Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2013 14:58:18 GMT -8
Here is my idea put two vessel on the Horseshoe Bay to Langdale the vessels could be the Queen of Surrey and the Queen of Alberni or the Queen of New Westminster. Base the Coastal Renaissance and the Queen of Cowichan out of Departure Bay, base the Queen of Oak Bay and the Queen of Coquitlam out of Horeshoe Bay. No route 17, Island Sky on the Earls Cove to Saltery Bay and North Island Princess on the Saltery Bay to Blubber bay. Actually not a good idea. With the Saltery Bay-Departure Bay route, even if it takes 3 hours each way, somewhat maintains a link between Vancouver Island and the upper sunshine coast. The plan described above would probably make BCFs loose a lot of money since they'd have to offer the three routes for the same price as a Westview-Little River ticket. Throughfares for all three routes.
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SolDuc
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West Coast Cyclist
SolDuc and SOBC - Photo by Scott
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Post by SolDuc on Feb 3, 2013 15:18:03 GMT -8
Throughfares for all three routes[...] ...would make BCFs loose more money than just operating Saltery Bay-Departure Bay.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 3, 2013 18:54:26 GMT -8
I've moved 2 of my old posts on this topic to Chris's new thread.
The Westview/Comox terminals thread still has some old discussion as well, for those who are interested in what some of us have already been asking and been discussing about this upcoming-event topic.
Or just ask again, here.
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Post by Curtis on Feb 20, 2013 3:02:57 GMT -8
I attended the Public Meeting in Powell River regarding the Berth Closures and the Service that will be provided. It was quite informative and while some is what we've heard before, there was plenty new... First the Dates: The project will commence January 7th, 2014 and finish March 9th, 2014.
The Saltery Bay-Departure Bay route will run January 7 th, to February 7 th. The route will switch to Little River February 8th and continue until Westview reopens a month later. There will also be a stops at Blubber Bay so Texada Traffic doesn't have to go to Saltery Bay to get to Comox.Now to the Berths: 3D Renderings of the Westview and Little River Berths were shown and their design is similar to the Berths at Gravelly Bay and Shingle Spit. The Berths will be Double-Laned and "Active-Lift." (i.e. Hydraulics instead of Ramp Pins) Westview's Trestle and Waiting Room will also be Completely Rebuilt. As for Terminal Operations: Saltery Bay's setup is pretty much as we predicted. There is one surprise though, Route 18 Traffic will be queued in the staff parking lot at Saltery Bay. Meanwhile, the Westview holding lot will also see use as a Parking Lot for Route 17 Foot Passengers. A Shuttle Bus will run between Westview and Saltery Bay. The Texada Water Taxi of course will also dock at Westview. Surprisingly, the Water Taxi will be going to the Van Anda Boat Club instead of the Government Wharf like it has before. To conclude: There were also a few notes of interest. The Galley service on the Island Sky will be upgraded and offer a wider menu selection. (what a relief) I don't know how they'll do this, but hopefully this means Burgers and Fries. I also got confirmation that the Queen of Chilliwack will be running Route 7 during this time. To Finish: Here are the Renderings of the Berths...
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 20, 2013 9:19:38 GMT -8
The reconfigured berths at both ends of route 17 will continue as being 'parallel to the shoreline', thereby continuing to show their single-ended vessel history. This in spite of the fact that double ended vessels will likely soon be the norm on this route.
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Post by Curtis on Feb 20, 2013 11:38:25 GMT -8
More on the Project can be read here: hqsunshinecoast.com/news/news/v/Local/140810/Ferry-Reps-Unveil-Plan-for-ClosureHere are some of the more Technical Diagrams Shown. These were taken on my phone so I've Cropped and Sharpened some of them to give everyone a better look. Little River Overlay. Westview Overlay. Saltery Bay Ticketing/Staging Plan. Westview Ticketing/Staging Plan. Route 17 Map and Schedules. Route 18 Map and Schedule.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2013 19:10:03 GMT -8
I wonder why it'll take the NIP 55 minutes longer than the Island Sky to do the Saltery Bay-Blubber Bay crossing? They're service speeds are very similar.
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Mayne
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I come from a long line of sinners like me
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Post by Mayne on Feb 20, 2013 19:34:28 GMT -8
I wonder why it'll take the NIP 55 minutes longer than the Island Sky to do the Saltery Bay-Blubber Bay crossing? They're service speeds are very similar. Loading at Saltery Bay probably delays the crossing. I don't see how it will take 55 minutes longer to load the NIP
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2013 20:27:59 GMT -8
I wonder why it'll take the NIP 55 minutes longer than the Island Sky to do the Saltery Bay-Blubber Bay crossing? They're service speeds are very similar. No the 55 minute longer sailing to Blubber bay on NIP should be true since, the Island Sky maximum speed is 16 knots compared to NIP m aximum speed is 13 knots according to BC Ferries fleet page. How are they similar?
