Queen of Saanich - change ?

[Koastal Karl]

I dont think the Sidney terminal would be good a for a truck run with all those commercial trucks going through there at night I dont think the residents around there would like that very much!

[Neil]

You can flog that dead horse as much as you like, Cascade. It ain't gonna get up and run.

Nowhere in that little excerpt is there any indication that BC Ferries is dumb enough, or irresponsible enough, to put a night truck ferry operation in the middle of a residential area.

Part of the reason Duke Point was developed was because it was not feasible to expand the handling of commercial traffic at Departure Bay and have heavy trucks crawling up Brechin Road at one in the morning.

[Retrovision]

hornbyguy said:

You can flog that dead horse as much as you like, Cascade. It ain't gonna get up and run.

Nowhere in that little excerpt is there any indication that BC Ferries is dumb enough, or irresponsible enough, to put a night truck ferry operation in the middle of a residential area.

Then why the in camera meetings of Sidney's council? Why the rumour from a certain prominent BCF employee on this forum of the Saanich being used? Why the un-neccessarily substantial berth 2 rebuild at Tsawwassen? (I just took some pictures of the new TSA berth while passing through, and will post them on my site soon).

A bigger question might be why BCFS, a company with profits in mind, built a 'revolutionary' floating berth at Swartz Bay, when, from all the material that I've read, there is no direct benefit such as faster turn-around (other than the fact that this berth is better situated for a double ender such as a Super-C to arrive/depart (because they don't have to turn around))?

I seem to remember one of the members of this forum with one of the most inside tracks answering a question of mine, saying that the floating berth could accomodate a lightened FastCat (i.e. higher out of the water, and how they could actually be feasibly run). Am I remembering this capability of the new floating berth 2 at SB incorrectly?

[Neil]

Don't know how you determine the 'prominence' of one BC Ferries employee, and I don't see what berth re-building at Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay have to do with Sidney. 'In-camera' sessions are very common with any town council, and aren't necessarily connected with foisting skullduggery on the public.

[Ferryman]

I still think BCF only bought the Sidney terminal, so they can make some money off of WSF, by leasing it to them, while BCF does all of the operations of the terminal. Besides, I thought the International run there wasn't going anywhere for a while?

[Neil]

Right on both counts, although they haven't bought the terminal. They have the contract to run it.

[Low Light Mike]

.....There's an in-camera session at the end of practically every municipal council meeting in the Province of BC: legal issues, personnel issues, purchase/sale of municipal land issues......mostly just normal stuff.

----------------------------
Re the issue of "prominence" of BCF employees posting here, maybe it's time for a competition to find out the answer to the question that's on everyone's mind:

"Who really is the most prominent BCF Employee on this board?" (cue the "Theme from Rocky" music here)

.........In this corner, wearing pastel-blue trunks, from parts unkown, give-it-up for "Not Much Longer".

............In the other corner, wearing white trunks with red & blue trim, from Saanich Peninsula, it's "Engineer".

ding ding. (pause, for Deborah to parade around the ring holding the round#-sign).

(in the post-match interview, both competitors refused to comment on anything re the match)..........

-----------------------------------------------------

[Neil]

And then we could do, 'Most Precocious Teen', and 'Most Curmudgeonly Old Guy' (care to take me on, "Nanaimo?), 'Most Confused'.... could be quite the tournament.

[Low Light Mike]

...this could be bigger than Wrestlemania.

I grapple you for the "Mr. Curmudgeonly" title in a cage-match......

On any given day, any of us could be the winner.....as long as it's me.

[Ferryman]

Fight Fight Fight!

This could be interesting, the King of Sarcasm, vs. hornbyguy.

[Political Incorrectness]

Chris you are beggining to sound like Fenk.

[Neil]

No contest. 'Nanaimo's obstreperousness is all an act, whereas I am naturally obnoxious.

My goodness, this thread has lost it's way. Hope Cascade won't mind. Oh well, this topic had already been done. Viva Italia! (I hope)

[Retrovision]

flugelhorn said:

.....There's an in-camera session at the end of practically every municipal council meeting in the Province of BC: legal issues, personnel issues, purchase/sale of municipal land issues......mostly just normal stuff.

Granted, but I seem to remember cascade associating some of these meetings directly with the terminal in Sidney; and yes, I was as puzzled as you when it comes to how anyone can know the nature of an in-camera session, but I was relying on his knowledge-base and partial inside-track when making my last point.

And to help drive home that point, one that was more about BCFS and their terminals involving commercial-only sailings, here's a few pics of the re-built berth 2 at Tsawwassen terminal. You tell me, if not for route 9, then what was the intention of dropping what was probably a lot more $ than necessary to make this berth (one that cannot efficiently handle even a V Class) more substantial than most?

[Neil]

Aircraft Carrier to Become Canadian Ferry

Reuters News Services/Annapolis MD 06/18/06
Report-Philip Heygood

In a move hailed as a sign of improving relations between American officials and the new Canadian government of Conservative Stephen Harper, U.S. Naval officials today announced they were in the final stages of negotiating a three way deal involving Canada's Dept. of National Defense, and BC Ferry Services Ltd. of Victoria, B.C. which would see mothballed American aircraft carrier U.S.S. Benedict Arnold reborn as an combination auto ferry and patrol ship on waters straddling the U.S. - Canada border.

The arrangement, first of it's kind any where in the world, would see a continuing American presence on the ship as it performed it's role as the largest ferry in British Columbia's privatized fleet.

