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Post by Starsteward on Sept 22, 2023 14:01:21 GMT -8
If I parked a derelict car outside my building here in White Rock, it would probably be ordered removed within a week. I know we challenged the owner of a van that had been here for two days. But these hideous wrecks imperil our rivers for decades. Why do we have so little respect for our environment? The ' Sidney should have gone to the wreckers after BC Ferries retired her. At the very least, it's good to see that the Queen of Burnaby is still hugging the wall at Deas... evidence that our public ferry company is not going to let the bones of her go to someone who isn't going to dispose of her properly. Neil, I totally agree with your statement regarding how quickly a derelict vehicle would be removed from your street. I have no idea which or how many federal, provincial and local government departments are responsible for ensuring environmental problems are not running rampant in our local waterways. I give you but one example of who is involved in managing such issues in beautiful False Creek, in the core of downtown Vancouver. There are 5 agencies representing Federal, Provincial and City governments. Yup, 5 chefs in this environmental 'kitchen'! One of these agencies is the Vancouver Park Board, who should stick to maintaining beautiful park lands, as they are not equipped to handle derelict vessels. Their staff are not trained in the detection and remediation or removal of vessels deemed to be of a public nuisance or danger. These functions should be the mandated function of the Canadian Coast Guard, and them alone! Five departments, each representing a Federal, Provincial or City government department, interest carries the improbable odds of winning a lottery. ( I admit, I do buy lotto tickets.....just bein' honest).
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 19, 2023 9:25:25 GMT -8
Is there some reason the Canadian flag appears to be flying at half-mast? You have a ‘good eye’ Mr Starsteward . This photo is from a year ago and yes, there was a good reason for the lowered flag. Ouch! My 'Regal' apologies
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 18, 2023 22:25:55 GMT -8
Spirit of Vancouver Island at berth 5, Tsawwassen Terminal, loading up for another trip to Swartz Bay 17 September 2022
Is there some reason the Canadian flag appears to be flying at half-mast?
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 6, 2023 19:08:27 GMT -8
I'm seriously beginning to wonder if BCFS mis-read the 'best before date' on these "F" boats! There could be a number of reasons for this that have nothing to do with vessel operations. Care to enlighten me?
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 6, 2023 14:19:08 GMT -8
I think I just saw the Celebration do a 180 about 20 minutes out from Tsawwassen. I'm seriously beginning to wonder if BCFS mis-read the 'best before date' on these "F" boats!
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 5, 2023 8:49:06 GMT -8
I too am remembering the Queen of the North some 17 years after that unfortunate night in March 2006. Had that night never happened might she still be in service, somewhere in Fiji?
I leave you all with another look at The North from March 1997. I was aboard the QPR arriving from Prince Rupert. After we were unloaded the QPR & QotN traded places allowing the Rupert to sail south for its spring refit.
Where are the lifeboats?, I don't believe BCF had installed the new emergency equipment at this time. Or, maybe my eyesight is shot!
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 3, 2023 18:15:30 GMT -8
You win the prize, just have to find an appropriate "something" The prize for our musical former moderator ...
Bravo! A very classy prize! Thanks Jim
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 3, 2023 11:52:35 GMT -8
Queen of Nanaimo, and there I would stay for the remainder of the "Summer of '64". For real history buffs, Canada would make a major change during this time, what was it? Canada was in the process of choosing and adopting a new national flag, during 1964. I think this got formally adopted as the new flag on February 15, 1965. You win the prize, just have to find an appropriate "something"
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 3, 2023 10:37:38 GMT -8
I couldn't find the photo you are referring to but from your description of the 'deck' not having any carpet, I can offer an explanation. On Monday June 14th our crew transferred from the Queen of Sidney to the ex-Chinook, Sechelt Queen on route 2. The Sechelt Queen had been stripped of all passenger cabins and was a work in progress. All the interior decks were cement and were mopped then polished with big old heavy floor polishers. I know this because I almost broke my left foot as the polisher went kazoom from right to left, zapping my left foot against a bulkhead that was 4 feet to my left. Limping through the rest of my shift, I thought that this was no way to begin my first watch with the B.C. Ferry and Toll Authority. The great Chief Steward in the heavens must have heard my cries of pain as our watch was informed that the next day we would be taking over the new Queen of Nanaimo, and there I would stay for the remainder of the "Summer of '64". For real history buffs, Canada would make a major change during this time, what was it?
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Post by Starsteward on Aug 30, 2023 9:35:11 GMT -8
Not necessarily what you want to see when hiking! "When you down to the woods today"..... Here's Mama...?
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Post by Starsteward on Aug 29, 2023 13:08:09 GMT -8
Not sure if anyone noticed, but the BC Ferries fleet page photo of the Cap is pre-galleries deck era. Most of fleet page photos are not updated. Many companies take great pride in their visual advertising, keeping "the image" of their company "up to snuff' as it were. It's become apparent over the course of time that BC Ferries has allowed a less than stellar image of their company to be passed off to their potential customers as "good enough". This attitude is really hard to take, especially amongst many of us who served with pride on the "Dogwood" Fleet.
