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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 11, 2012 13:41:41 GMT -8
Has this CTV story regarding BC Ferries after-service life made it onto the forum yet? Interesting ... Yes, it was posted somewhere else. Likely in the Queen of Vancouver main thread. But thanks. ....and Welcome aboard here; glad to have you join up.
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Post by Mike C on Aug 11, 2012 15:26:40 GMT -8
I caught, what I guess were, the final ferry-fan photos of the Queen of Vancouver from Tsawwassen Beach / Fred Gingell Park. Upon review, they aren't very good due to distance, but they're documentation nonetheless. I will hopefully have them up in the next day or so.
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 11, 2012 16:49:24 GMT -8
I caught, what I guess were, the final ferry-fan photos of the Queen of Vancouver from Tsawwassen Beach / Fred Gingell Park. Upon review, they aren't very good due to distance, but they're documentation nonetheless. I will hopefully have them up in the next day or so. Forget about any quality controls. Your photos will be welcomed by us ferry fans regardless. The Tug ALAN G and the QUEEN OF VANCOUVER have reached the Pacific. They are to meet a tug that has engaged in a few activities during the construction of our new KDT ferries (I rode aboard one of them yesterday, twice).
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Aug 11, 2012 17:25:28 GMT -8
Hi all. I just joined the forum because of what I saw last night, and found answers to my questions here. Thanks for all the info! As my username implies, our home is located on the water at Gowlland Point, South Pender Island (the G.P. lighthouse is at our 2 o'clock view position, 150 meters away). I saw the tow emerging on the horizon shortly after it rounded East Point. Made it by the house a bit after 2200 on 8/10. Our group on the patio doubted me when I said it was a BCF, due to no lights except basic navigation ... "surely they'd run a generator and have crew on even under tow." I said, "not if the generators no longer exist!" We all knew truth when she drew closer and scrutinized with binocs, as best we could in the darkness. It was especially eerie to note the lifeboats missing and car deck-level doors either open or removed, as well as the BCF nomenclature gone. Not sure if the name was still painted on the bow. I guessed it was the Esquimalt until I read this thread. Having just celebrated my 50th birthday on the same patio one week earlier, I was hit pretty hard by the emotions of seeing her go ... I logged countless sailings on the Vancouver to reach Pender via Swartz Bay over the near-half century of her service. It was weird to see the somewhat stripped hulk with all those memories slip off into the night. So long old friend ... I'm curious regarding the prep for the Q of V tow ... do they fix the rudder at zero degrees, or remove it? Are there any crew at all on board? Electronic monitoring for leaks, fire or other potential problems? I guess the weather is forecast to be fine, but it seems off to remove the car deck doors, especially the bow doors, for a passage down the West Coast, in a ship with such a low true-hull freeboard by ocean-going standards. Any thoughts? Would a tow such as this be charged at an hourly rate plus expenses (pilot, port fees, environmental compliance, insurance, customs, etc.), or bid at a flat rate for the whole package? Finally, would the Alan G require enroute refueling, or does it carry a sufficient supply to make Ensenada? Welcome to the forum, gowllandpoint.
I doubt that the rudders were removed. It's likely that they have have the rudders fixed at zero degrees. There is no one aboard the Vancouver on her trip from Fanny Bay to Ensenada. It's unlikely that equipment is installed aboard the Vancouver to detect for any issues aboard on her trip. The bow and stern doors were removed when they attempted to dismantle parts of her at Woodfibre, sometime around July 2010. (Here are bow and stern photos that I took on Tuesday.) Queen of Vancouver at Fanny Bay. by BCFS, on Flickr Queen of Vancouver at Fanny Bay. by BCFS, on Flickr I am not sure what Pacific Tugboat Service is charging for this tow. However, the individual who did the consulting for Infraestructura y Servicios Portuarios, S.A., is the former owner of PTS. Alan G has enough fuel aboard for a non-stop trip to Ensenada. Hopefully that helped to answer some of your questions.
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 11, 2012 19:40:08 GMT -8
In addition to what Scott mentioned above, our beloved Steel-Electrics were towed to Ensenada for scrapping. They were open ended ferries, though they were originally fitted with roller doors to protect cars from spray on the wind swept San Francisco Bay (their original home).
The Steel-Electrics were rigged with wave breakers, assembled from parts of the car deck, for their towing. They all made it to Mexico.
On the other hand, the QUEEN OF ESQUIMALT (in disguise as PRINCESS JACQUELINE) was rigidly fitted for an ocean voyage. Her doors were still installed. And, one of Mr. Brinkmann's company's Coastal Class wave breakers was installed at her bow. FSG installed a wave breaker at one end of the Coastal ferries to protect the designated end of navigation on their delivery voyage from Germany. Deas saved them and installed one of these to the bow of the ESQUIMALT. The ESQUIMALT was to have been towed to Asia for some sort of continued use. Instead, she ended up at the hands of the cutters in Ensenada. Besides her steel work, Mr. Brinkmann's wave breaker should now be reused into something else of metal et al.
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mrdot
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Post by mrdot on Aug 11, 2012 21:17:01 GMT -8
:)almost as unenjoyable news as the olympic discalification of the cdn. mens 4 by 4 relay team, is the news that the FSG yard technology helped our BC built vessels reach the Mexican re-cyclers! however this is a better outcome than BC's first ferry, mv Sidney, and other northwest vessels have faced! :'(mrdot.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Aug 11, 2012 21:22:47 GMT -8
The Alan G is abeam Forks Washington right now at 10:25pm! Probably tomorrow you wont be able to get her position as it will be in the out of range area I would think.
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Post by Mike C on Aug 11, 2012 22:18:41 GMT -8
My damnedest with the 55-200... Just had an epiphany - Alan G is a little too close to Alang...
