Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 27, 2019 20:19:38 GMT -8
Later this weekend, I will take what might be my final trips on the Quadra Queen II ferry. I do a work-trip each year in December to Sointula, and this time next year will likely see me on the Island-whatever new ship. So I will take time this weekend to enjoy the classic old Allied-Shipyard built ship from the 1960s, as I sail to and from Sointula. Sometime in summer-2020 (or Autumn 2020, to be safe), the Quadra Queen II will become a roving relief ship; but not suitable to more than just a few minor routes. That's an interesting question. After her replacement at Alert Bay, where might we find the Quadra Queen II doing relief work before she's retired in a few years? Obviously, at Cortes. Hornby as well, and maybe Texada, in a pinch. Back to Alert Bay if it's off-season. Saanich Inlet? And could a single ender do Thetis and Penelakut? Don't think that's happened since the Ethel Hunter was on the route. One other option might be the central coast in winter, when the Northern Sea Wolf is off for a break. Would be pretty luxurious compared to the wee Nimpkish.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 27, 2019 20:11:32 GMT -8
When you lose weight, your pants get loose. Forty lashes with a wet noodle for our old hand Starsteward on this one. Thanks for that 'Neil'. There goes my SFU English major down the scuppers of the Ferry Forum. Given the usual precise nature of your posts, I'm thinking you just had a finger spasm over the o on your keyboard. Just thought I'd give you a hard time.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 26, 2019 20:37:20 GMT -8
If ever the old adage: "You snooze,you loose", applied to my viewing of the canal transit of the 'Sun Rise', I must thank 'tak22' for saving my bacon. I had the canal system on open screen ever since the 'Sun Rise' arrived at the Atlantic side of the canal system and watched as tankers, container ships, pleasure craft and other assorted floating vessels transited the system. On the 24th, I realized I had forgotten to pick up a couple of last minute Christmas gifts as well as a birthday card for my sister's birthday which was Dec. 24th. So off I go to finish up and bingo, the 'Sun Rise' sneeks through the entire system! But, thanks to 'tak22' and his able efforts, the pleasure of viewing the transit wasn't lost! Interesting to see that 'Sun Rise' was towed backwards through the lock system, (although I had seen other vessels do likewise), which was done, I think to get a better tow-line onto the barge-end of the ship. The wind patterns along the Pacific coast will not be favourable for the next while until the 'Sun Rise' reaches Northern California where she will again pick up winds and a following sea which should make for a somewhat smoother and speedier trip up to the final destination. Does anyone want to take a guess at the 'Sun Rise's' arrival date and time at Victoria? When you lose weight, your pants get loose. Forty lashes with a wet noodle for our old hand Starsteward on this one.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 19, 2019 22:09:02 GMT -8
Another member reports tonight that the Queen of Alberni is back on route 30, displacing the Queen of New Westminster.
I enjoyed a ride on the 'New West a week ago, a midweek round trip. I was thinking while on board about comments from some forum members about how they try to avoid the old girl. Don't know why. I don't like the narrow car lanes, but at least they've re-painted the starboard upper deck to three lanes for today's bigger vehicles. As with the Spirits, I just really like travelling on a ferry that has a bow and stern... a feature we will be without once the Spirits are retired. Granted, the engine vibration ensures that your clam chowder is properly stirred on the 'New West. But the vessel has personality, and I'll miss her when she eventually goes, severing the last connection to the original major vessel design of BC Ferries.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 14, 2019 22:56:50 GMT -8
Yes, for the first time in over four years, I have taken a cross-Strait ferry. This time, it was the Centurion VII from French Creek to Lasqueti Island. I had never been to Lasqueti before, and now that I have been there, it is quite the experience. I went over there to indulge in a hobby I have been fostering for a while, gathering map data for a website called openstreetmap.org. Lasqueti Island is a rather interesting place to visit. It's very tranquil, tight-knit, and the people who live there are self-sufficient, living off the land and generating their own electricity, but welcoming to visitors in their own special way. And I am so glad that I got to travel purely for pleasure for once, as that is something I very rarely get to do. I'm really happy for you getting to do that trip. Thanks for making me smile with this news from you I think this forum started in 2003, and sixteen years later, there's