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 29, 2023 21:51:42 GMT -8
According to Marine Traffic, right now there are no fewer than ten cruise ships either directly off either side of Vancouver Island, or close to being there, heading north or south. Remarkable. There were two ships at Canada Place yesterday, and four at Canada Place today and there will be four this Sunday. If you were sailing on the Queen Elizabeth and didn't catch her on Thursday, she'll be back Monday, August 7/23. Last vessel of the 2023 cruise season will be the Holland America, M.V. Koningsdam waiting for you at the West berth, Canada Place Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 26, 2023 11:51:51 GMT -8
I don’t think that sailing occurred today due eight sailing happening on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I don’t why BC Ferries couldn’t delete from current condition page or just put sailing cancelled due an error on this page. Now we're hearing that there never was a nine sailing wait on route one today; it was a website error. Maybe the Langdale cancellation was too, as well as the reservable sailings that their site describes as 100% available. Broken down ships, staffing shortages, and even their communication doesn't work. Kind of a hot mess. Oh dear, the keys to the liquor stores have obviously fallen into the hand(s) of that cadre of 200+ "managers" ! (That's observation/comment #1) Unless my memory is beginning to fail me, back in the day when the initial B.C. Ferry & Toll Authority fleet was built at VMD and Burrard Dry Dock, I don't recall any ongoing problems with mechanical failures such as leaky shafts etc. that necessitated the periodic cancellation of sailings on either route one or two. The "Spirit" vessels, also built locally haven't experienced such problems either. Come to think of it, all the vessels built locally have been, or continue to be very reliable. ( Groundings/total vessel losses not included)
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 11, 2023 9:07:19 GMT -8
Is it possible anymore to get old-fashioned schedules like we used to get on paper? A pdf version is quite okay with me.
I was trying to make sense of service between Port Hardy & Bella Coola for this summer but the 'schedules' offered up by BCFS make that a pain in the _______. "Pat,........give me one...ah, make it two ess's please"
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 7, 2023 9:57:08 GMT -8
1) Northern Expedition 2) Queen of New Westminster 3) Queen of Prince Rupert 4) Queen of Nanaimo BONUS: Coho I have worked on several of the 'finalists', and will reveal which ones they were at the completion of the exercise. I would be interested to know how/why some of our younger members made some of their selections, as they likely didn't have any 'passage' experience on them. Interesting in an exercise like this: why do we make the choices we do?
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 7, 2023 9:49:33 GMT -8
I have looked at al the photos of the exterior and interior of that vessel a few times and continue to wonder as to what the 'venture' was that the owners were involved in. All that equipment, gear, fittings, furniture obviously didn't come cheap, so I wonder: a) what was going on at that location, b) who was doing it, someone was financing all that equipment. c) the heli-pad is interesting, and for what purpose? If the vessel sold for $85,000 did that amount buy the whole lot, equipment, fitt3ings etc? If so, one could imagine recouping the buying price by selling off the equipment, furnishings etc. ( Even those green padded chairs, they were "originals" from day 1. "Imagine what those poor seats have had to endure since the TSW hit the waves"...
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 3, 2023 8:25:47 GMT -8
..... and we thought B.C. Ferries was inept! State legislators in Alaska should be concerned. All three ferry systems along the North American west coast are having a difficult time recruiting staff, especially skilled (ticketed) mariners. So true.
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Post by Starsteward on Jul 2, 2023 13:59:32 GMT -8
..... and we thought B.C. Ferries was inept! State legislators in Alaska should be concerned.
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Post by Starsteward on Jun 29, 2023 11:37:56 GMT -8
Coastal Celebration has been printed for the summer season. Care to clarify that statement?
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Post by Starsteward on Jun 27, 2023 9:26:29 GMT -8
My choices:
1) Sunshine Coast Queen 2) Coastal Celebration 3) Queen of Vancouver 4) Queen of Victoria 5) Salish Heron 6) Northern Expedition 7) Malaspina Sky 8) North Island Princess 9) Queen of New Westminster
10) Queen of Cowichan 11) Queen of Capilano 12) Queen of the North 13) Mayne Queen 14) Kwuna 15) Nimpkish 16) Powell River Queen 17) PacifiCa Discovery 18) Langdale Queen 19) Quinsam 20) Spirit of Vancouver Island 21) Spirit of British Columbia 22) Kuper 23) Queen of Chilliwack 24) Queen of Prince Rupert 25) Island K'ulut'a 26) Tenaka 27) Queen of the Islands 28) Queen of Sidney 29) Queen of Tsawwassen 30) Queen of Saanich 31) Queen of Nanaimo 32) Island Kwigwis
I notice another of the old Blackball ferries is missing, the Chinook aka Sechelt Queen.
