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In the cold Canadian waters where there's danger,
On the fifteenth day in a February gale,
When the chilly waters claimed the Ocean Ranger,
Not one human ever lived to tell the tale.
For three long weeks on the Ocean minds,
Was the children made them valentines,
As they waited for their fathers
To return home from the cold.
Left their wives, their sons and daughters,
With their mothers and their fathers,
In the cold Canadian waters;
Lord have mercy on their souls.
From time to tide you understand a mother's feelings,
Or the feeling of a father for his son;
But those little children's hearts they must be bleeding,
When they're old enough to know their father's gone.
For three long weeks on the Ocean minds,
Was the children made them valentines
As they waited for their fathers
To return home from the cold.
Left their wives, their sons and daughters,
With their mothers and their fathers,
In the cold Canadian waters;
Lord have mercy on their souls.
Heaven knows that on the battlefield there's danger,
And there's danger for the men down in the mine;
There was danger all around the Ocean Ranger,
And for those men who left their loved ones all behind.
For three long weeks on the Ocean minds,
Was the children made them valentines
As they waited for their fathers
To return home from the cold.
Left their wives, their sons and daughters,
With their mothers and their fathers,
In the cold Canadian waters;
Lord have mercy on their souls.
In the cold Canadian waters;
Lord have mercy on their souls.
See more songs by Eddie Coffey.
Note:
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 10:40 a.m.