still very little on Lasqueti, Gambier, and Keats. Lots of photos of the vessels at Langdale and French Creek, but little on what's at the other end. We've had in depth accounts of Barnston, the old Albion route, and a lot on the inland crossings, so I'm guessing it has something to do with many of us being biased toward routes we can take our vehicles on. I can't count the number of times I've driven by French Creek and mused about going to Lasqueti, but the limited schedule and the difficult logistics of getting around once there always deterred me. Riding a bike on dirt roads on a fairly large island, without any assurance the final destination would be worth it, didn't make me feel adventurous. It is a BC Ferries route, as is Gambier and Keats. Mr Nelson chose a rarely travelled path for one of his infrequent ferry excursions.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 12, 2019 20:44:16 GMT -8
I was thinking of a trip consisting of the sovi from swartz to tswassen round trip alberni from tswassen to duke point back to tswassen and then rt 1 vessel back to swartz bay. Any one with me on this one There are very few active members of the forum in the Victoria area. Those who are, have been members for a long time, and have probably done a lot of route one and route thirty round trips. From my perspective, I did a round trip on route thirty yesterday, but that was because I needed to go to Courtenay. I've done that route so many times, I wouldn't be inclined to go just for the fan experience, particularly this time of year, where one way might be in darkness. Hope you find a taker or two for your outing, and that you have a good time. A day on the water is usually worth it.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 10, 2019 18:29:01 GMT -8
Yes, gadgets that is why I love my GPS, even on the ferry I take it with me, Gotta always see where I am.😎👍🛳 Btw Sun Rise has adjusted her ETA to Cristobal to Dec 19, a couple days ahead of her original ETA.🤠 ...and looking at the forecast for the next ten days or so, I don't see anything particularly difficult for her to contend with. Those ferries should remain securely on deck. www.windy.com/?2019-12-17-18,15.792,-54.668,4
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 3, 2019 21:54:48 GMT -8
Is there any apparent reason the current owners of the 'Tenaka' have not done anything with this vessel? Afterall, they did buy the ex-BCFS vessel so they must have had 'some' idea(s) of what they had in mind. They did have plans. Tenaka was going to be a car ferry, taking vehicles and freight. When I sent a note to LRMS about a year ago inquiring about the progress, I got a very short note back saying that they were working on things, but nothing was in the immediate future. I had the same thoughts as Mike when I saw the vessel, passing through Port Alberni in late October. They haven't even painted her new name on her, and I suspect the logistics and costs of getting her in order and arranging docking and loading facilities has proven to be more onerous than the buyers bargained for. Really unfortunate, but as Mike suggests, a favorite vessel of many of us might end up being recycled rather than employed.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Dec 2, 2019 21:23:40 GMT -8
On December 1st, the Nimpkish paid a visit to Horseshoe Bay on it's northbound run, presumably to load on crew vehicles. I'm a bit surprised a vessel that small can even load at Horseshoe Bay... I'll bet her bow dropped when the ramp came down.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 29, 2019 21:32:56 GMT -8
Northern Sea Wolf in the Fraser River this morning, heading to Deas for repairs after a log strike damaged her propellers. I imagine the Nimpkish will be fired up and sent north fairly quick to replace her. M/V Northern Sea Wolf - Fraser River by Michael, on Flickr BC Ferries has a Service Notice up today regarding the situation with the NSW & Nimpkish. The log strike apparently happened a week ago (Nov 22), but no Service Notice was issued until today.
The service notice says 'all' customers booked for Northern Sea Wolf sailings will be accommodated on the Nimpkish sailings. Maybe that's actually true. Central coast traffic is really sparse in the off season. Nimpkish was scheduled to be on the route in February anyway. Perhaps this just extends her tenure.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 25, 2019 22:47:59 GMT -8
A drawing that my brother, Mr DOT, did in 1981. It depicts the MQ as it appeared when first built ...
This has probably been answered before... Does Mr DOT recall where those ramps were used? I know that Port Washington was a port of call on North Pender, I think before Otter Bay. Was it there, or elsewhere?
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 24, 2019 21:43:58 GMT -8
Spirit of Vancouver Island approaches Active Pass with the 5 PM sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay on the 22nd of May, 2019.
