Aren't plate tectonics taught in all public schools now?
I still remember earthquake drills where they played a tape of an earthquake that last liked 3-4 minutes and we had to duck cover and hold... after it was done we'd get our emergency kits and such. O good times!
They don't do the Earthquake Drills much here anymore. Land moving would be in the category of the Continental Drift Theroy of how Pangaea was broken up and in millions of years formed again in a different way
I don't think I've been in an earthquake drill since I lived on the Island, and that was probably in Grade 5 when a bunch of teachers set up a bunch of obstacles around the school, by blocking staircases off with piles of would, to simulate a ceiling collapse I guess. They even the fire department involved, and they set up some some buckets around the school, that were on fire..I don't know what would catch on fire in a four square court....
Earthquakes are something we're just going to have to deal with. Does anyone remember the on back in February 2001, that caused alot of damage in Seattle? I was in my school gym, playing basketball with 30 other students, and the sound of 31 basketballs bouncing covered the sound and vibration of the earthquake, and we never even knew anything had happened. Next thing you know, the principal comes running in, and wondering why we hadn't evacuated the school yet.....
Anyways........
Why would the Island be moving to the Mainland?? The Island was originally joined to the Mainland, and a series of earthquakes cause the Island to split off, which also formed the Gulf Islands. So how would the plates randomnly switch direction, to push the Island back to the Mainland...If anything, it should be going further out to sea..
Well since Harbourlynx is out of the way now, WMG might consider the service a little harder now. I'd say all of Harbourlyx's passengers would now be WMG's (if they were to operate them).
i dont know about that. most of our regulars, took harbourlynx because it brought them in close to downtown, and unfortunatly, where WWMG is thinking about coming in, is not close at all to any public transit. minus one lonely bus route.
i dont know about that. most of our regulars, took harbourlynx because it brought them in close to downtown, and unfortunatly, where WWMG is thinking about coming in, is not close at all to any public transit. minus one lonely bus route.
Cars.
They could make enough money on that a lone. I think there would be a lot of travelers that would try it just because it's not BC Ferries. It's keeping them that is hard. That's where HL failed, example: take it on a windy cold morning and there's nowhere to wait.
Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 1, 2006 19:59:50 GMT -8
Here's something that I found on another message-board, from 1998. It's interesting to read the ideas being discussed, 8 years ago, and to consider that these are many of the things that have been proposed & discussed on our forum here in recent months.
(And remember, a shiny new donkey for whoever reads this entire post.....) ==============================
New high speed BC ferries All 6 messages in topic - view as tree From: BC - view profile Date: Sat, Apr 4 1998 12:00 am Email: d...@bc.sympatico.ca (BC) Groups: bc.politics
In article <tuAV.375$hQ3.876...@newsgate.direct.ca>, d...@direct.ca says... ~I wonder why those new high speed BC ferries aren't put onto a route from ~Alaska to Prince Rupert Vancouver then Seattle and return. They apparently ~would be very econonmical on such a long passage. Mr Clarke would no longer ~have to be concerned about the Alaska ferry returning to Rupert simply becuse ~nobody fron Alaska would use the slow service anymore. ~The high speed ferry would cut so much time off the trip that no one would use ~the US vessels including the Alaskans. ~Just a thought. ---- (dn) good thought Dal: Not sure Aluminum can withstand the added stresses of these routes though. Either way, if we're to have any hope of paying for these NDP temporary work efforts, we'll have to try to compete on a global stage and attempt to market them. Good luck. Dan -- ----------------------------------------------- Reply
From: Paul Keenleyside - view profile Date: Sat, Apr 4 1998 12:00 am Email: Paul Keenleyside <Lostuslan...@bc.com> Groups: bc.politics
Can't. The U.S. does not allow passage of foriegn owned vessels between U.S. Ports. This is why you don't see cruise ships travelling from Seattle to Alaska, since most are not U.S. Registered. Many are registered in the Bahamas since U.S. Registry requires American labour laws to be in force, and can't use foriegn crews. The Alaska ferries sail between Bellingham/Seattle and have U.S. crews.
Secondly, the high speed ferries don't have the fuel capacity for the trip, and they would burn alot of fuel to move at 35 to 40 knots. Refuelling would have to occur at Port Hardy, and also at Prince Rupert. The Alaska ferries are quite larger and have larger fuel capcity.
