PICTURE HEAVY ON THIS POSTING!Here is my presentation of pictures I took aboard the NORTHERN EXPEDITION on her Open Ship day at Port Hardy:
Here we are at the Bear Cove Terminal. The NORTHERN EXPEDITION is ready for her Open Ship day.
The gate has been opened. Time to explore a new ship!
ALL ABOARD!
A steel cutout replica of the ship we are aboard.
The Main Deck. This camera is facing forward.
The foyer/lounge.
The gift store.
The forward formal Vista dining saloon.
We pass through this catering crew passage to the cafeteria.
Part of the servery in the Canoe cafeteria.
The seating in the cafeteria is of various shapes.
Aft end of the cafeteria and heading to the video theatre.
The video theatre.
One more look at the cafeteria.
Nice work!
Unreserved seating adjacent to the public staterooms.
Unreserved seating adjacent to the forward observatory.
Here we are in the Aurora forward observatory. Looking up to where this ship is commanded.
Nice outlook over the bow.
Looking port.
Looking starboard.
BC Ferries' own version of Amtrak's Superliner reserved coach seating. Like Amtrak's Superliner, these seats recline nicely. The leg rests, however, don't support your legs as solidly as on the Superliners as these are on springs. You need a little muscle to deploy and stow these. It's a bit easier to do this on the Superliners.
On the centreline.
The bow and downtown Port Hardy.
Looking from side to side.
Nice tile work!
We end our tour of the Aurora observatory with a look at the coat hooks.
We now take a look into one of the public staterooms. I think this one is Canada's equivalent of an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant room.
A berth with a handle overhead.
Head.
Aft of the public staterooms.
We look down to the aft ramp and the dock.
Forum members in the aft solarium.
Looking aft.
Port set of promenades.
Starboard set of promenades.
"Orcasnative" leads the happy pack of forum members to the Bridge.
A lifeboat.
A rescue boat.
Dane tests the new non-slip deck mat.
Name board. This is lit at night.
Mast with whistles.
Time to visit the Bridge!
Bridge wing.
My legs, my shoes, and a glass view down the side of the ship. The MV SPIRIT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA and MV SPIRIT OF VANCOUVER ISLAND have these.
DO NOT STEP ON THE GLASS!!
Looking aft on her starboard side.
Bow view from the starboard bridge wing.
Port Hardy.
The main console.
Self explanatory.
Bow and stern door indicator.
Steering console.
Future navigator.
Real navigator. Demonstrating his skills of his chosen profession before the lens.
Forum members in a discussion with a member of the ship's crew.
Looking aft on the port side.
Thank you for letting us visit the Bridge, Captain!
This is similar to what we'll see on the Sun Deck aboard the new Keystone ferries. At the corners under the bridge wings, we'll see ladderways to the Saloon Deck.
We head below.
Down the ladderways to the Engine Room!
Mr. Stapleton delivers a lecture on the new ship.
Generators.
Generators.
Switchboards.
Stabilizer machinery.
We now see the big engines that drive the ship. These are their uptakes.
Now, that's one giant engine!
More of the same below:
The below pictures are in the control room.
The bow door.
Looking aft from the bow door.
Time for some cake!
Can this be changed to "OPEN SHIP", please?
The cake was good otherwise!
BOW WOW! ARF ARF!!
The ship's kennel.
Time to leave the ship.
But, not before taking one more look at that neat work of steel art.
Ramp raising mechanism.
Thanks for letting us visit you!
Self explanatory.
The three bears. Beautiful artwork!
Good bye NORTHERN EXPEDITION and thanks for a great day!
A great heartfelt thanks to BC Ferries for conducting this Open Ship.
A fortissimo of thanks to "Flugel Horn" in taking me back to my hotel. It ends up that he stayed at the same place at the Glen Lyon Inn.
After the Open Ship, we had a wonderful meal, fellowship, and a fun round table discussion all on ferries. "Flugel Horn", "Dane", "Wett Coast Kidd", "Orcasnative", "Scott", and myself were at the table in the pub at the Quarterdeck Inn.
It was great to meet major people of FSG in person as well as Mr. Hahn of BC Ferries.
Many thanks to all for a superb day! I'll remember this for a long time.