One thing I've always noticed about the Spirits is that bow wave they kick up, that extends almost to the car deck. I'm not nearly enough of a mariner to know what that says about efficiency and hull design, but I wonder every time I see it.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 24, 2019 21:38:14 GMT -8
Just took my first series of sailings on the Salish Class in probably a year? Anyways they seem to be aging well. Nice to have partial food service on Route 5, and the Orca has some pretty great new-to-me menu items on Route 9. Seafood Pot Pie? Yes, please. On the Orca they're just keeping the ridiculous exterior doors open, which was nice. On the Raven, shockingly, one is broken today (Sunday) that worked when I came over on Friday. One of the pickleforks is also closed off, and I couldn't tell with my uneducated eye why that was? The Raven is so much more pleasant than the Cumberland on the long Route 5 sailings, in my opinion. Right now I'm aboard for 2h10; having a seating lounge choice and dedicated food service is appreciated. We know that the Mayne Queen is destined to be replaced by a new Salish vessel, that I believe has been contracted for. I wonder if BC Ferries will go with the improved food capabilities of the new vessel on an ongoing basis. Mayne Queen had her snack bar shut down more than twenty years ago. I've read some accounts that speak of Gulf Islanders' fondness for the Mayne... but if the new boat has at least some food options, people might get past their sense of loss. Some sailings can be lengthy. Even if the new vessel actually takes over from the ' Cumberland, shifting her to the '5A' Mayne route, food service might survive on both boats, given that TC mandates crewing that is above the level needed to just get them from points A to B.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 8, 2019 9:08:30 GMT -8
The hull and center casing of what remains of the old Salt Spring Queen, as of November 2019. We know this is the SSQ because the Vesuvius Queen was sold to a company in the Dominican Republic in the late 90’s. Also apparently this hull is still Registered but now renamed if I’m not mistaken. Disclaimer: I had to bump up the saturation a bit to show the structure since the sun was acting as a backlight Where is this?
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 5, 2019 23:58:13 GMT -8
I wonder what reason BC Ferries has for not putting her on the Hornby Island route while her capacity would be used during the peak season. This year they had a reason. The Howe Sound Queen had been retired, and they made the decision that waits at Alert Bay and Sointula meant the Bowen Queen was best used there. Summer of '18, they had no good reason; Quinitsa spent most of the time sitting unused at Buckley. Next year, the Island class vessel will supposedly be in service at Alert Bay, and the Bowen Queen will be available for Vesuvius. If Quinitsa is not at Hornby, it will be a kick in the teeth to a community that has suffered through decades of interminable delays in July, August, and parts of the shoulder season.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 5, 2019 23:17:08 GMT -8
Not next peak season, as far as I know. She is indeed free for the 2020 peak season- Bowen Queen will be taking over Route 6 during the summer from here on out from what I understand. That having been said, I have to wonder if Quinitsa were to be assigned to Route 22 this summer, how would that impact Route 21? The Quinitsa and BSC have nearly identical capacities, if 50 cars were able to sail at once across Route 22 it seems like that would overwhelm Route 21 and end up not eliminating the interminable line, but rather just moving it from Shingle Spit to Denman West. It wouldn't overwhelm the cable ferry at all. The same number of cars would be carried. There would be more of a wait westbound at Denman West, and less of a wait at Shingle Spit. I have also seen on occasion where the BSC sails less than full, while the Kahloke is leaving cars behind on Hornby, since summer traffic is so heavily skewed toward Hornby. The real improvement would be eastbound. With the BSC's capacity (in real terms) of about 52 and the Quinitsa's capacity of 46 or so, waits at Gravelly Bay would be completely eliminated with both boats running on the same frequency, whereas now, at worst times, there can be a five sailing wait. It's very common in summer for a return trip from Hornby to Courtenay to take six hours. Cutting a couple of hours off that would be very welcome news.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 5, 2019 10:47:04 GMT -8
I hope BC Ferries takes the opportunity to put her on Quinitsa on the Hornby Island route during the peak season because she is free for peak season. Not next peak season, as far as I know.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 3, 2019 21:54:50 GMT -8
I'm not all that familiar with the Spirits, so maybe someone can answer this for me. That odd little portside lounge, toward the front, on I think the upper passenger deck... was that originally the space that I think BC Ferries leased out to some sort of spa operators? I seem to remember reading about a manicure/pedicure operation in the earlier years. I wouldn't think it would have started as a teeny lounge; can't see the point.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Nov 1, 2019 21:52:00 GMT -8
Thanks for the heads-up on this. I value a good platform for hosting my forum photos, and so this was an easy purchase decision to make. The introductory pro offer is $34.99USD (offer good until Nov.30), which worked out to be $45.92CAD. My first full-rate annual renewal for Flickr Pro was charged today. Rate is $49.99 USD, which translated to $65.63 CAD. I'm happy with the value that I get from Flickr, especially for all the railway photo albums that I've made and presented during 2019, and for hosting ferry photos here. Agreed. I look at what photobucket is doing with all our old photos- not just the huge logo, but completely fuzzing them out as well, and what they charge, and it is a pretty easy decision.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Oct 30, 2019 18:54:18 GMT -8
I don't suppose that I was the only one surprised when it was announced that Gabriola and Quadra were going to get two Island class vessels. Crewing costs and the logistics of accommodating two ferries are somewhat daunting. However, the government and BC Ferries made the decision that terminal expansion to meet future need was also expensive, and- indicative of a new mindset about service- they determined that the communities would be better served by smaller boats on a more frequent schedule.
