Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 11, 2008 21:02:26 GMT -8
Ok on Monday the SOBC departs Tsawwassen at 7pm which is normal. But her return sailing from Swartz Bay is 10pm instead of 9pm. What would be the chances of her sailing via East Point instead of Active Pass?? Why would they have her Swartz Bay departure an hour later if she was going the normal route? Reason I ask is I would be interested in trying to get on one of her sailings that goes the long way around preferably the 7pm out of Tsawwassen. The news release about it only says about a 6:30am sailing going that way. Is she really gonna sit at Swartz Bay from 8:35pm till 10pm if she goes her normal route? That part dosent make sense.
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Post by Hardy on Oct 12, 2008 10:30:52 GMT -8
Good question Karl -- I wonder if BCFS customer relations would be able to tell you specifically which sailings they are going to send around the long way (East Point), and if there is anything that would behoove a captain to actually sail that way (other than predicted tidal conditions) -- ie: no promise that the sailing will go East Point rather than Active Pass.
I don't think that BCFS has ever anticipated that people would VOLUNTARILY (or at least SPECIFICALLY) want to go sailing around the long way...
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CFG
Deckhand
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
Posts: 64
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Post by CFG on Oct 12, 2008 10:46:38 GMT -8
Karl, two things.
First, you could check the times of the tide changes and see to see if there is a change or slack tide at or around the time that the SoBC would transit active pass.
For this Monday, currents in active pass are as follows, from the DFO tide and current tables. I took them out of the book I have, but I'm sure you could find them online somewhere.
12:18 +3.5kn 15:08 +0.0kn (slack) 18:30 -4.8kn 21:46 +0.0kn (slack) 00:51 +3.5kn
So by looking at that I would say that yes, she would probably go East point on the 7pm departure from Tsawwassen.
Secondly, on other days it could be BCF holding her or sending her early so that she can go Active Pass and save some fuel. You never know with BCF.
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Post by roeco on Dec 27, 2008 19:02:00 GMT -8
The earliest ferry is 5:45am and the latest is 10:45pm from either Tsawassen or Duke Point. The only exception is on Sundays the first two sailings of the day do not operate and on Saturdays the last two sailings of the day dont operate and its only for the winter. In summer its 7 days a week for all sailings. So its not actually too bad... However Im sure they could use extra sailings Fri and Sun on the major routes in the summers.
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Post by roeco on Dec 27, 2008 19:08:59 GMT -8
I believe that BC Ferries did try operating later sailings on Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay quite a while back and I think the issue they had was they deadheaded the ships back to their home ports after they did their one late night trip.. I think it was like 11:00pm or something like that ! Im not sure if i got that right but I remember something like that!! However I believe they tried it 7 days a week for a trial...! It would only work if it was weekends only and publicized plus I think it would be better to do it on Swartz Bay-Tsawassen instead.
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Post by roeco on Dec 27, 2008 19:16:12 GMT -8
I know the Swartz Bay-Tsawassen Ferry used to make a stop at Village Bay,Mayne Island on some sailings, usually it was the Queen of Saanich...that would be a good use of ferry for sure especially as a fill in between on long weekends or in the Summer. As I know Village Bay is a transfer point also for Gulf Island passengers. Would it not make sense to do that alot more often especially coming out of Swartz Bay?
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Dec 27, 2008 19:49:16 GMT -8
On the subject of late night sailings, they do them on some special occasions, like a big Canucks game, or Giants game. They issue a service notice in advance, and do generally publicize the sailing, but they still don't fill much more than 40-50%.
They've done them on both TSA-SWB and TSA-DKP.
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rt1commuter
Chief Steward
JP - Overworked grad student
Posts: 167
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Post by rt1commuter on Dec 27, 2008 23:09:52 GMT -8
It would certainly be wonderful if BC Ferries implemented a 24 hour schedule. Perhaps have the QofN do a return trip at 1AM from T-woss to Swartz. It would never happen, but it sure would be convenient!
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Post by Nickfro on Jan 5, 2009 16:07:53 GMT -8
My question has to do with the Mid-Coast stops in the off season after the QPR has been retired. . .
Currently the Northern Adventure only stops at Bella Bella and Klemtu. It has never stopped at Shearwater nor Ocean Falls. It's obvious to me why it has never docked at Shearwater, as there is nothing there, and surely can't back into that spot safely without possibly running aground or something along that line. From what I have seen at Ocean Falls, docking there could be possible, but I really don't know the circumstances there that exist.
The Northern Expedition will certainly follow the same docking characteristics as the Northern Adventure, except for its ability to dock bow first, which may help make docking at Shearwater a reality. . .I really don't know.
So here's what I'm wondering. . .
Given the fact that after the QPR retirement, there will only be two larger ferries serving the Inside Passage run, what do they really have in mind for serving the Mid Coast communities? Is their longer term plan consisting of utilizing the Nimpkish for those communities? Do they have another ferry in mind? I really don't know what the most valid solution is for this.
They haven't been using the Nimpkish this winter, as the QPR has been able to service these communities. The Nimpkish will operate on the Mid Coast this spring when the Northern Adventure returns to service (and, subsequently, the QPR goes into retirement).
I'm of course considering this scenario for the period when the Queen of Chilliwack is not operating on route 40, so keep that in mind too.
Thanks!
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Post by hergfest on Jan 5, 2009 19:48:39 GMT -8
Whatever, I'm still waiting for the positioning cruises to come back.