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Post by Scott on Feb 20, 2013 22:01:25 GMT -8
Was there any reason given for such an early start time and late finish time for the Departure Bay - Saltery Bay run? Are they trying to lessen demand? It makes it hard to plan a trip! The only sailing in full daylight at that time of year will be the 08:35 departure from Saltery Bay!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 20, 2013 22:06:32 GMT -8
Was there any reason given for such an early start time and late finish time for the Departure Bay - Saltery Bay run? Are they trying to lessen demand? It makes it hard to plan a trip! The only sailing in full daylight at that time of year will be the 08:35 departure from Saltery Bay! I was thinking the same thing for photo opportunities from Nanaimo.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2013 22:15:33 GMT -8
Was there any reason given for such an early start time and late finish time for the Departure Bay - Saltery Bay run? Are they trying to lessen demand? It makes it hard to plan a trip! The only sailing in full daylight at that time of year will be the 08:35 departure from Saltery Bay! Yes. For the length of trip it seems to make sense to see a early start and a late end and maybe its for day-trips to the Island to go to the doctors.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Feb 20, 2013 22:32:59 GMT -8
Just in terms of the schedule, it would have made far more sense to home port the Island Sky at Saltery Bay, since the traffic is probably going mostly westbound in the mornings, and eastbound later on. Logistically, though, that can't be done. As a result, that 10pm sailing from Saltery Bay in the evening will probably be pretty much empty, at least in terms of non-commercial traffic.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Aug 21, 2013 21:02:58 GMT -8
A quirk of this schedule that I just noticed is that there apparently are going to be simultaneous departures from Saltery Bay at 8:35 am, both headed for Blubber Bay. The Island Sky will do the crossing in 85 minutes, leaving Blubber Bay for Little River at 10:05. (Five minutes in dock?) The North Island Princess does it in two hours.
That means you have a potential load of 175 cars at Saltery Bay at one time... and that's assuming there are no vehicles arriving early for the 9:25 sailing to Earls Cove.
Pretty safe guess that the two docks at Saltery have never been in use at the same time. Would be interesting to see how they work out the logistics.
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Aug 22, 2013 9:15:34 GMT -8
I'm wondering if Powell River transit will revise it's routes to service Saltery Bay during the terminal closures. I'm sure there are some people who take transit to get into Westview terminal.
Also, they have that one route which runs onto Texeda Island on Thursdays, so will it be discontinued or get a crazy extension?
EDIT: I just noticed there's a provision for a Saltery Bay shuttle bus stop at Westview so there must be plans to run some sort of bus between the two.
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Post by Mike C on Aug 22, 2013 10:53:13 GMT -8
I'm wondering if Powell River transit will revise it's routes to service Saltery Bay during the terminal closures. I'm sure there are some people who take transit to get into Westview terminal. Also, they have that one route which runs onto Texeda Island on Thursdays, so will it be discontinued or get a crazy extension? EDIT: I just noticed there's a provision for a Saltery Bay shuttle bus stop at Westview so there must be plans to run some sort of bus between the two. In principle, transit service exists to Saltery Bay. However, that service is operated on certain days of the week, by request only - I suspect BC Transit will operate some form of daily service out there, however I am skeptical of any service on Texada, as space on the NIP will be at a premium. EDIT: BC Ferries plans to operate a shuttle bus from Westview to Saltery Bay. Possibly operated by BC Transit?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2013 7:56:24 GMT -8
In principle, transit service exists to Saltery Bay. However, that service is operated on certain days of the week, by request only - I suspect BC Transit will operate some form of daily service out there, however I am skeptical of any service on Texada, as space on the NIP will be at a premium. EDIT: BC Ferries plans to operate a shuttle bus from Westview to Saltery Bay. Possibly operated by BC Transit? Probably Powell River rural transit using a BC Transit bus. I'd be curious to see if demand will justify a 40' low floor... Also note that the current bus out to Saltery is not scheduled to connect with the Island Sky. It supposedly serves the neighbourhoods around the terminal. 2 trips a day, 4 days per week is laughable.
