HMCS St. John’s docked in its namesake port yesterday, the vessel’s first Canadian stop following a long NATO mission that started this summer.

Sailors from this province and across Canada sailed through the Mediterranean earlier in the year before being sent to patrol the Arctic.

Lieutenant Governor Joan Marie Aylward welcomed the group during a ceremony at St. John’s Harbour yesterday.

Sailor First Class Michael Colbourne of Gander says he and other Newfoundlanders had a ‘kitchen party’ before they docked. He says they’re all looking forward to being home for Christmas.

“Every time I come though the Narrows, it’s beautiful every time. I never miss it. I got up this morning early just to watch this coming through. And it’s surreal to be getting home right before Christmas,” he said.

“Last night on watch, we had a little kitchen party going on. Obviously, we couldn’t drink at sea, but I was playing the spoons, we had an ugly stick, somebody brought a guitar. We had fun.”