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Quatchi
Voyager
Engineering Officer - CCG
Posts: 930
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Post by Quatchi on Jan 8, 2009 18:56:28 GMT -8
I have been to all of the BCF terminals north of Port Hardy, from my experience I believe that the Northern Expedition should be able to get into all of the berths.
Port Hardy- DUH
Prince Rupert - DUH
Skidegate - Easily done, not an issue.
Bella Bella - Easily done, not an issue.
Bella Coola - Easily done, not an issue
Klemtu - If they come into the channel from the south and back into the berth, leave via the north channel they will not have to turn around. If she is too big to come in via the south channel, she has 2 bow thrusters and a stern thruster, she should easily be able to turn around inside the bay.
Shearwater - If she comes in bow first like the QPR does, she will be fine, assuming it is deep enough. She should have enough room to turn around with all 3 thrusters.
Ocean falls - The Chanel is over 700m wide she can easily turn around in there.
I have heard that the NorEx will run during the winter due to estimated lower operating costs and the fact that she should be much more maneuverable than the NorAd.
I don't think the NorEx would have to much trouble getting into any of the terminals, weather they want to bother with half of them is another question. I can see them skipping Shearwater (15 minutes from Bella Bella by small craft) and Ocean Falls (there's like 40 people there in the winter).
Cheers,
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Post by Dane on Feb 11, 2009 15:23:37 GMT -8
... tell me about it! I can't find information anywhere
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Post by DENelson83 on Feb 11, 2009 15:46:16 GMT -8
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Post by Dane on Feb 11, 2009 15:53:36 GMT -8
Hahaha no I mean BC Ferries' Route 1A, but thanks
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Post by Mike C on Feb 11, 2009 17:53:48 GMT -8
Route 1A... would that be Tsawwassen>Village Bay>Swartz Bay ?
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 11, 2009 17:57:06 GMT -8
In the past BC Ferries has had scheduled route 1 sailings that called at a Gulf Island en route (often Sturdies or Village People Bay). I suspect that the designation 'Route 1A' was given to such arrangements in the past. Neil might be able to confirm such by consulting his vast collection of old schedules.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Feb 11, 2009 19:42:57 GMT -8
Neil also posted this a couple days ago, in reference to the BCFerries time line: The summer schedule for 1977 lists a route 19, which was a supplementary service by Queen of The Islands between Otter Bay and Tsawwassen. 1980's schedule has the same ship doing a hybrid route 5-9 service between Swartz Bay, Mayne and/or Pender, and Tsawwassen.
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Post by Dane on Feb 11, 2009 21:46:47 GMT -8
19 is listed in that year's financial report as 9C - but back then there are a lot of inconsistencies.
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Post by kerryssi on Feb 12, 2009 8:35:42 GMT -8
There was a summer only route which went SWB-VB-TSA but I am sure the current vessels on rte 1 could not get into VB. OB is a possibility but the tides and winds make SB doubtful. There was a 9a which went TSA-gulf islands.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 12, 2009 9:06:01 GMT -8
There was a summer only route which went SWB-VB-TSA but I am sure the current vessels on rte 1 could not get into VB. OB is a possibility but the tides and winds make SB doubtful. There was a 9a which went TSA-gulf islands. Too bad "Route 2A" never materialized. Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, with a stop at Saturna along the way. ;D ;D
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Post by cohocatcher on Feb 12, 2009 10:22:06 GMT -8
There was a summer only route which went SWB-VB-TSA but I am sure the current vessels on rte 1 could not get into VB. OB is a possibility but the tides and winds make SB doubtful. There was a 9a which went TSA-gulf islands. Too bad "Route 2A" never materialized. Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, with a stop at Saturna along the way. ;D ;D Actually a better route would be HB to Canada Place (foot passenger service only) then on to DP. ;D
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Post by Kahloke on Feb 12, 2009 11:21:49 GMT -8
I am sure the current vessels on rte 1 could not get into VB Could the Queen of New Westminster get into Village Bay, or does it have too deep of a draft? It's basically a modified-B, and Queen of Nanaimo goes in and out of VB.
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Post by DENelson83 on Feb 12, 2009 14:03:43 GMT -8
Too bad "Route 2A" never materialized. Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, with a stop at Saturna along the way. ;D ;D You mean Langdale, right?
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Post by Nickfro on Feb 12, 2009 14:47:30 GMT -8
Too bad "Route 2A" never materialized. Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, with a stop at Saturna along the way. ;D ;D You mean Langdale, right? No. I'm sure he means Saturna. . .just like the Route 17A fall out. I was really looking forward to riding on the Queen of Burnaby, making a stop at Cortes on her way from Comox to Powell River. ;D ;D
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Post by Hardy on Feb 12, 2009 20:12:18 GMT -8
Oh great, now we are making up routes again.
In all seriousness, -1A does have some merit to it, in terms of the summer sched of -9 and -9A. When we have true 4 boat service (or even more especially in the shoulder season with 3-boat service), then some kind of -1A routing would make sense, especially out of Tsawwassen (when there is no supplemental -9A service).
I for one, would think that this would be worthy of investigation by BCFS to see if there would be any kind of demand for this service.
On selected days out of Tsa in shoulder season, perhaps have the 0700 leave at 0630 if it is running -1A? Give an earlier option out of Tsawwassen to the SGI's?
Like I say, might be worth a think (re-think)...
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