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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 5, 2008 7:47:09 GMT -8
The little coffee shop above the dive centre at the breakwater for Ogden Point would be my suggestion. Mmm Latte and a butter tart would be a great fuel up to keep warm waiting in line. But since I am half a continent away and not attending I will .
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 5, 2008 9:41:47 GMT -8
I would assume the Victoria open house would be like the Nanaimo one. They will probably have you wait on the car deck. I am really hoping she would dock at the pier closest to the breakwater as that would be great for photos. Depends where parking is but probably the little coffee shop above the dive centre would be a good spot. I plan to be down there early.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 5, 2008 16:18:43 GMT -8
Coffee shop at the dive centre sounds good. I am planning on arriving fairly early as well. There is a fairly large parking lot right there at Ogden point, isn't there?
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 5, 2008 16:41:50 GMT -8
There is both parking to the east of the coffee shop and the water and I imagine BC ferries will have parking around the cruise ship terminal.
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Post by queenofcowichan on Feb 5, 2008 20:19:31 GMT -8
Today's issue of the Nanaimo News Bulletin also had a article and some pictures of the open House, However none of us were in this paper. In regards to the Nanaimo Daily News article, I only have the one copy which I have cut up for my scrap Book.
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Quatchi
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Post by Quatchi on Feb 5, 2008 23:03:42 GMT -8
When I was in Victoria before Christmas me and my brother went and drove right up to the piers as a USCG vessel was there for some reason. The whole thing looked like a huge parking lot.
Cheers,
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 6, 2008 9:41:49 GMT -8
You can drive right up to the piers at Ogden Point but I think when the CR is there is going to be security around Ogden Point so I doubt you could drive right up there although people do even when they are not allowed to when the crusie ships are in. I hope to get out on the breakwater for photos and I am hoping she will be at the pier that is closest to the breakwater. I will be down there either Thursday afternoon if she is in or Friday evening so I can see what the situation is like down there for parking.
And lets hope the forecast is wrong cause if it gets too windy she might not make it down here.
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Post by NMcKay on Feb 6, 2008 17:29:23 GMT -8
yeah... and it looks like i have more plans f'ing up my weekend.. wont be able to make the vic one.
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Post by Nickfro on Feb 6, 2008 18:10:30 GMT -8
Great recap of the Nanaimo Open House, everyone! After being away in the interior for a week it has been truly enjoyable to come back home and read each and every response. It's great to get even more publicity and, best of all, have a significantly positive turnout of forum members there. It makes me really want to go to the Victoria OH this weekend, so hopefully I can make that happen.
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Post by Coastal Drought on Feb 7, 2008 16:37:25 GMT -8
Now that the Renaissance is in Victoria, what would be the best time to meet up?
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Post by Kahloke on Feb 8, 2008 19:05:40 GMT -8
So what's the deal with the Open House tomorrow? Are members of this forum going to meet up somewhere? Is there going to be a sign, like at the Nanaimo Open House, or is this one going to be more informal? If a get-together is going to happen, I'll need to know when and where before 6:00 tomorrow morning. I plan on leaving my house a little after 6:00 to make sure I have plenty of time to get up to Port Angeles to catch the 8:30 Victoria Express sailing.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 8, 2008 19:08:15 GMT -8
We should just meet by the Cafe around 11am. I will be there probably by 10:30am. There wont be any sign or anything so I dont know how we will know. I know what a few other members look like that are going but dont know everyone.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 8, 2008 19:16:18 GMT -8
I'll be there shortly after 11. I think meeting at the cafe would be best, just outside by the dive shop. It is relatively out of the way, so it should be fairly easy to find everybody. It looks like there will be traffic directors around (there were today for the employee open house). I'll be wearing a black "Scotty" jacket.
So who is coming tomorrow?
coxnnick Cadmunkey Karl nickfro?? Coastal Drought?? orcasnative Mirrlees Coastal Skier??
Anybody else?
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Mirrlees
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Post by Mirrlees on Feb 8, 2008 19:38:25 GMT -8
I'll be at the cafe around 10-10:30 ish. See everybody there; I'm wearing a black StormTech jacket...
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 8, 2008 20:02:36 GMT -8
The cafe can be busy with people coming in for their morning coffee and weekend papers. And "ahem" the cinnamon buns are great.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 8, 2008 22:46:09 GMT -8
This is a modified list of who is going tommorrow
coxnnick Karl nickfro (maybe) Coastal Drought orcasnative Mirrlees
Looks like this one there wont be as many forum members as the Vancouver or Nanaimo open ship events. Anyone planning to go out on the breakwater after for photos?? I probably will be! I will be wearing a red jacket. I know who everyone looks like except orcasnative so shouldent be too hard to find each other.
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Post by Nickfro on Feb 8, 2008 23:27:24 GMT -8
Sorry folks, I won't be able to make it over for the open tomorrow. Have fun and I'll look forward to your coverage of the Victoria visit!