WCK
Good eye on the Sechelt Queen. I remember running up and down the decks of her and the Langdale Queen as a kid! Oops, there I go, dating myself again. Not to worry my good man, I was running up and down the decks of the Sechelt Queen, but with brooms, mops, vacuums etc, but was getting a paycheck! After a month or so of that, my watch took over the brand spankin' new Queen of Nanaimo!
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Post by Starsteward on Jun 26, 2023 11:41:05 GMT -8
I agree, the 'Chinook' BCF's Sechelt Queen was missed, I assume, perhaps due to the age of the creator of this thread.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 14, 2023 15:43:57 GMT -8
Starsteward: Very interesting detail about passengers being housed in a residential school... probably the only time that building was used for noble ends. Thanks for relaying that. I've never been clear on the exact meaning of irony, but maybe that qualifies. The notion of a First Nations family driving up to a BC Ferries toll booth in 1962 and being told that they had to stay in their car for the passage from the mainland to Vancouver Island strikes me as a stretch. Would it have been done by sight, or by the production of some ID card? Doesn't quite ring true. Still, the origin of that elder's allegation definitely invites some research. Just another thought on early-day training a BC Ferries. Back in the early early days "training" for catering staff was minimal and in the deck and engine room departments, many of the early employees came from C.P., Union and Blackball locally and there were many, many officers, deck crew and members of the catering department that came from the British Isles and elsewhere, where racism was very prevalent. The Elder's allegation regarding the racist practice of tell First Nations travellers that they had to remain on the car deck during the crossing 'may' have been an isolated incident from a roughish employee who knew that senior officers wouldn't be aware of this injustice as officers rarely prowled the car decks during a crossing. In other words, perhaps it was a crew member just being an idiot.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 12, 2023 21:58:28 GMT -8
Starsteward: Very interesting detail about passengers being housed in a residential school... probably the only time that building was used for noble ends. Thanks for relaying that. I've never been clear on the exact meaning of irony, but maybe that qualifies. The notion of a First Nations family driving up to a BC Ferries toll booth in 1962 and being told that they had to stay in their car for the passage from the mainland to Vancouver Island strikes me as a stretch. Would it have been done by sight, or by the production of some ID card? Doesn't quite ring true. Still, the origin of that elder's allegation definitely invites some research. Yes, more research is definitely needed. I was employed on route 2 during 1962 and never heard of such an "instruction" by a BC Ferry and Toll Authority staffer making such a statement that First Nations folks had to stay in their car during the passage. First of all, passengers were NOT allowed to remain on the car deck during a crossing. I used to hear disgruntled passengers with cars wanting to catch a nap in their cars but were shooed upstairs by deckhands that patrolled the car decks during crossings. I'd like someone to spend some time and get to the bottom of this allegation but too much time may have sadly passed in the interim.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 12, 2023 21:50:53 GMT -8
I spent several Summer and Fall/Winter seasons on the QPR, mostly on B watch, one Summer with A watch. "A" watch staff could at times be a little rough around the edges, not as refined and polished as B watch. In all my tenure on the QPR I never witnessed or heard of any discriminatory behaviour towards our indigenous people by either A or B watch crews. In times of maritime distress, it has always been First Nations people who have been the able first responders. The good folks of Alert Bay and surrounding area came on the double when the QPR's hull became impaled on Haddington Reef early one August morning. All passengers, adrift in life boats and inflatable rafts were gathered up and taken to the residential school where they were fed, clothed and able to connect via long distance telephone with family/friends south of the 49th. (Cell phones were not prevalent yet). At this time I, along with most of our crew were clueless as to the 'goings-on' within the walls of residential schools, that story would emerge some years later. I have heard stories of discriminatory behaviour taken toward our First Nations folks by some of the old steamship companies' crews but as stated above, finding written evidence of such actions in early books is hard to find. I suppose it was considered 'not good advertising' to write about Our Indigenous folks shone brightly when they came in droves to assist in rescuing passengers and crew from the 'Queen of the North' the fateful night she encountered Gill Island. Once again, it was our Indigenous folks who rose to the occasion, no questions asked. I will always be grateful for their assistance one foggy Summer morning, I 'owe' you one. Starsteward: Very interesting detail about passengers being housed in a residential school... probably the only time that building was used for noble ends. Thanks for relaying that. I've never been clear on the exact meaning of irony, but maybe that qualifies. The notion of a First Nations family driving up to a BC Ferries toll booth in 1962 and being told that they had to stay in their car for the passage from the mainland to Vancouver Island strikes me as a stretch. Would it have been done by sight, or by the production of some ID card? Doesn't quite ring true. Still, the origin of that elder's allegation definitely invites some research.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 12, 2023 12:44:27 GMT -8
B.C. Ferries, or back in the day The BC Ferry and Toll Authority NEVER had such a policy! I go back as route 2 crew shortly after the inception of service using the 'Sechelt Queen'.
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