They need to make the same decision about route six. There has been talk in recent years about major work to expand the Fulford terminal, but it's difficult to see how that would go forward. The route is only 30-35 minutes, but service is only every two hours, partly because of how long it takes to load and unload the 100 car Skeena Queen when things are really busy. Right now they have the Queen of Cumberland, with even more capacity, but in the form of time consuming platform decks.
Two island class vessels, 50 cars each, could give Saltspring service every 45-50 minutes, because of faster loading, effectively raising capacity from that of the Skeena. Maybe they could tweak the vessel design, making them a bit bigger, if need be. Fulford would not be so congested, with cars lined way up the road out of the terminal.
Fulford started out with the Cy Peck, at 18 cars, then the Saltspring Queen at 36, the Bowen Queen at 50, then 75, and now the Skeena Queen at 100 AEQ. I think it's time to re-think the service model on this congested route.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Oct 30, 2019 18:17:08 GMT -8
I don't doubt the platform decks will get used on Fridays and Sundays as extra capacity. It seems like crew is using every inch of deck space on main deck. I think you're mistaken. According to the departures page on the BC Ferries website, she's making the crossing in the same time the Skeena Queen usually does. Today, 29 to 32 minutes. Also, I rode today, and the platform decks were being used, and people were buying hot dogs and other stuff from the coffee bar.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Oct 29, 2019 18:52:44 GMT -8
I'd be interested in other people's take on the Mill Bay run. I have very little experience with it... maybe three crossings in total, and one of those was when it was operated by Coast Ferries. Thought I'd do it today, driving from Ucluelet to Sidney. Didn't look up the schedule, and happened to arrive just in time for the 4:10 sailing from Mill Bay, which I missed, by about seven or eight cars. Most of the cars left behind turned around and left, as did I. I took a chance on the drive being shorter than waiting for the next ferry, and it was. I saved about 45 minutes getting to Sidney, as opposed to waiting for the next sailing. I'm thinking that the route loses a lot of customers by using such a small vessel. People just leave and drive, and chances are, a lot more don't even come in the first place, if they know the Klitsa often overloads. As well, I think the route itself is poorly located, though I can't be sure, since I don't know where people are actually travelling to and from. I've always thought that if the idea is to connect the northern Saanich peninsula and really render the drive south unattractive, the eastside terminal should be closer to Patricia Bay. BC Ferries has always been lukewarm on this route's viability. They don't make it easy to take, with a small ferry, poor routing, and even limited payment options; no cash, and no Experience card, apparently. Obviously, this route is the odd duck of the system.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Oct 27, 2019 21:36:41 GMT -8
Think of the bigger cove, where Old Ferry Road is, north of Grouse Island. ie. this is a different site, in the same overall big cove. North of the current ferry terminal site. Yes, after checking it out on Google Earth I am more or less convinced. So, the terminal today is not too far away from the old one, but it is nevertheless a whole new site. When was it moved? LL Mike was right with his original suggestion of the view of Campbell River, and Curtis was bang on with his research. Well done. In 1968, when I was twelve, I did my first ferry tour, with my mother, and we took the first Quadra Queen to Q Cove, but didn't get off. I'm thinking that maybe Jim Abrams, Quadra's FAC veteran, would know when the terminal was moved. (via facebook?)
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Oct 27, 2019 9:16:35 GMT -8
Not sure about that date... the Department of Highways ferries were absorbed into BC Ferries in 1985, and that vessel, which is either the Nimpkish, Nicola, or Albert J. Savoie, still has its yellow stacks.
Doesn't look like Q Cove to me.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
|
Post by Neil on Oct 26, 2019 18:06:43 GMT -8
The Salish boats have impressive rough weather handling... Seems to me the Powell River to Comox run is being cancelled about as often as it was with the Queen of Burnaby. I'd be interested to know what your view is based on.
|
|