The Crane of Death with Big Teeth is Almost Ready.

[Retrovision]

Mac Write wrote:
"Bill said the crane is being assembled."

What else did Bill say (except, of course, for anything that was said in confidence)?

[kylefossett]

like a 45 year old car, if it has been neglected for years and has just sat around for the last 5 years then it is time for her to become a pop can and lampposts

[Retrovision]

So you don't mind the fact that we have literally no ships from the old CP fleet?

[kylefossett]

hey if somebody back in the day decided to look after them then we would have one now.

[cascade]

Some of you guys are getting a little ahead of yourself. Didn't someone mention that she was going to the Far East - scrape people - then we read/hear that it will be done where she is - then China. So guys let's get our stories right on this subject matter.

Even I heard that a crane was going to be assembled on site in January - so hey,.... we have a few weeks left...has the fat lady sung yet??

Why is everyone so negative? you have had months or weeks to get your heads around the subject.

[Mac Write]

Seeing her in person I think changed our perspectives.

[Quinsam]

Mac, can you get a picture of that thing please?

[Retrovision]

"Seeing her in person I think changed our perspectives."

As well as hearing how imminent the srapping might be. Although her scrapping seems almost inevitable now, I think that some of us (including myself) tried to forget about her sad (and rapidly worsening) state and look the other way ("what you don't know can't hurt you"), thinking of her as timeless.

After all, She's been there how many years? Felt like she could have sat there for 50 more!

But then again, look who's talking... a naive, idealistic 23 yr old.

[cascade]

Buying an asset is the easy part - what do you do with it after is the hard part.

If you like standing under a very cold shower and ripping up $100 dollars bills, if that is what you call fun, plus have the funds to do it - then go for it.

If the plan doesn't work or can't work - then maybe have one hell of a farewell party for her. Make it something that will get under the skins of the politicians and BC Ferries about the West Coast Heritage - which they are destroying - then just maybe - they might do something. It's called embarrassment BIG TIME.

Egg on face springs to mind..

[Political Incorrectness]

That is an idea. I wonder what there faces would look like?

[cascade]

If your going to have the party of all parties and gain maxim impact - then I would have it on the 15th June 2006, as that would be in the summer - warm weather, and as you know that was the day, that the New BC Flag was raised from her decks.

You could start your campaign now and it would be ready in 6 months.

Egg on face - yes it would be something to see and remember for a long time....

[Starbucks Queen]

Now, we are drifting away from reality it seems ?
I say here, that none of you - apart from Cascade who seems to have a serious plan - is ever going to plan anything. You will return back to the routine of the day, look away and follow other interests for sure.

But I think as well, it is not the job of any of you here, apart from having too much phantasy and using this on the forum here - but it would be the job of BC ferries and the government to do something. If it does not happen that way, then there is no chance.

You do not have very much of a policy for museums like this, it would need some more officla back-up of course, and then it would need people who are keen on talking in front of the press. Last not least, it would need some voluntary workers but I really doubt that most of you would be ready to even go and clean the ship up - saying here, if it comes to real work many would back out and rather keep sitting in front of their computer.

[Retrovision]

I've asked my dad to help us on a couple of fronts.

First: Convince the Journalism Department (of BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology), where he teaches television and video production), who make the decisions on the stories that his students work on, to do a story on the Sidney. Although they aren't with any real news agency, atleast they can do a thurough <Sp?> documentation of her.

And second: Get ahold of one of their professional cameras to possibly document her ourselves, or, at the very least, document (or atleast the significant parts of) her destruction.

I'm gathering info on the Sidney and her signifigance, and would be grateful for any help.

[Ferryman]

That sounds like a great idea.

I suppose I could help you.

[Retrovision]

At the moment I'm looking for any info that will make a journalism student (and, more to the point, their teacher) take notice.

Please PrivateMessage me if any of you think you can help now (or in the future) with this project; if you have any info that can help me now, my Email address is [e-mail]

[Quinsam]

I just found out from Bill, the crane is for lifting the broken parts of the Sidney, they are going to be using Oxygen carbonate to break her into peices.

[cascade]

Harry,

why are you always so negative about things...

I think if you want to get across the point about lack of historical sites for the BC coast - then you need to get across some sort of message. TV / media is a very good way.

I think it is also a good year end project for a film student at BCIT....

[Retrovision]

cascade wrote:
"I think it is also a good year end project for a film student at BCIT...."

Hopefully we'll make it in time; the students are off for Xmas break next week, and won't start their next project until about the second week of January.

My other concern, after talking briefly with Bill, and with my dad, is the potential spin that might be put on it. Apparently Bill has had problems with the media before in this regard (not a surprise considering the nature of his current buisness).

Unfortunately, the content of the story isn't dictated by my dad's students (he teaches Video and Television production; the journalism students make the editorial decisions), that's up to the journalism dept. And even if they were my dad's students, these are journalism students we're talking about here, and they're taught to enter the field as journalists, and I'm informed by my dad that the same rules of not being able to ask for a lighter spin on the story apply.

In my dad's words (I'm paraphrasing):
"If you ask them to look the other way, they will, by instinct, look in that direction."

So I'm starting to think that maybe we (me and my dad) should avoid controversey and simply bring a video crew to document visuals, maybe even do it ourselves if it doesn't fit into the students' curriculum, and leave any attempts to save the vessel (atleast temporarily) by media smear campaign to others (sorry, Bill).

[Mac Write]

If you shoot the video (digitally and in HD) then it can be used for a future DVD on ferries. At this point the Media seems a bad idea to get involved with to help save the Sidney.

[cascade]

I have said this before - if you plan to make a TV doc about her - then plan it over a 6 month period. Jan to June 15th 2006.

Bill doesn't own her, Art does - so yes there could be problems - but if it is a "Student" project and there is a plan/strategy - outline - with an ending - then I don't see how or why Bill or Art's background / business would be featured at all in it.
Re-think the end result - in what you want to say - which is what?

The Saving of the West Coast of BC - Shipping / Ferry heritage? The way this and past governments have not support, any hertiage links for the coast - given that the Qof S was the first ferry and first to fly the flag ect...

[Retrovision]

Point well taken, cascade. And, BTW, Bill didn't outright reject the Idea, he simply had reservasions.

[cascade]

OK - then if you want anymore help - ideas ect...let me know - still working on saving her. Now that could also make a very good TV Doc....

This vessel - which ever way you look at it - has something to offer...either alive or dead...


Plus, as a very last offer - we have Harry and his pocket money to help out, plus of course his father to handle all the engine bit's....or lack of....

[Dane]

I've been where this crane is supposed to be like 3 times and still haven't seen anyhting capable of crunching up a ferry. Is there a specific location?

[cascade]

When they scrape vessels - they take them apart the same way they make them. So the crane would lift off sections which have been cut away - blocks for a more crude version.

Look at "old" pictures of the way the Queen of Sidney was built and you will see a crane lowering in place a "block". So the size of the crane is not the problem.

The problem comes when the scrape people get down to the waterline and taking out the tanks. The hull has to be pulled onto land - which then brings with it pollution.

[Retrovision]

I was on the Tsawwassen the other day, and a crew member told me that "the guy who bought the Sidney paid like 100K, has been paid back 100K by selling back to BCF, and earned millions on the sale of the generator, as it was needed immediately."

Rumour or not, coming from a crew member, it holds a little more weight in my mind.

BTW, I was also informed by a crew member that there was asbestos found on the Nanaimo, well let's just say that it wasn't, apparently, where they expected it.