Thirdly, while 30 knots (their service speed) would be quite possible on seas with a low one foot chop, and perhaps low swells, and more likely during the sail through Discovery Passage and Johnson Straits, I'd be doubtful if the speed could be maintained during the trip up Georgia Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound (between Vancouver Island and the start of the Inside Passage on the North Coast) during frequent times of 15 to 30 knot winds and 4 to 10 foot seas.
I've sailed From Sidney to Courtenay and have seen the Strait change from a mill pond to windy conditions with 4 foot seas in the space of just a few hours, and common sense is that one takes off power when meeting seas head on.
The fast ferries are fine for protected areas, but I wonder if they would at all times be able to maintain their 30 to 35 knot service speed (they won't in Departure Bay abeam of Gabriola Island, and the ferry would have to be out of Horseshoe Bay before throttling up to 30 knots.
The larger ferries ("C" Class - Oak Bay, Cowichan and Coquitlam) have a service speed of 20 knots, which at times is not met because of sea conditions.
The cats used on the Tasman Sea in Australia are a bit different and I think larger, and I beleive the Tasman Sea doesn't have the problem that plague our waters - deadheads, logs and unpredictable seas.
> Dal wagner responds:
> I believe you have that one exactly backward. You are refering to the > American"Jones Act" or their equivilent Act relating to pasengers that > prohibits "Foreign" vessels travelling between 2 US ports. This in fact is the > very reason that those cruise liners don't travel directly between Seattle and > Alaska. Those cruise lines are "foreign".....to America which is the reason > that they DONT sail directly between Seattle and Alaskan ports. > In fact, The only reason Vancouver has a cruise ship industry is because of > that US Jones Act. As long as you don't travel directly between two US ports > you can do what ever you want. > Seattle and similar US West coast ports have tried to get rid of the Jones act > for obvious reasons but the US Senate and other US lobby groups see more > benifit in protecting their internal maritime trade than promoting foreign > cruise ships that benifit few Americans. > Canadian ships would have no problem nor would they violate any US law if they > stopped in Vancouver at least once before they enter Washington or Alaska.
I stand carrected on that one.
> >Secondly, the high speed ferries don't have the fuel capacity for the trip, > and they > >would burn alot of fuel to move at 35 to 40 knots. Refuelling would have to > occur > >at Port Hardy, and also at Prince Rupert. The Alaska ferries are quite larger > and > >have larger fuel capcity.
> Dal Wagner responds:
> Yes I agree that more fuelling stops would be required but I think this would > be a benifit to the BC economy. Build fuel depots. This would create jobs and > open up BC's remoter areas making them more viable. I think a little > imagination and visionary thinking would bring a lot of benifit to many coastal > comunities. > Why do tourist go to Alaska as and end destination and not Prince Rupert? > Please no smart remarks! > The high speed ferries become much more economical on long runs than short > ones.
The reponse is based on econmics. The fuel would have be transported there (there are no oil pipes accross the Strait, all oil products are trucked or barged over to the Island. It wouldn't be economically feasible to build a fuel station in let's say Ocean Falls. However a stop at Port Hardy (where the present Northern Route service begins) might have some merit.
Why not Prince Rupert rther than Alaska? PR doesn't have much to offer. Besides the Alaska Ferries service from Bellingham ends at the norther tip of the panhandle at Haines where the tourist can drive off and join up with the Alaska Highway.
I'd rather question where the high speed ferries becomre more economical on longer runs than short ones, since they burn more fuel per hour than a standard ferry does because of the speed. They are not designed for longer hauls since from looking at the Pacificat drawings at the BC Ferries site, there isn't much in the way of passenger facilities for a trip that would take two nights and two days to complete.
> >Thirdly, while 30 knots (their service speed) would be quite possible on seas > with a > >low one foot chop, and perhaps low swells, and more likely during the sail > through Discovery > >Passage and Johnson Straits, I'd be doubtful if the speed could be maintained > during......................................................................... > ................... etc.
> Dal Wagner responds:
> You could be correct. I do know however that 90% of all vessels heading up or > down the West Coast are only rated for travel in inside waters and without > major reconstruction could never be classified for open ocean travel. > This same type of high speed vessel is is used in the English Channel and has > no problems meeting sceduled sailings in weather even more severe than we have > on the inside passage.
