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Post by Mike C on Nov 22, 2013 13:43:31 GMT -8
Several new live cameras have been set up around Powell River, one of which is overlooking Westview Wharf and the ferry terminal. A good place to track construction progress on the new berth in Westview. Check it out: www.powellriverlive.ca/index.php/wharfcam
There are currently four cameras in operation. A commenter on the page indicated that the project will be completed over the next few weeks, bringing the total number of cameras up to ten!
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Dec 20, 2013 12:00:52 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 11, 2014 13:23:20 GMT -8
Alternate service starts tomorrow morning.
For those who like to track ship-movement on SiiTech or AIS websites, you'll be able to see Island Sky sailing at top-speed overnight tonight.
- she finishes her Saturday at Little River at approx. 10:15pm. She needs to be in Nanaimo's Departure Bay by 4:30am on Sunday morning.
That's not much time for a moderate-length repositioning trip.
ps: I plan on riding the I'Sky tomorrow, on day-1 of the alternate route.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 11, 2014 14:28:54 GMT -8
How long would it take to sail from Little River to Departure Bay??? I wonder if BC Ferries will have current conditions for that route out of Departure Bay?? Probably not seeing they dont usually for route 17 which I have always wondered why they dont. Have fun it the rain. it's suppose to be and is miserable this weekend.
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Post by priver on Jan 11, 2014 23:14:50 GMT -8
Island Sky is on the move to Departure Bay
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Jan 11, 2014 23:20:01 GMT -8
Island Sky departed Little River at 2307. ETA for Departure Bay is 0300.
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Post by Curtis on Jan 12, 2014 3:15:32 GMT -8
The Island Sky has arrived at Departure Bay and is docked at Berth 3. Arrival was approximately 0305. First Departure to Saltery Bay is 0500.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 3:36:35 GMT -8
I'm awake and getting ready for my round-trip. Good to know that she's in berth-3.
I'll report back, this afternoon.
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 12, 2014 9:30:06 GMT -8
I see BC Ferries has updated their vessel tracking maps now shows Nanaimo to Saltery Bay and Texada to Saltery Bay.
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Jan 12, 2014 10:42:11 GMT -8
I see BC Ferries has updated their vessel tracking maps now shows Nanaimo to Saltery Bay and Texada to Saltery Bay. I noticed they had done that late last night. They were surprisingly on the ball!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 12:58:47 GMT -8
BC Ferries is calling the Departure Bay - Saltery Bay route "Route 17B." Maybe that's just the informal idea of the 2nd officer, who was making the "welcome aboard" announcements, or maybe that's how it's officially classified.
I was on-board for the inaugural round-trip of Route 17B, today.
On the 5:00am sailing, the traffic was: - 1 NorthWest Tankers truck - 5 other vehicles - approx. 10 walk-ons
On the 8:35am sailing, the traffic was: - approx. 32 regular vehicles - 1 bus (Nanaimo Clippers hockey team) - approx. 20 walk-ons
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On the 6:00am sailing from Texada to Saltery Bay (route 18A ?) - 5 vehicles
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ps: the Route 17B crew on the Island Sky was wonderful. Friendly, hospitable and good people. Thanks for helping me have a very fun round-trip. - the crew is split into 2 shifts, and each round-trip is a shift (compared with 2 round-trips per shift on the shorter Comox route)
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 12, 2014 13:44:10 GMT -8
Now you should go back and do the evening round trip and give us a trip report on those sailings! How was the weather in the open strait?? And is she leaving from berth 3 while on this route?? Also what type of food service did they have?
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 14:10:03 GMT -8
Now you should go back and do the evening round trip and give us a trip report on those sailings! How was the weather in the open strait?? And is she leaving from berth 3 while on this route?? Also what type of food service did they have? haha, no evening trip for me. - there's only one of the four trips that has daylight, and I did that one already. LOL Weather was rainy, foggy. Seas were choppy on the return trip, but she handed really well. No spray issues. Berth 3: - so far, that's what it looks like. I didn't ask if that's what's always gonna happen. Food: - I was only in the Coastal Café briefly, but I assume that it's exactly the same as normal I'Sky cuisine, the Route17 version. Washrooms were the same on Route 17B as with Route 7 & 17. No changes there.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2014 16:39:26 GMT -8
That must be a pretty boring trip 3 hours for most people on the Island Sky. I am suprised they dident have in flight movies,lol! Or onboard movies with a big screen TV for entertainment, lol! You guys in Nanaimo are lucky. It makes it a little easier being in Naniamo but from Victoria I really dont want to get up at 3am to do a 5am sailing or get home at 3am to do the later roundtrip as overnighting will cost more. I wanna do a trip up to Saltery Bay to do the Queen of Chilliwack but I would probably go via route 2/3 and drive up. It would be nice to go direct to Saltery Bay with less driving but the times are just horrible. I dont get why the Island Sky sits idle from like 11:30am to 6:30pm is there no way they could of done another roundtrip in between? I don't think demand would justify 3 roundtrips. This is just an essential link. Would certainly make day trips easier though!