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Post by Mike C on Sept 5, 2013 18:16:05 GMT -8
Some minor adjustments to the schedule (quoted section of article). The rest of the article from the Powell River Peak can be read here: www.prpeak.com/articles/2013/09/05/news/doc5228fe9826f5d359393484.txtSo to summarize each vessel's position for next seven months:
| Route 17 | Little R-Saltery Bay | Dep Bay-Saltery Bay | Blub Bay-Saltery Bay | Refit | Route 18 | Route 7 | Route 9 | Queen of Burnaby | until Oct 28 |
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| Dec 2013 |
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| Jan 2014 | Queen of Chilliwack |
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| Sept 13-Mar 9 |
| Island Sky | Oct 29-Jan 12 | Feb 8-Mar 9 | Jan 13-Feb 7 |
| Sept 13-Oct 28 |
| until Sept 12 |
| North Island Princess |
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| Jan 13-Mar 9 |
| until Jan 12 |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 5, 2013 18:37:47 GMT -8
Some minor adjustments to the schedule (quoted section of article). Thanks for this. The big surprise for me, when I first read this, was the early assignment of Island Sky to Route-17, starting at the end of October. Mrs. Horn will experience this vessel assignment when she does some family travel in early November. As a typical regular customer on this route, I'll look forward to her assessment of the on-board experience.
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Neil
Voyager
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Post by Neil on Sept 5, 2013 18:54:26 GMT -8
Some minor adjustments to the schedule (quoted section of article). Thanks for this. The big surprise for me, when I first read this, was the early assignment of Island Sky to Route-17, starting at the end of October. Mrs. Horn will experience this vessel assignment when she does some family travel in early November. As a typical regular customer on this route, I'll look forward to her assessment of the on-board experience. Well, if your wife's culinary tastes run toward microwaveable macaroni and cheese, I'm sure she'll be delighted with the lunch and dinner options...
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Sept 5, 2013 19:31:56 GMT -8
I hope they have temporary food service on the Island Sky! Why not use the Wack for the replacement till March! Updrade compared to Island Sky! She even has reclining seats for the long 3 hour Departure Bay to Saltery Bay lol!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 5, 2013 19:36:35 GMT -8
I hope they have temporary food service on the Island Sky! Why not use the Wack for the replacement till March! Updrade compared to Island Sky! She even has reclining seats for the long 3 hour Departure Bay to Saltery Bay lol! haha, you had the same suggestion on February 2, 2013 (at 10:34pm). - you get full-marks for consistency (well, except for the reclining seats comment).
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Post by compdude787 on Sept 5, 2013 19:55:33 GMT -8
Thanks for this. The big surprise for me, when I first read this, was the early assignment of Island Sky to Route-17, starting at the end of October. Mrs. Horn will experience this vessel assignment when she does some family travel in early November. As a typical regular customer on this route, I'll look forward to her assessment of the on-board experience. Well, if your wife's culinary tastes run toward microwaveable macaroni and cheese, I'm sure she'll be delighted with the lunch and dinner options... The fact that you have to "nuke" your food doesn't seem as nice as the good-ol' Queen of Tsawwassen! I had a pleasure of riding that vessel in its last month of service and I ate some yummy breakfast food on the way home from my 50-mile canoe trip on Desolation Sound with my Boy Scout troop. I'd love to go back there! If I ever ride on the I-Sky, I'm not buying any food...but I will buy a Triple O burger on one of the major routes.
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Sept 5, 2013 20:17:42 GMT -8
Some minor adjustments to the schedule (quoted section of article). The rest of the article from the Powell River Peak can be read here: www.prpeak.com/articles/2013/09/05/news/doc5228fe9826f5d359393484.txtSo to summarize each vessel's position for next seven months:
| Route 17 | Little R-Saltery Bay | Dep Bay-Saltery Bay | Blub Bay-Saltery Bay | Refit | Route 18 | Route 7 | Route 9 | Queen of Burnaby | until Oct 28 |
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| Dec 2013 |
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| Jan 2014 | Queen of Chilliwack |
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| Sept 13-Mar 9 |
| Island Sky | Oct 29-Jan 12 | Feb 8-Mar 9 | Jan 13-Feb 7 |
| Sept 13-Oct 28 |
| until Sept 12 |
| North Island Princess |
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| Jan 13-Mar 9 |
| until Jan 12 |
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BC Ferries reservations pages show the Burnaby's assignment to be different than reported by the Powell River Peak...BCF shows the Burnaby on route 9 from Oct 29-Dec 18.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 5, 2013 20:20:08 GMT -8
I hope they have temporary food service on the Island Sky! Why not use the Wack for the replacement till March! Updrade compared to Island Sky! She even has reclining seats for the long 3 hour Departure Bay to Saltery Bay lol! And the Queen of Chilliwack has an enclosed car deck.
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