|
|
Post by Retrovision on Mar 1, 2006 22:24:27 GMT -8
Well my loose plan was to return to the mainland on monday morning, but I'm not bound by that and I'd like to see the QPR at Tsawwassen. Did you say her ETA at TSA is 3pm?
|
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager 
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 1, 2006 22:34:30 GMT -8
Yeah we leave Port Hardy at 10pm Saturday night and arrive at Tsawwassen at 3pm on Sunday or around 3pm or maybe earlier depends. I know that trip on the Queen of the North we were early arriving. I would say around 2:30 you would probably start to see her in the distance.
|
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 1, 2006 22:38:42 GMT -8
Although the Prince Rupert is slower than the North so it might take that long.
|
|
|
|
Post by Retrovision on Mar 1, 2006 22:42:17 GMT -8
I think that I might take the 12pm sailing of the Esquimalt from SB to TSA (I'd like to get on a V, and not a V that's replacing an S  ) on Sunday in order to get there in time... But then again, maybe I should try to arrive after the QPR has arrived in order to get the rare shots from the water of her tied up at TSA. hmm... Any ideas? |
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 1, 2006 22:49:34 GMT -8
Yeah I would take the Esquimalt. I wanna get on the Esquimalt again one day soon. I have to get picked up at SB on Sunday and I might have to take the earlier 5pm sailing of the Queen of Saanich unless I have an excuse to stay longer at Tsawwassen then I could take the 6pm Queen of Esquimalt. I could probably get shots of the Prince Rupert on either sailings as it ain totally dark yet by 6 and definately not 5. Either way whether you get photos of her coming in or just at Tsawwassen it would all be good. We dont have too many photos of her at Tsawwassen. Just cross your fingers that she dosent get stuck on the Queen Charlottes tommorrow and cant get back or that will screw everything up as she is suppose to leave Rupert on Friday. Stay away wind!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Retrovision on Mar 1, 2006 22:55:02 GMT -8
Yeah, screw everything up for her, let alone you!
But seriously, enjoy the ride!
|
|
|
|
Post by hergfest on Mar 1, 2006 23:21:13 GMT -8
I have a feeling they overestimated when the QPR will get to Twa, she should be early.
|
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Mar 2, 2006 0:17:51 GMT -8
Is there anywhere at Tsawwassen where you could see ferries coming in without having to pay a ticket? I don't know of any, but I don't go there all that often. I suppose you would see the QPR in the distance from Richmond / Steveston... but pretty far away.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike C on Mar 2, 2006 14:03:12 GMT -8
Try the parking lot.
|
|
|
|
Post by jcachristian2000 on Mar 3, 2006 17:26:32 GMT -8
John, If you go to Steveston to the Public Docks thier you can see the ferries as they near Tsawwassen, You can also see them from anywhere on the Dyke on the west side of Richmond.
Although you are not realy close enough to take pictures, at least you will be able to see them. Or you can go to the Tsawwassen Terminal and see the Queen of Prince Rupert dock in at Berth 2. Q Chilliwack is in berth 1.
I will be watching for the Queen of Prince Rupert on Sunday weather permitting from a local beach in Parksville.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ferryman on Mar 3, 2006 19:06:06 GMT -8
As far as I know, you can get into the terminal with out purchasing a ticket. But you can't of course board a vessel without showing/giving your boarding pass to the crew members. But I think Tsawwassen was the most flexible for this. When returning home (when I lived on the Island) my grandparents would walk me and my family up as far as the waiting rooms, and then go back. But I can't remember if that was pre 911 or not. But thinking of it now, I think the last time I did that was in August in 2002.
|
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 3, 2006 19:11:10 GMT -8
Yeah I have seen people do that recently so I think you can still do it. I even saw one girl who got off the ferry at SB just before we left via the car deck so I dont know what that was about unless she took escorted someone onboard and then got off.
Parksville, hmm, I wonder what time we will pass Parksville on the Rupert. Probably early morning I would say.
|
|
|
|
Post by jcachristian on Mar 3, 2006 19:27:14 GMT -8
I will monitor Comox Traffic Saturday nite as It is my late night (SNL) is on TV. And I am planing on getting up early Sunday and monitor Comox Traffic. Karl if you are taking your scanner you will need these frequencies for your trip.
Ch 71 Comox Traffic 156.575. (Port Hardy to Ballenas Island)
ch 11 Victoria Traffic 156.550 (Ballenas Island to Tsawwassen).
And not to forget BC Ferry company channle 155.9100
|
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 4, 2006 9:47:55 GMT -8
Well I am leaving in about an hour to head up to Port Hardy. This should be an interesting trip on the Rupert tonight and Sunday. I will be sure to get as many photos as I can. I will be back Sunday night.
|
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Mar 4, 2006 9:52:00 GMT -8
Have fun then! I need to find when the QPR goes by here
|
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Mar 4, 2006 11:07:16 GMT -8
I know at Horseshoe Bay you can just walk in past the line up... everyone just assumes you already have a ticket. You can probably do it at every ferry terminal. It's probably what BC Ferries is going to try and stop in the future... for terrorism reasons.
Anyone know when she would head to Deas? Probably not immediately.
|
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Mar 4, 2006 22:04:33 GMT -8
Two more questions. Does anyone know what the view is like from the Tsawwassen Bluffs? If there even is access to them, it might be a good place.
