Mirrlees
Voyager
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
Posts: 1,013
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Post by Mirrlees on Sept 5, 2007 0:33:50 GMT -8
Welcome Aboard, Mark. When you come out to the coast in October, ride on the V's as much as possible because they probably won't be around your next trip out...
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Post by Northern Exploration on Sept 5, 2007 13:15:35 GMT -8
Congrats Coxnnick and welcome.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Sept 5, 2007 13:24:54 GMT -8
And with this post, I am no longer a new member. Woohoo!! Sorry, just had to do it. Ha-ha... That's almost cheating... but in this case we could let it slip by... At least it shows you're committed to this community.
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Post by BreannaF on Sept 11, 2007 2:05:08 GMT -8
I suppose that I'm nowhere near a newbie here anymore, but I thought that I would take the milestone of my 100th post here to make an entry here in the "New Members" thread before it is too late.
Hi! I'm Bryan, a 45 y/o married male who grew up in the Seattle area but has been living around Portland for the last several years. Ever since I was very small, I have been a fan of the ferries and also public transit in general. As a teen, I would ride ferries just for the heck of it, do loop bike rides that included ferries, and keep track of which ones were where (sometimes a feat in the pre-Internet days). The best part of Boy Scout campouts was the ferry rides there.
To this day, any trip, even into Seattle on the pretext for lunch, is an excuse for a ferry trip. I joke only half-seriously that my Oregon-raised wife didn't realize for a long time that a trip from Portland to Seattle didn't really have to go through Bremerton. ;D
By day, I have 3 jobs, but not all at the same time. I'm a tax accountant, with a practice that specializes in tax returns and representing taxpayers when the government decides to audit their tax returns. (Look up "Enrolled Agent" on the Internet for a definition of what I do.) I am also a seminar speaker, doing continuing ed seminars on tax subjects for accountant types. And, just to top it off, I am part owner and semi-active in a transportation business that contracts services to the local transit district. It would take a couple of paragraphs to describe just what we do, so I can talk about that later.
So, I tend to crave any and all info on our region's ferry systems. We end up in BC 2-4 times per year, so we sometimes make excuses to ride BC Ferries when we're there, too.
Other interests? Radio, history (I have a minor in History), Northwest US/western Canada geography, hockey (GO Canucks!, and we go to a lot of our local junior team's games, GO Winterhawks!). I delve into discussions of politics much too easily (need to stop myself sometimes), and lean so far to the left that the Liberals seem pretty conservative to me.
We have an application in for permanent residence in Canada, so we hope we will be moving to BC about 12-18 months from now. Just where, of course, will likely depend on where a job happens.
Other than that, thank you for having a forum here, and being so active. I thoroughly enjoy being here.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled forum mutterings........
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,192
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Post by Neil on Sept 11, 2007 15:43:52 GMT -8
Well, Bryan, you would be very welcome up here. My only qualm is that I'm not sure the United States can afford to lose any more leftists.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 11, 2007 17:38:19 GMT -8
Bryan: thanks for the detailed introduction; much appreciated. Good to have you here, and we value your cross-border interest in both fleets of ferries.
Hopefully you'll end up on Vancouver Island in a year or so....there are lots of US Citizens living as Canadian residents, who need to file US tax returns.....
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Quatchi
Voyager
Engineering Officer - CCG
Posts: 930
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Post by Quatchi on Sept 26, 2007 22:19:32 GMT -8
Hi
I am kind of new here and I just found this little Thread. Sorry I'm a little late. I am 18, love the Queen of Chilliwack and have been riding ferries since 1989. My first ride was on the Queen of Tswassen(sp).
Cheers,
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Post by 7sisters on Oct 6, 2007 16:54:16 GMT -8
Hi.....new member as of today...I am 47 and have been a fan of the fleet since i was a little guy in the 60's....I have an extensive postcard collection,all the books on the fleet starting with the "Dogwood Fleet" and the "rare" Queens of British Columbia"..I am a fan of the "Seven sister ships" look forward to talking with all who are interested in the back bone of the fleet from the 60's and 70's......Are there any film clips around of the "Victoria" collision from 1970...A sad day!......
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M/V LeConte
Chief Steward
~ I believe in Ferries! ~
Posts: 147
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Post by M/V LeConte on Nov 6, 2007 21:24:34 GMT -8
Greetings fellow ferry fans,
I grew up in a land without ferries, but spent as much time as I could on the water. When I was young my parents took me on a trip to the Puget Sound area, and after my first ferry ride, I wanted to ride every single one every day of our trip!
