|
Post by ferryfanyvr on Sept 9, 2017 21:05:42 GMT -8
Why can't the Renaissance unload in berth 3? Is it not double-decked? And also, why can't the Celebration use berth 1? Since she is currently TSA's #1 she won't have conflicts with the SOVI. Berth 3 is double decked, but has no overhead walkway (that fits any current BCF vessel), so using berth 2 allows the overhead to be used. As for the Coastals not using berth 1 at Swartz Bay, I believe the answer to this lies in the early days of the CCel's discussion thread.
|
|
|
Post by futureferrydriver on Sept 9, 2017 22:18:28 GMT -8
Why can't the Renaissance unload in berth 3? Is it not double-decked? And also, why can't the Celebration use berth 1? Since she is currently TSA's #1 she won't have conflicts with the SOVI. Berth 3 is double decked, but has no overhead walkway (that fits any current BCF vessel), so using berth 2 allows the overhead to be used. As for the Coastals not using berth 1 at Swartz Bay, I believe the answer to this lies in the early days of the CCel's discussion thread. Just to add to your answer about the Coastals (and any other major vessels) using berth 3; the ramps at berth 3 are the older conventional lift ramps so they need to be cleared of traffic to make minor ramp adjustments. Smaller boats like the Cumby and Skeena usually don't need adjustments during loads and can use berth 3 without issue but unloading a full Coastal requires a few ramp adjustments.
|
|
|
Post by chinook2 on Sept 18, 2017 17:24:17 GMT -8
This morning, between 0815 and 0830, some unique operations at SB. With two coastals on route 1 and their need to use berth 2, sometimes navigation routes are affected. This morning the Bowen Queen was tied up in berth three awaiting a transfer crew to take her north. As it happens, the BQ filled in for Mayne Queen for much of yesterday's schedule. Also, Queen of Cumberland was behind schedule on her way back to SB, which meant that her and Mayne Queen were arriving at roughly the same time, around the Skeena Queen's arrival. The Renny was late leaving, the CC was pretty much on time. So, what happened was, 5 ships in transit used all of the navigational routes in and out of Swartz Bay more or less simultaneously. The Renny left about 5 or so minutes late, since the Celebration was arrived more or less on time, on its regular approach, the CR used its alternate departure route via shutte passage. With Berth 3 unavailable and the Mayne and Cumbie following each other through Gosse Passage, the Skeena shocked a full load of Saltspringers by looping around Piers Island and approaching Berth 1 via Colbourne Passage. Well into this display of operational pluckiness before I realized I had a phone in the car and should have shot video.
|
|
|
Post by chinook2 on Sept 30, 2017 16:29:43 GMT -8
Berth 3 is double decked, but has no overhead walkway (that fits any current BCF vessel), so using berth 2 allows the overhead to be used. As for the Coastals not using berth 1 at Swartz Bay, I believe the answer to this lies in the early days of the CCel's discussion thread. Just to add to your answer about the Coastals (and any other major vessels) using berth 3; the ramps at berth 3 are the older conventional lift ramps so they need to be cleared of traffic to make minor ramp adjustments. Smaller boats like the Cumby and Skeena usually don't need adjustments during loads and can use berth 3 without issue but unloading a full Coastal requires a few ramp adjustments. This morning's 0800 sailing had light to moderate pax and vehicle traffic. So, they loaded in Berth 3. Got these shots on the fly. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Feb 4, 2018 17:54:49 GMT -8
Planning is underway for passenger holding lounge improvements @ Swartz Bay, according to this article from today's Times-Colonist: Follow the link above to read the whole piece. There is discussion re other contemplated improvements, and a bit of an historical timeline for Swartz Bay going back to pre BCF days ...
