CTMA - Ocean-Going RO/RO in CDN Waters

[Retrovision]

A "Vacation-Time" Project, by Graham:




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If you don't read this whole passage, atleast read the first part regarding the CTMA's long-distance Montreal -> the 'Îles de la Madeleine' (or 'the Magdalen Islands'), including a call at a port near La Gaspésie(Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River), a service that isn't paralelled in likeness-to the old-fashioned "steamers" by many other companies in Canada anymore, especially in duration / distance.
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I had no idea that this kind of "steamer" (not as in propulsion) service still existed in Canada (other, of course, than the usual suspects such as Marine atlantic, etc.); I was pleasantly surprised to find out that This company, CTMA, offers a long distance "Ferry-Cruise":


Found on CTMA's website:
"CTMA also offers

CTMA Group offers passengers of the Ferry-Cruise (aboard the) M/V CTMA Vacancier, a complete range of activities and services. Those amenities accommodate the different cruising options: A return trip between Montreal and Les Îles de la Madeleine, a return trip between Montreal and the Gaspésie Region or a one way trip between any two stopover points.

The Route________From Montreal



These are the services offered on board the Ferry-Cruise:

"» Entertainment
» Reading room
» Exercise room
» Interpretation center
» Movie theatre
» Bars
» Group animation
» Dining room
» Restaurant
» Observation deck
» Convenience store
» Nature guide
» Cabins
» Massage $$"





On their website... ( www.ctma.ca/traversier-madeleine/index_ang.cfm )---->(notice that the URL is ".../index_ang", as in "anglais", the french word for english; whereas most North American companies would lablel that ".../index_eng....")

...You can find this:

Montreal to Les Îles Les Îles to Montreal
· Leaves Montreal Friday afternoon
· Sail by Quebec City Friday evening
· Sail by Tadoussac Saturday morning
· Stopover in Chandler Saturday night
· Arrives in Les Îles on Sunday morning · Leaves Les Îles on Tuesday night
· Stopover in Chandler Wednesday morning
· Stopover in Quebec Thursday around noon
· Arrives in Montreal Friday morning"


CTMA's Ferry-Cruise ship Vacancier


The Vacancier's Pilot House


Accomodation-deck lounge, Info/Purser's Desk:







Here's a great site that I found about the History of the vessel that CTMA uses for their 'steamer' service between Montreal and the islands:

www.geocities.com/mjm_freedomx/EgnatiaII.html





Photos (from other sites) of the Vacancier:


From the European index-site www.faktaomfartyg.com

And...





Diagram of accomodations offered aboard Vacancier:
community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=548565661&photoID=2246455540087036356&security=xzWqmc








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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++P.E.I. -> Magdalen Islands -- CTMA Primary Service++++++++++++++++++++
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There's a comprehensive Photo-Blog (although it's in french) of the CTMA crossing between P.E.I. and Iles-de-la-Madeleine (this is their Primary Service):

membres.lycos.fr/duboisroger/traversier.html


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Some Bits and Pieces from the web
Photos of their primary-service route from P.E.I., aboard their vessel Madeleine:


From the CTMA site:

"The Ferry M.V. CTMA Madeleine in Souris, PEI"


"The Ferry M.V. CTMA Madeleine getting into Souris, PEI"'


"The Ferry M.V. CTMA Madeleine seen from the air"


"The Ferry docked in Cap-aux-Meules"


"The Ferry docked in Cap-aux-Meules"


The Club Class Lounge


Cafeteria


Dining room







The Primary, shorter-crossing (5hr.) vessel M.V. Madeleine:
community.webshots.com/photo/86114356/1086174511017598341LwDfgB





Relatively comfortable seats for a 5hr. crossing:



A view from aboard'Madeleine':
community.webshots.com/photo/123199108/1123200265000576102hTanXe
(Be sure to press 'Reload' if the picture doesn't at-first appear)





Notes : The river crossing lasts 5 hours.
Additional trips may be scheduled if required (Day and night).





A couple interesting tid-bits:

->During the Winter of 2004, CTMA introduced a Cold Water Cruise in the Gulf of St-Lawrence including a thematic sojourn on Les Îles de la Madeleine. Seal Observation on the ice floes, as well as outdoor and cultural activities are central to the themes.

->CTMA Group also operates a fleet of trucks, offering ground transportation between destinations in Canada and the Eastern United States.






I found this site, that also highlights another CTMA service from the central port in the Îles de la Madeleine:
www.mitan.ca/voyages/idlm02/idlm02_photos01.htm


The following was translated from the french caption...:

"This Wednesday evening, we will be accompanying Gaetan and Valerie to Cap-aux-Meules on the 8pm departure, aboard the Madeleine ferry shown backing out of its berth, about to take to the ocean towards Souris, P.E.I ."

...For this Photo:


And:






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From the same site:

CTMA also offers service on this ship:






From this port, the central port of the Magdalen Islands :






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{See how beautiful the landscape of the surrounding islands looks:
www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com/magdalen-islands/enImages_ang.cfm}

[Retrovision]

There now; I'm fairly sure that I've worked out all the bugs and typos (See: Above).

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BTW, if you don't have time to read what's above, then atleast check this site out:

membres.lycos.fr/duboisroger/traversier.html

...There's some good shots of an example of an ocean-going, long-distance ro-ro ferry operating in Canadian waters.

[Doug]

Very interesting. That first ferry is not very bad looking at all.

Oh wait...is it built in Europe? Then it sucks!!

Just kidding.

[Retrovision]

lol. Well my interest in it is that it's one of the last of its kind; last remnants of an Ocean-going transportation network that helped, in a large way, in the building of our fine nation.

Cheers,
-GJ-

P.S. I have now modified my first post in order to no longer require horizontal scrolling.

[Retrovision]

In all fairness to the second vessel, the Madeleine, you should see this pic:

www.ctma.ca/ImagesHautesResolutions/groupe-CTMA-Madeleine-Haute-resolution.JPG

>lol<... Atleast I think it's a good looking ship for Canadian waters...

[Retrovision]

Sorry for the triple post, but I realize that I missed a typo; Here is the Edit (you can find where it is in the post):

I had no idea that this kind of "steamer" (not as in propulsion) service still existed in Canada (other, of course, than the usual suspects such as Marine atlantic, etc.); I was pleasantly surprised to find out that This company, CTMA, offers a long distance "Ferry-Cruise":
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My last Edit to the first post was:

[NMcKay]

they are wierd looking vessels.

[Retrovision]

aren't most ocean-going-> ferry-cruise, ro-ro, ro-pax?