Eventually I grew older (but not completely up!) graduated High school and started trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. A few years later I found out about the California Maritime Academy, and the chance to become a professional mariner.
While at the Academy, I took an internship one summer with the Alaska Marine Highway System, and fell instantly in love. After graduation I only applied to the AMHS and have been working with them for about 2 years now.
Ever since my internship experience I have been OBSESSED with the AMHS. I spend a good deal of my time scouring every source I can for information on the Ships, people and history of my fleet. (Any information is always appreciated) It was on one such search that I stumbled upon this site.
I have very little experience with the BC ferries, but I try to follow any news and happenings with all of the fleets in this region.
My goals for this site... To share information with others who enjoy ferries and the communities and peoples they serve. I will try my best to prevent mis-information either by myself or others, while respecting everyones right to their own opinions. Sadly work sometimes keeps me away from the internet so my postings may be few and far between, but I will do my best.
Finally thank you all for participating and making this site as friendly and informative as possible. It is people like you who prevent these grand ladies from becoming obscure memories.
Hope to see you all out on the water,
M/V LeConte
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Post by Nucksrule on Nov 7, 2007 16:33:19 GMT -8
Welcome M/V LeConte I hope you enyoy your time here on the Forum.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,192
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Post by Neil on Nov 7, 2007 17:37:51 GMT -8
I grew up in a land without ferries, That's just about the saddest thing I've ever heard. Glad you turned out normal (I'm assuming? ) and that you're making up for your deprived childhood by working for AMHS. So what's the second busiest ferry port in the panhandle? I'm assuming Juneau is number one; and do crews have a favorite/ least favorite vessel to work on?
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M/V LeConte
Chief Steward
~ I believe in Ferries! ~
Posts: 147
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Post by M/V LeConte on Nov 7, 2007 22:29:27 GMT -8
Good Questions!
Hmm, busiest port.. I guess I would agree that Juneau (technically Auke Bay) ranks on top, since all mainliners and the Kennicott make frequent stops here. There are also two day boats based from here.
As for second busiest. I would say it is a tough call between Ketchikan and Haines. Ketchikan is of course the "first city," meaning it is the first stop after Bellingham or Prince Rupert. Haines is our closest connection to the road system. All Mainliners make a stop in Haines, as well as one of the Fast Ferries (when operational) and of course the LeConte! During the Summer months I would say there is approximately 5 ships (out of 8 operating in Southeast) making in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 stops per week.
Now the tough question. Is there a favorite or least favorite vessel? Every crew and vessel are different, and the same ship will have a different feel with a different crew. I am sure we all can somehow relate to this. Ask every member of the forum which ship is the best and which is the worst, and things will heat up pretty quickly. Personally, my favorite is the LeConte. Runners up are the Matanuska (my first ship), and the Kennicott. My least favorites? Without going into detail (or speaking ill of my company), I would say the Fast Ferries and the Kennicott. Yes, the Kennicott made both my lists. She is a well appointed comfortable ship that can handle almost anything she comes up against, but there are (in my humble opinion) some design flaws, and I just think she looks a little too boxy.
As for my normalicy... that can be debated!
Thanks again, Neil for the questions. Do you have a favorite/least fav vessel? (doesn't have to be AMHS of course!)
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 7, 2007 22:53:11 GMT -8
Mr. LeConte:
Have the AMHS fast-ferries had problems with their "suitability" to the routes & weather?
BC ferries had 2 fast ferries running during the turn of the century, and they were ill-suited for their runs.....and sold off as a result.
I'm curious if the AMHS fast-ferries had similar good-intentions, but operational-issues.
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M/V LeConte
Chief Steward
~ I believe in Ferries! ~
Posts: 147
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Post by M/V LeConte on Nov 7, 2007 23:13:17 GMT -8
There are operating parameters that they have to stay within. They cannot operate if the seas are greater than such and such or if the wind speed is over X amount. Some (most?) of our winter storms exceed those parameters and the fast ferries are unable to leave the dock. This has frustrated passengers to no end. BUT, when the weather is nice and conditions are favorable, passengers love them. They have a smooth ride and cut the travel time in half.
Last winter I made a trip from Juneau to Haines in 18ft seas with steady 80+ knot winds. Instead of our usual service speed of 16kts we were slugging it out at around 4-6kts. Needless to say the fast ferry stayed at the dock that day.
