked science research vessel and the flexibility of a work schedule of 28 days on and 28 days off. For one four-week stretch, Captain Aldridge may be in command as scientists conduct research on juvenile salmon off the coast of Alaska. After four weeks’ rest and recreation, the next 28‑day stretch could find the ship hosting scientists conducting a test fishery on an emerging species to identify its potential as a viable commercial fishery. To Captain Aldridge, it’s this variety that keeps the job interesting and sustains his enthusiasm for the Public Service.

DFO could not deliver its host of activities without the support of Coast Guard vessels—including the W.E. Ricker. Depending on how they are equipped, they provide the important platform that allows scientists to study life on the ocean floor, hydrographers to chart safe navigational pathways, and fisheries scientists to study, conserve and protect aquatic ecosystems—all of which are vital to the understanding and sustainable management of Canada’s oceans and aquatic resources. Captain Aldridge’s ability to assist this research supports DFO’s objective to ensure the health and survival of Canada’s fish stocks.

While the work of the W.E. Ricker may not be in the forefront of many Canadians’ minds, Captain Aldridgeis confident that the vessel, its crew and DFO scientists, are performing a vital service to Canadians when it comes to preserving and protecting our natural resources.

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