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 12, 2014 16:47:31 GMT -8
Mr. Horn, did you happen to notice whether or not the overhead walkway was used, or if it was even physically possible at Departure Bay?
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 17:20:40 GMT -8
Mr. Horn, did you happen to notice whether or not the overhead walkway was used, or if it was even physically possible at Departure Bay? Overhead passenger walkway was not used on the I'Sky at Dep Bay. - I didn't see or ask if it was possible to line it up.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 20:01:01 GMT -8
As far as the routing goes for Route 17B, upon leaving Departure Bay, the ship:
1) Sails out of the bay, and goes through the regular Route-2 channel between the Five Fingers rocks and Snake Island.
2) Upon passing the Five Fingers rocks on the port-side, the course is changed by turning to port to head north up Georgia Strait.
3) As the ship heads diagonally across Georgia Strait towards the entrance to Malaspina Strait, it cuts across the Whiskey-Gulf area. - No Navy restrictions on this, because there is no test-firing going on right now.
4) Then it's up Malaspina Strait, and then a turn to starboard to enter the north arm of Jervis Inlet.
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 12, 2014 20:45:29 GMT -8
The Island Sky and NIP are both heading for Saltery Bay right now. At 10pm they will both depart Saltery Bay to head back to their home destinations. If only it was later in the year in the spring it would be light later for the 6:35pm trip. Looks like the Island Sky will be in front of NIP as the NIP is suppose to arrive 10 mins later! Also the Chilliwack is heading to Saltery Bay too so we have three ships heading there right now! hmm maybe I should do the night round trip! lol!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 21:02:38 GMT -8
The face of alternate ferry routes near Powell River during January-February 2014: - North Island Princess headed to Saltery Bay, from Texada Island - Island Sky headed to Saltery Bay, from Nanaimo This is an arranged meet-up time. Similar to how transfer-traffic meets at Mayne Island. - Queen of Chilliwack headed to Saltery Bay from Earls Cove. Regular route, but irregular ship. - evening of January 12, 2014
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 12, 2014 21:08:12 GMT -8
It would be a long trip if you were coming from Nanaimo to Texada Island. 5 hours of ferries to get there, lol!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2014 21:47:48 GMT -8
Here's a song for Route 17/18 alternate service:
- change the words "San Jose" to "Saltery Bay"
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 17, 2014 7:12:33 GMT -8
Here is my video of round-trip #1 on Route-17B: - Island Sky from Departure Bay to Saltery Bay, and return - starting 5:00am on Sunday January 12, 2014.
enjoy !
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 17, 2014 18:13:42 GMT -8
I think I am going to wait till next Month and do the Little River to Saltery Bay route. My plan would be
2:00pm Little River to Saltery Bay arrives 4:20pm 5:05pm Saltery Bay to Earls Cove Queen of Chilliwack oh yeah! 6:10pm Earls Cove to Saltery Bay 7:15pm Saltery Bay to Earls Cove 8:25pm Earls Cove to Saltery Bay
10:20pm Saltery Bay to Little River arrives 12:40am hotel in Courtenay!
Yes it is 2 round trips on the Chilliwack but seeing I would have to wait till 10:20pm anyways I would rather be on the Queen of Chilliwack than hang around the terminal
Not sure of the date as of yet but I thought maybe Feb 8th the first day, lol which is a Saturday. If we wanted to make this a group trip people could always do the 4:50pm Saltery Bay to Texada and the 7:25pm Texada to Saltery Bay instead of the Chilliwack which is what I would be doing though! This itinerary works better for me. But this would also mean Vancouver people would have to overnight too in Courtenay unless they just did the 2pm and continued on down to Vancouver.
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Post by DENelson83 on Jan 18, 2014 2:35:00 GMT -8
Interesting that during Little River's closure, Powell River is not within transit bus range of the Comox Valley. The Comox Valley Transit buses only go as far southeast as Fanny Bay, and the Nanaimo Regional Transit buses only go as far northwest as Qualicum Beach, leaving a 30 km gap. There is transit bus service from Qualicum Beach to Deep Bay, but that only runs on Tuesdays and it still falls short of connecting to Comox Valley Transit by about 8 km.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 21, 2014 15:33:12 GMT -8
Here are some photos from Island Sky, where the only purpose in posting is for the historical record of temporary Route 17B between Saltery Bay and Departure Bay. So here they are, for this temporary-route thread: From inaugural round-trip of January 12, 2014: off of north Nanaimo, heading south towards the entrance to Departure Bay - that's the Queen of Cowichan on Route-2, in the left background. Entering Departure Bay Touchdown at Departure Bay's berth #3
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