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Quatchi
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Post by Quatchi on Feb 8, 2008 23:58:32 GMT -8
. I'm catching the 9 outta TSA if anyone else is maybe I will run into you. Also i'll be the only guy in Victoria with a Cowboy hat.
Cheers,
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Post by Coastal Drought on Feb 9, 2008 0:18:04 GMT -8
Karl, if it's very windy today, then the breakwater will be closed. I hope to be there today.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 9, 2008 19:11:16 GMT -8
Well it looks like I am first to post. The open ship as usual was great. I arrived around 10:30am and met up with Mirlees. Then we waited around for Nick and Cadmunkey to arrive. No sign of Coastal Drought or Orcasnative. Were you guys there??? We had about a 90 min tour of the ship. Nothing different just the same ol tour as the other open ships. After we left the ship we went out on the breakwater and took some photos then headed back to the Cafe to get a bite to eat. We were told the ship was leaving at 6pm so we hung around and watched her leave at that point ended the day so it was a pretty good day. I look forward to riding her now. Photos will be uploaded later!
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Mirrlees
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Post by Mirrlees on Feb 9, 2008 23:12:34 GMT -8
I started off the day afer getting off the bus by walking past The Empress and the "Ledge" and ambling down through James Bay down to Ogden Point. I arrived early around 9:30 so off to the breakwater to get photos. Around 10:30 I met up with Karl and his Mom and we were trying to look like obvious ferry geeks For Orcasnative who by the way never showed as didn't Coastal Drought. About a half hour later Nick and Cadmunkey showed up.
The ship tour was great, I just wish we could have gone up to the sun deck and see the solariums. As Karl posted above, we spent about 90 minutes touring after working our way through the line up on the car deck. We even got a "audience" with David Hahn in the SeaWest Lounge go figure! After the tour we had our big cookie on the car deck and had a group photo with "The Captain" mascot; Nick will be posting that one later.
Not so funny for Karl the seagulls were hanging around the cardeck doors as we walked off the gangplank ironically at the #2 end they did a #2 on Karl's pants coincidence? you be the judge. We then headed back out on the breakwater for more pics and then went to the cafe for something to eat. I headed out around 4:30 as I had a bus to catch while Karl, Nick and Cadmunkey stayed to watch the CR depart at 6:00 All in all a great day was had by everyone.
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Post by Kahloke on Feb 9, 2008 23:48:36 GMT -8
I did attend the open house today. I was a little worried about the weather earlier in the week, particularly the chance for icy roads between Poulsbo and Port Angeles in the early morning hours, but thankfully it warmed up on Friday and today, so that wasn't an issue. Even better was the crossing from Port Angeles to Victoria. The Strait of Juan De Fuca was unusually calm today, especially given the time of year and last week's weather. I showed up at that cafe by the dive shop at 11:00 and grabbed a quick lunch. I looked around to see if anyone fit the descriptions of Forum Members, but I couldn't really tell. At that point, you guys might have already been on the ship. I took a few pictures from the breakwater, then made my way onto the ship. It really is worth seeing in person. I was impressed with the tour, and I think got to see everything. I wish they had the upper car deck open for the tour. I would have liked to taken some pictures on that level. I did get to chat a little with David Hahn in the Seawest Lounge so that was a nice treat. It's a beautiful boat! I might have to make a special trip later this year to take a ride on her, or perhaps the CI when she enters service on Route 30. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet up with any forum members. I suspect I would have had a better chance if I had attended the Nanaimo open house, since they had a big sign. The trip on Victoria Express was enjoyable, although I like Coho better.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 9, 2008 23:55:10 GMT -8
I can't add much as Mirrlees and Karl have said just about everything.
I picked up Cadmunkey at Swartz Bay, since he caught the 9:00 from Tsawwassen. We got to Ogden point and easily found Mirrlees and Karl. We lined up, and laughed a little at the entertainers BCF had for the lineup, and toured the engine room and bridge. We explored a little, and hung around the area until 6:00 when she left for Tsawwassen. It was the first time I had heard the "thwupping" sound the propeller makes, and I agree with the general consensus that it will go away when she sits lower in the water.
I was disappointed that we couldn't go up on the sun deck, since I really wanted to see those solariums. I guess that gives me another reason to go on a run when she goes into service. We also noticed that the paint seems to be coming the rubbing strake really easily. It looks really beat up, and I can't recall seeing it that bad on any of the other ships.
All in all it was a great trip, and it makes me want to see her in service even more. My compliments to the entire crew at FSG, and especially Markus for keeping us informed on every detail in the construction process. I was impressed with the quality that the ship showed.
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Post by Kahloke on Feb 10, 2008 0:01:18 GMT -8
The solarium on the Victoria end was open. I went up there and took some pictures.
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Quatchi
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Post by Quatchi on Feb 10, 2008 1:50:01 GMT -8
Just got in a few minutes ago will recap tomorrow.
Cheers,
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