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Feb 14, 2018 12:43:34 GMT -8
Little Smoke, Big Spook Spirit of Vancouver Island & a belching Skeena Queen @ Swartz Bay Terminal 1 February 2018 Questions: 1 - Is the SQ the worst offender in the BCF fleet for having a smoking problem? 2 - Is this not in violation of BCF's new "smoke free environment" policy? 3 - On a serious note, what is the reason that this vessel belches black smoke like this & is it fixable without spending a huge sum of money? © WCK-JST by Jim Thorne, on Flickr
|
|
Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
|
Post by Nick on Feb 14, 2018 13:35:44 GMT -8
3 - On a serious note, what is the reason that this vessel belches black smoke like this & is it fixable without spending a huge some of money? Not familiar with the SQ's specific circumstance, but I'll make an educated guess. Black smoke is unburned fuel. Can be caused by blocked air intake, faulty fuel injectors, and a host of other easily rectified issues. In this case, given the SQ has done that since being re-engined, it's a good guess that it isn't a maintenance problem. It's likely a combination of several factors, and if the mate on the bridge is heavy handed with the sticks, any ship can be made to smoke like that (except maybe the current Tier III and Tier IV emissions compliant engines). Since it happens on acceleration out of the berth, it could also be that the reduction gear ratios are not optimal for the engine, given that they may have been set up for the original engines, which operated at a higher speed. If this is the case, it would cause a higher load than intended in the lower RPM range of the engine. Similar effect to attempting to start your standard shift car in 2nd from a stop light.
|
|
|
Post by Ferryman on Feb 17, 2018 9:33:45 GMT -8
3 - On a serious note, what is the reason that this vessel belches black smoke like this & is it fixable without spending a huge some of money? Not familiar with the SQ's specific circumstance, but I'll make an educated guess. Black smoke is unburned fuel. Can be caused by blocked air intake, faulty fuel injectors, and a host of other easily rectified issues. In this case, given the SQ has done that since being re-engined, it's a good guess that it isn't a maintenance problem. It's likely a combination of several factors, and if the mate on the bridge is heavy handed with the sticks, any ship can be made to smoke like that (except maybe the current Tier III and Tier IV emissions compliant engines). Since it happens on acceleration out of the berth, it could also be that the reduction gear ratios are not optimal for the engine, given that they may have been set up for the original engines, which operated at a higher speed. If this is the case, it would cause a higher load than intended in the lower RPM range of the engine. Similar effect to attempting to start your standard shift car in 2nd from a stop light. Eh eh eh!!! Easy there, bud. The Master is likely doing the landing there! The belch of smoke happens on a regular basis, but is certainly alot more pronounced on arrival. When the Skeena approaches the berth, the bridge team reduces the engine speeds to dead slow ahead/idle on all four engines. When they get closer to the berth, the forward RADs are then rotated 180 degrees in the opposite direction, providing braking thrust to slow the ship down. As the RADs are rotated 180 degrees, alot of extra load is suddenly put on the engines as the water pressure is suddenly acting against the rotation of the propellars themselves. You can see the white wash coming out near the bow which is what is also see as the RADs are in the process of rotating, in this case, in the clock-wise direction. There is no way to turn the propellars in the astern direction without rotating a set of RADs in the opposite direction in order to slow down. The Skeena also operates on bio diesel. The Cumbie/Capilano have a different setup with diesel-electic engines, and their RADs have the option of astern thrust but adjusting the pitch of the propellar blades themselves. However that only has a certain percentage of the effectiveness for slowing down compared to simply rotating the RADs in the opposite direction, which they can of course also do.
|
|
|
Post by Brandon S on Apr 23, 2018 11:53:33 GMT -8
Skeena Queen and Renaissance Docked at SWB 20Apr18
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 7, 2018 15:50:00 GMT -8
Here's the drive from outside Victoria (Highway 1) to Swartz Bay, and then into the lineup for a Gulf Islands destination.
- July 2, 2018
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Feb 21, 2019 10:24:21 GMT -8
Swartz Bay Terminal with Coastal Renaissance resting in berth 3, & Skeena Queen, just arrived from Saltspring Island, in berth 2. 13 February 2019
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 19, 2019 17:06:34 GMT -8
25 Year Terminal Development Plan for Swartz Bay was released today: Main Page HEREPlan HEREPlan Appendix HERE------------- And for the betting-pool of when someone will post a news story about this same plan, into the general news thread: My guess is Thursday at 10:09am.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
|
Post by Neil on Jul 29, 2019 21:17:22 GMT -8
One little footnote to this thread, of interest to me at least, that I was thinking about this evening...
I think the first regular BC Ferries sailing took place between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay, some time mid 1960. I posted a story about it a few months back... can't remember the thread to get the exact date.