I hpe I am. Piloted our family's K&C cruiser through smooth and heavy seas. You're right about the vessels designe for inland waters, but there is open water on the northern route between Port Hardy and Bella Bella. Even the Queen of Prince Rupert and the Queen of the North have problems navigating heavy seas during the early spring and fall, as does the Alaska ferries Columbia and Malaspina. The problem with the English Channel is that it is relatively shallow and has alot of maritime traffic. I'd be interested to know if catamaran ferries are used (I know about the Seaspeed hovercraft, but they are about at the end of their service life and from what I saw British Rail has no plans to build new ones).
> >The cats used on the Tasman Sea in Australia are a bit different and I think > larger, > >and I beleive the Tasman Sea doesn't have the problem that plague our waters - > deadheads, > >logs and unpredictable seas.
> Dal Wagner responds: > Logs could be a problem but probably less of a problem in Prince Rupert than > right here in the Georgia strait where in fact they are now scheduled to sail.
Truse me logs are a problem. We've hit them, and I've been on one of the jumbo ferries when she hit one. A loud bang followed by a rapidly spinning log, and a short loss of speed. It can get pretty nasty out there in late November despite being able to soak in the view and have a gentle warn summer evening breeze on you while leaning against the ship outside on the 7 PM sailing to Horseshoe Bay.
====================
Last Edit: Jul 1, 2006 20:15:11 GMT -8 by Low Light Mike
Post by bcfcbccsscollector on Jul 3, 2006 21:18:35 GMT -8
Eeh Haw, Eeh haw......
I read the entire post. (believe it or not!!!)
What still makes NO sense at all, is the fact Glen Clark tried to put aluminium ship building on the map and FAILED....MISERABLY!!!! Look at the cost to build, and what they got at auction (Including a ship still shrink wrapped!!!). Need I say any more!!! I had an inside source that said that these fast cats were not good for west coast waters and advised the Premier so, yet our buddy Glen insisted on pushing this now known white elephant forward, much to the demise of us, the lowly taxpayer. Their performance record speaks volumes also. It would have been FAR better to invest those wasted dollars in more C class ships vs. the "Floating casinos" we sold for a song to Dennis Washington. He's gotta be laughing all the way to the bank on this one...........
Last Edit: Jul 3, 2006 21:19:57 GMT -8 by bcfcbccsscollector
Post by Political Incorrectness on Jul 3, 2006 21:23:33 GMT -8
I most certainly concur and Mr. Washington would be laughing cause those were sold for a bargain. If they want to make money off the cats, bridge the fraser and connect them up between the albion ferry docks and make people pay 2 bucks a trip to get to and from. That'd make the floating casions useful.
I just went to a focus group on possible reservation-only fast ferry service between Vancouver and Nanaimo. (Downtown-ish to downtown-ish) About prices we'd be willing to pay, and scheduling, and on-board offerings. Sounds like next spring for a launch.
Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 19, 2006 11:09:02 GMT -8
Sean said:
I just went to a focus group on possible reservation-only fast ferry service between Vancouver and Nanaimo. (Downtown-ish to downtown-ish) About prices we'd be willing to pay, and scheduling, and on-board offerings. Sounds like next spring for a launch.
They will succeed where the crown corp couldn't.
Sean: thanks for that info. Can you give us some more specifics...as much as you're comfortable saying. - ie. What company contacted you for this, and why did they pick you (are you a possible customer?)? - is this new ferry going to be an old Pacificat, or the old Harbourlynx vessel, or something else? - is this basically the re-start of the old Harbourlynx service? - why will they succeed where a crown corp couldn't? (ie. more flexibility, an investor with deep pockets. ?
Post by kylefossett on Sept 19, 2006 14:19:58 GMT -8
the old harbourlynx vessel is rumoured to be back in service before the end of the year. check out kevin stapleton's website for recent pics of activity aboard the vessel
Well, Kevin Stapleton took an interesting photo of the Pacificat Explorer lately.....It shows a slightly different angle of the ship, and it is clearly evident that WMG must make a decision with what to do next, very soon. Quite sad that they're being kept like this.
You'd never expect ship that new to look so bad. What are they gonna do with them? Ship Breakers, Floating Casinos, Competition with BC Ferries, or will they sit there and rot for the rest of their days?
I just went to a focus group on possible reservation-only fast ferry service between Vancouver and Nanaimo. (Downtown-ish to downtown-ish) About prices we'd be willing to pay, and scheduling, and on-board offerings. Sounds like next spring for a launch.
They will succeed where the crown corp couldn't.
This sounds like it is related to the thred under general discussion: New passenger ferry between Vancouver and Victoria