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 11, 2012 22:32:17 GMT -8
My damnedest with the 55-200... Just had an epiphany - Alan G is a little too close to Alang... I agree. I had a school mate with the same name. Alan G. I won't tell you his last name, though. Nice photos from a great photographer!
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Aug 11, 2012 22:35:20 GMT -8
Thanks for those photos, Mike! Just had an epiphany - Alan G is a little too close to Alang... Yes, in that order too... A L A N G The Victoria was scrapped in Alang, India in 2006. Both the Esquimalt and Vancouver were/are towed to Ensenada for scrapping by Alan G. Will the Saanich follow the tradition of these five letters? I guess we'll have to wait and see...
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 11, 2012 23:12:41 GMT -8
Thanks for those photos, Mike! Just had an epiphany - Alan G is a little too close to Alang... Yes, in that order too... A L A N G The Victoria was scrapped in Alang, India in 2006. Both the Esquimalt and Vancouver were/are towed to Ensenada for scrapping by Alan G. Will the Saanich follow the tradition of these five letters? I guess we'll have to wait and see... And, also, the PRINCESS MARGUERITE, a ship we used to keep our clocks by.
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 12, 2012 5:36:09 GMT -8
As of 0625 this morning, the Alan G/Queen of Vancouver was abmean of Ocean Shores / Aberdeen Washington, steaming a course of 180 at 6.5 knots. abmeanThat's a new word! ;D
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 12, 2012 11:14:51 GMT -8
Mid day update: The tow was abeam Long Beach WA at 1201PDT. Soon, they'll be off the Oregon coast.
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Mirrlees
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Post by Mirrlees on Aug 12, 2012 15:03:12 GMT -8
Thank you so much for posting those, mayne! We also sent a request into BCFS to let the afternoon crews know of the Vancouver's movement so they too could pay respects to their former ship.
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piglet
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Post by piglet on Aug 12, 2012 17:09:56 GMT -8
Off Cannon Beach OR. at the moment.
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Mirrlees
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Post by Mirrlees on Aug 13, 2012 12:06:36 GMT -8
As of 13:00h the tow is 100 miles off the coast abeam of Waldport OR.
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 16, 2012 8:31:18 GMT -8
Position update as of 0903PDT, 08-16-2012, the tow was west of Santa Rosa CA some 100 miles offshore.
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Post by lavalamp on Aug 16, 2012 13:49:36 GMT -8
that is near where I am right now in LA! Well Anaheim Orange County! You realize that Santa Rosa is 415 miles (670 km) north of Anaheim, right? The distance from Vancouver to Roseburg, OR, is similar. California is a long state!
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Aug 16, 2012 14:35:15 GMT -8
oops ok someone said it was near here, lol!
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 16, 2012 17:48:05 GMT -8
that is near where I am right now in LA! Well Anaheim Orange County! You realize that Santa Rosa is 415 miles (670 km) north of Anaheim, right? The distance from Vancouver to Roseburg, OR, is similar. California is a long state! You might have to spend a few more days in LA. Perhaps on Catalina Island where you might have a better chance on seeing the tow, depending on the time of day and visibility. A website or two mentions that there may be a few rattlesnakes on Catalina, so be careful there. Another option is San Diego. Find a high up viewpoint like Point Loma or La Jolla. You'll need a really good pair of binoculars and/or telescope to see the tow as they may be ten, twenty, or so miles offshore. Again, time of day and visibility is an issue.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Aug 17, 2012 17:37:01 GMT -8
You might have to spend a few more days in LA. Perhaps on Catalina Island where you might have a better chance on seeing the tow, depending on the time of day and visibility. A website or two mentions that there may be a few rattlesnakes on Catalina, so be careful there. Another option is San Diego. Find a high up viewpoint like Point Loma or La Jolla. You'll need a really good pair of binoculars and/or telescope to see the tow as they may be ten, twenty, or so miles offshore. Again, time of day and visibility is an issue. Excellent points. I've been to Los Angeles and to 'Diego, and this time of year it is hazy except when there's wind. The geography of the Los Angeles area for seeing out from Los Angeles is best at Pointe Vincente Rolling Hills (west of Long Beach - Use Palos Verdes Drive to get there). It's a promitory that will allow a line of sight of about 15 miles on a good day. Consider in good weather, from shore you can see out to about 4 miles (horizon out to sea with no other physical features such as mountains or islands). It's 20 miles between Catalina and Los Angeles (figure the distance from Gabriola (Silva Bay) to Ditchmond near YVR). But there is haze (shown on the Avalon webcam). There's also offshore sea cloud to attend to, if there's no wind (I've been to Marina Del Rey and other placed taking pictures of locations used in an old TV show, and the air was very clear and crisp (in April), as it rained the night before). But sea conditions can make for sea fog in the morning that burns off late afternoon. On a local prespective, it's 10 nautical miles from Third Beach to Bowen Island, and while the easilyt seen shape of a ferry can be used to identify her, there's not much detail. San Diego the good place to see is from Point Loma Consider the tow would go on a straight line from the Catalina Channel to the waters off Tijuana so even at La Jolla, she would be quite a ways off and probably not being able to show. (based on courses taken by the Adventure, Expedition and C. Ferries delivery cruises). It's about 80 miles from Los Angeles to San Diego. The weather in La Jolla is more consistent than further north with sea fog less often, so that would be in its favour and there are some good high points. Afterwards at dusk and at too low of an elevation, but a good way to eat away your sorrows after, is the Marine Room. One of the best meals I have had in my life was at there. The water at high tide is actually under the restaurant.
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 17, 2012 18:53:34 GMT -8
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Post by Ferryman on Aug 17, 2012 20:42:18 GMT -8
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FNS
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Post by FNS on Aug 18, 2012 7:31:23 GMT -8
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