And a dumb question. Is berth two near the south side of Tsawwassen or the north side? I think the numbers get bigger from south to north, but I hardly ever go from there so I'm not sure. Do the Spirits go into berth 6 and the Alberni/New West into berth 5 (usually)??
|
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 4, 2006 22:07:23 GMT -8
Berths 1 & 2 are the originals, and are on the south-side of the facility.
The berth closest to Roberts Bank coal port is #5, and that's the one that the Spirit's use.
Berth 2 was rebuilt last year........maybe #1 too
|
|
|
|
Post by John Hammersmark on Mar 5, 2006 16:17:04 GMT -8
I tried the Bluffs this afternoon. There is a nice little park up there. It's not too close to the terminal, but you get a great view of it. I got there around 2:20 or so, but the QPR was already in.
|
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 5, 2006 18:47:10 GMT -8
Yeah we were just off Tsawwassen about 1:30pm this afternoon and we were all off the ship by 2:15. We got in a bit early so people could connect with the 3pm sailing to Swartz Bay. There was only about 10 cars on the Rupert and probably around 50 people so it was a nice quiet sailing. There was alot of people who did both cruises up on Friday on the North and down on the Rupert. There was a young guy with a video camera documenting the ship. I kinda wondered if he knew about this forum. I only talked to him once. I would of had a few awesome photos of the Rupert and North passing in Port Hardy, but they are all blurry. It was a bit rough coming out of Port Hardy and we passed through ripple rock and Campbell River about 5am then it was calm around sunrise, then got a bit rough further south. We dident go straight down like the North did, we went along past Texada Island down between Texada and some other islands. Cant remember the name of the channel. But yeah arrived at Tsawwassen around 2pm. Awesome trip, neat little ship. It was pretty cool!
|
|
|
|
Post by Retrovision on Mar 5, 2006 22:43:27 GMT -8
I tried the Bluffs this afternoon. There is a nice little park up there. It's not too close to the terminal, but you get a great view of it. I got there around 2:20 or so, but the QPR was already in. Yeah, I've mentioned b4, but that's Fred Gingel Park, named after the late former MLA of our area. It's a great place to watch ferries at Tsawwassen terminal. If anyone need directions or bus info on how to get there, just let me know (My folks live a couple blocks away from the park). As a side note, even though the beach that skirts that bulff has been public for decades, it was only last year that the public was given access to it, by way of Fred Gingel park. |
|
|
|
Post by Retrovision on Mar 5, 2006 22:52:14 GMT -8
Yeah we were just off Tsawwassen about 1:30pm this afternoon and we were all off the ship by 2:15. We got in a bit early so people could connect with the 3pm sailing to Swartz Bay. There was only about 10 cars on the Rupert and probably around 50 people so it was a nice quiet sailing. There was alot of people who did both cruises up on Friday on the North and down on the Rupert. There was a young guy with a video camera documenting the ship. I kinda wondered if he knew about this forum. I only talked to him once. I would of had a few awesome photos of the Rupert and North passing in Port Hardy, but they are all blurry. It was a bit rough coming out of Port Hardy and we passed through ripple rock and Campbell River about 5am then it was calm around sunrise, then got a bit rough further south. We dident go straight down like the North did, we went along past Texada Island down between Texada and some other islands. Cant remember the name of the channel. But yeah arrived at Tsawwassen around 2pm. Awesome trip, neat little ship. It was pretty cool! Hey Karl, I saw you getting off the 3pm sailing of the SOBC in Swartz Bay; it was too busy to say 'hi' though. What happened to the blue jacket? lol. Unfortunately I missed my bus, and therefore the 4pm departure out of SB of the Queen of Esquimalt; and because of this, I missed the light in order to get a shot of the QPR at TSA when arriving, but I'm planning on going down there with some free time tomorrow to get some shots. I did, however, get shots on thursday of the Queen of the North arriving at TSA while I was crossing the straight, including some with her crossing the path of the SOBC, and will post those soon... Speaking of posting, my internet connection is still due to be insalled on Tuesday, so sometime after that I'll be doing a major upgrade to my webshots site. Cheers, Graham |
|
|
|
Post by hergfest on Mar 5, 2006 22:59:24 GMT -8
So no one got pics? I am so disappointed.
|
|
Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
|
Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 6, 2006 10:11:15 GMT -8
I got photos my trip on the Prince Rupert. I just havent got them up yet. I will be doing that today. The Chilliwack isent at Tsawwassen anymore so I couldent get photos of her, darn it.
Yes route 1 was crazy busy yesterday as always. Swartz Bay is a madhouse when the ferry comes in especially on the weekends. I got picked up at SB and my mom was pissed off cause she was getting hell about parking from some ass parking guy or something. It's just crazy. Route 1 is rediculas sometimes.
By the way Grahame I got a new Jacket now. My other one was getting a bit worn. lol!
|
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Mar 6, 2006 21:41:15 GMT -8
The two following photos are from the Fred Gingell park on Tsawwassen Bluffs. Gives you an idea of the view from there. The photos were taken with a 6x optical zoom, so it appears a bit closer than it actually is.   |
|
) on Sunday in order to get there in time... But then again, maybe I should try to arrive after the QPR has arrived in order to get the rare shots from the water of her tied up at TSA. hmm...