"The waters along the B.C. -Washington border have been under patrolled for some time, and drug and gun running in small craft is rampant", said U.S. Side Admiral William Dunstan.
"This is a win-win situation for us and our friends on the Canadian side. We will be keeping some gun placements on the ship, capable of reaching the border beach at Point Roberts, WA., and more than capable of eliminating suspicious marine traffic, and the Canadians will get a huge capacity auto ferry. They will operate the civilian passenger side of things."

The ship will operate from newly constructed facilities at Tsawwassen ferry terminal, south of Vancouver on the mainland, to a newly purchased terminal at the town of Sidney, on Vancouver Island, north of the B.C. capitol, Victoria.

"This is just a super deal for us', said BC Ferry Services CEO David Hahn.
"The Benedict Arnold has a vehicle capacity of 1150. We'll be able to retire all our 'V' class ferries. This is just a great example of private enterprise thinking outside the box, and doing some great things for British Columbia."

The carrier will be refitted at the Naval Yard at Annapolis MD, and should be ready for it's semi-civilian service by October of 2007.

Rumors of something big happening had been rife on Canada's west coast, after BC Ferries won a contract to manage the terminal at Sidney, which is needed for the Arnold, as it is too big to pass through the traditional ferries route of Active Pass in Georgia Strait to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. BC Ferries had also failed to satisfy ferry experts as to the reasons for dock work at the Tsawwassen terminal.

Peace groups are expected to protest the arrival of the de-commissioned aircraft carrier, which saw action at the battle of Outer Malaya.

"There's always going to be some naysayers", remarked Hahn.
"But we have a mandate to deliver the finest ferry service to British Columbians for the lowest cost, and we feel that when people see those shining guns on deck, pointed out to sea, they will also appreciate the added feeling of security. We feel this ship will protect our passengers from terrorist attacks, which was a big concern of ours with the older un-armed ferries."

Canadian officials may also have to deal with protests from Sidney residents, as approximately 125 homes will be expropriated for approach roads, holding areas, and a security zone.
-30- REUTERS/z-ppg

[Low Light Mike]

Wow, that's super news, although 2007 is still a way's off, and that doesn't seem to help the safety-concerns and traffic levels that we have now.

Will I need to install a tail-hook on my Toyota ?

I guess we can start the debate about what Class-category the 'Arnold will fit into. She's likely too big to be called a V.......I guess she will be the first in the new B.A. Class.

I guess for the on-board safety announcement, they will replace the current chime-music intro with the sound of "Now Hear This".....

[Political Incorrectness]

That is why BCF remodeled berth 2 at Tsawwassen was so that it could accomadate a ship like that, I wonder how old it is? Also if it is an american, shouldn't it have been scrapped in India where we outsource all our jobs to?

[Low Light Mike]

ferrymaniac101 said:

I wonder how old it is? Also if it is an american, shouldn't it have been scrapped in India where we outsource all our jobs to?

If I remember my history correctly, the Battle for Outer Malaya was just before the Islamic Revolution in Iran, so that would be 1979. So my guess is that the USS BA is approx 30 years old, so yes it was launched many moons ago.

Remember that the pedigree on US naval ships is very good, as the USS New Jersey was still going strong during Gulf War I.....and she was launched during WWII.

[Ferryman]

Interesting.....

Only problem is, all of the puzzle pieces don't match up for me....I have a hard time believing BC Ferries bought an Aircraft Carrier from the United States Navy, and will convert it into a Ferry. Absolutely nothing has been said on the news, from what I've noticed. I can't even find this U.S.S. Benedict Arnold on Google.

Sorry, I need more proof, until I even start to believe this.

[ferrytraveller]

well firstly the date on used as the article dates says june 18th, the only problem is... we are still on the 17th today!! secondly i can't see Hahn saying any of this.... when people see those shining guns on deck, pointed out to sea, they will also appreciate the added feeling of security. We feel this ship will protect our passengers from terrorist attacks, which was a big concern of ours with the older un-armed ferries."

i want to see more proof first

[Quinsam]

Would probably look like a Giant Mill bay ferry, I mean with the wheelhouse and accomodation facilities up on the side kinda like the Mill Bay.
What route is it gonna run on?
Maybe they remodelled Berth 2 at Swartz Bay for the same reason.

[Low Light Mike]

There might be an opportunity to purchase more ex-military vessels for the northern service too, in my opinion. Maybe a destroyer such as the USS Jefferson Davis would be able to be outfitted for BC Coastal duty, with a midships hold for cars (I guess with side-entry-doors like the Coho....and just like the smaller Alaska ferries do.

The ship could do a regularly scheduled route to mid-coast & north coast locations (such as the Kitimat inlet), and could also serve as a lookout for illegal coastal activities. Maybe bring in some ferry crew from Route-9 that are experienced in drug-operations, in order to search out illegal grow-ops, using a stern-deck helicopter launch?

Public-Private Partnerships seem to be the in-thing for large projects these days, so why not also with ships?

I think that Hahn's idea is pretty good.

(PS: that's what I love about this forum: we've go some much diversity of quasi-inside-information, from Union contacts, to London business contacts, to HornbyGuy's access to the news-services at Pacific-Press).

[Koastal Karl]

I dont know whether to believe this or not! Seems kinda crazy!

[Political Incorrectness]

Source URL please, we need some clarification and why does it have 6/18/06 on it? Is this BS?

[CTV Newser]

;DI just called BCF and they had no idea what I was talking about, AND the ship doesn't exist. Nice hoax, SERIOUSLY, it was well done!

[Koastal Karl]

hmm, that explains why I cant find photos of this ship!