Anyway, it was the Gulf Island Ferry Company, owned by the Mouat family of Saltspring Island, that built the first berth at Swartz Bay. BC Ferries didn't purchase GIFC until July of 1961, which means that for at least the first year of BC Ferries, Swartz Bay was used by two separate companies. That didn't happen anywhere else on the south coast. I wonder how they did ticketing and shared costs for marshalling traffic before the merger. The Bannerman and Cadieux/Griffiths books don't mention this anomaly.
A small "hmmh..." for a Monday evening.
|
|
|
Post by hullnumbers on Aug 4, 2019 13:43:36 GMT -8
June 15, 1960 was the first day of BC Ferries, the first sailing was at 7:00am. MV Sidney left her berth with her first load to Tsawwassen. MV Tsawwassen would have docked two hours later at Swartz Bay. This was also the first day for coach service to Vancouver from Victoria. The two cities had a pretty good fast modern service. Retrieved from Daily colonist of that day.
Swartz Bay Ferry terminal began on Sept 28, 1930 for service to Fulford Harbour. Sam Matson began the service and later Mouat took over.
As historian for the Sidney Museum and Archives, I looked into it. Very impressive how the terminal has changed.
|
|
dave2
Chief Steward
Deckhand!: Todo: Introduction post (I was born less than 100 feet from the ocean. The tide was...)
Posts: 155
|
Post by dave2 on Aug 4, 2019 22:42:48 GMT -8
June 15, 1960 was the first day of BC Ferries, the first sailing was at 7:00am. MV Sidney left her berth with her first load to Tsawwassen. MV Tsawwassen would have docked two hours later at Swartz Bay. This was also the first day for coach service to Vancouver from Victoria. The two cities had a pretty good fast modern service. Retrieved from Daily colonist of that day. Swartz Bay Ferry terminal began on Sept 28, 1930 for service to Fulford Harbour. Sam Matson began the service and later Mouat took over. As historian for the Sidney Museum and Archives, I looked into it. Very impressive how the terminal has changed. From Salt Spring Archives, MV Cy Peck at the inauguration of service from Swartz Bay, September 27 1930
|
|
|
Post by hullnumbers on Aug 5, 2019 18:35:21 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Kahloke on Aug 6, 2019 5:41:14 GMT -8
Great video! Thanks for sharing it. Looks like they were in the process of widening the highway between Sidney and Swartz Bay.
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 5, 2019 7:25:21 GMT -8
The Sidney Museum has this photograph in their entrance foyer. There's a lot to like in this photo, and here's the full view of it. I will post some crops of this photo-of-a-photo in the ship threads. Swartz Bay - DSC08746 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr
|
|
|
Post by hullnumbers on Dec 2, 2019 20:30:27 GMT -8
The Sidney Museum has this photograph in their entrance foyer. There's a lot to like in this photo, and here's the full view of it. I will post some crops of this photo-of-a-photo in the ship threads. Swartz Bay - DSC08746 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr THANK YOU Low Light Mike. XD As I am a volunteer at the Sidney Museum, I have always admired this awesome picture and been trying to digitize it. Thank you so much for sharing this.
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 2, 2019 20:32:15 GMT -8
THANK YOU Low Light Mike. XD As I am a volunteer at the Sidney Museum, I have always admired this awesome picture and been trying to digitize it. Thank you so much for sharing this. You're awesomely welcome
|
|
|
Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jul 1, 2021 14:08:16 GMT -8
Why does BC Ferries say on digital signs say Coastal’s and Queen of New Westminster dock in berth 1, when only S-Class use that berth 1?
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Mar 2, 2022 10:49:02 GMT -8
Coastal Double Vision with the Renaissance & Celebration @ Swartz Bay's berths 2 & 3. Those wraps have been there for 14 years now; maybe its time for a change?
8 February 2022
|
|
|
Post by Blue Bus Fan on Feb 17, 2023 13:12:15 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Blue Bus Fan on Aug 28, 2023 0:58:29 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by cbachmeier on Nov 27, 2023 14:44:52 GMT -8
I still trying to figure out when Swartz Bay is gonna get its major upgrade as described in the TDP. Its probably been deleyad by the pandemic but is it gonna be sometime in the 2030s or 40s?
|
|