There have also been issues with the water jet intakes sucking up debris and gunk, increasing maintenance issues/costs.
I do not know AMHS' long term plans for the fast ferries, but originally two were ordered with the option for two more, and only two have been built and delivered.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Nov 8, 2007 9:42:49 GMT -8
Thanks Leconte...
I've very much enjoying this discussion...
it's nice to get first hand info on the actual operations of the Alaskan ferry system.
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 28, 2007 18:20:06 GMT -8
Welcome aboard, Mr. Landlubber.
We look forward to any future contributions you may wish to present, and are thankful for what you've already contributed. I'm about to post your photo of the Princess Margeuritte in the photos section. ;D
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Post by Taxman on Dec 8, 2007 13:45:34 GMT -8
Look at me... I'm a 'new' member... I post under the name Gunther or (more frequently) fail to log-in and post as "Gunny" I am a 3rd Year, BCom Candidate in the Accounting Option (Co-op Program) at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business (Formally). Informally I am a Accounting Student . I hope to eventually obtain my C[hartered] A[ccountant] designation (after I graduate and get into a firm). I have a wide range of interests in the transportation field, and TLog was a consideration if I failed to gain admission to the accounting field. Primarily my interests are in Rail and Ferry transportation, especially passenger transport. I currently am the Chairman, President, CEO, CFO and COO of the Carmanah Valley Railroad in my 'Study'. I also have an interest in Busses, on a more practical basis as I was a frequent rider of the 84 earlier this year. More obscurely, cable (chairlift/gondola) transportation interests me, but only when there is snow below my skis. I was exposed to BC Ferries at an early age, being an islander who travelled to the mainland with family frequently. I am a big fan of the Queen of Alberni, and the V-Class. On a smaller scale the Nimpkish is a good looking vessel. I also Geocache under the Name "UBCCacher" With 89 caches found. That is all.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 8, 2007 14:04:41 GMT -8
Gunther: thanks for the formal introduction.
It's good to see the accountant membership of our forum increase. ;D
So, if BC Ferries were to purchase Flensberger Shipyard, would it translate the operations using the temporal-method or the current-rate method? ;D ;D (it's always a good day when you can do a ferry - accounting joke)
-------------------- PS: I've sent you a personal message about the wonderful world of accounting.
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Post by Nickfro on Dec 12, 2007 13:13:00 GMT -8
Good day to all. . .
I have been reading lots of posts over the past month or so and some great information compiled throughout the forums!
Born and raised on the north shore, growing up with people from Bowen Island, and numerous trips to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine coast, I have always had great interest in ferries. I need to think about it, but will post a list of ferries I have and haven't been on among the fleet.
Great work on all posts, and I will try to provide valuable input myself and play by the rules. (Forgive me if I mess something up in the early going!)
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Post by Northern Exploration on Dec 12, 2007 14:26:24 GMT -8
Welcome Nickfro, it is great to have new members. Look forward to you posting more and hearing some of your ferry experiences.
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Post by Balfour on Dec 12, 2007 16:25:11 GMT -8
Welcome, It's good to see North Shore membership increase
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Mirrlees
Voyager
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
Posts: 1,013
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Post by Mirrlees on Dec 12, 2007 21:46:49 GMT -8
Welcome Aboard, Nickfro..!
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Dec 12, 2007 21:49:36 GMT -8
Wow, another Nick.........
Welcome, Nickfro. Hope to hear from you frequently.
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Post by Nickfro on Dec 13, 2007 13:19:06 GMT -8
This newbie needs to know how to insert pictures, and do so within the preferred size regs. I have a decent shot of the CR under the Lions Gate Bridge. Please be detailed so I don't botch anything.
Thanks!
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Dec 13, 2007 13:33:27 GMT -8
This newbie needs to know how to insert pictures, and do so within the preferred size regs. I have a decent shot of the CR under the Lions Gate Bridge. Please be detailed so I don't botch anything. Thanks! The following should explain it well... 800 x 600 is maximum for posting directly on the forum, but you can add a URL to a higher resolution picture if you wish. How to Post Images 1. Sign up with an image hosting company such as Photobucket, or you can use Geocities, or Sitesled. Photobucket is best for those who do not have a website. Please do not use a direct link from a website in the tags This is considered hot-linking and is against ProBoards TOS! First time offenders will have the problem fixed by a mod, From then on offenders will have their problem posts deleted. 2. Copy and paste this code: [IMG]URLhere[/IMG]. Any other questions, just let us know...
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