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Post by nolonger on Mar 2, 2005 22:25:55 GMT -8
Hey Gang, Winding down a long career at BC Ferries. 34 years and counting. Seen a couple of old shipmates on this site. Hi Jeff. I've sailed on so many ships over the years. Started on the Nanny, March,01, 1971 out of Horseshoe Bay. Bounced between the Nanaimo and the New Westminster which were the the two ships based in Horsehoe Bay at the time. These were replaced by the Tsawwassen and Sydney for refit and for supplementary vessels in the summer. Also sailed the Sechelt Queen and Langdale Queen . Oh and lest I forget, the Pender Queen on the Bowen Island run. The Burnaby, Howe Sound Queen, Quinsam, Quinitsa, Queen of the Islands, Queen of the North, as the Queen of Surrey on Rte2., Queens of Surrey, Oak Bay, Coquitlam, Cowichan, Alberni, Vancouver, Esquimalt, Victoria, Saanich, Bowen, Mayne,.................Big Sigh! I'll finish my days on the Alberni. The best ship in the fleet. I've been on her for the last 14 years on route 30. She is without a doubt the best of the C Class to work on. She steers like a dream (especially with that Sperry autopilot). She carries the freight and she's a reliable old girl, in spite of her age and and many hours. (only 4 hours of down time each night. ) Enjoying the site and posts from all you avid users. Make yourself known to the crew. We'd like to hear from you. Any and all positive feedback is welcome.  |
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 2, 2005 22:29:15 GMT -8
So are you the Captain for Queen of Alberni? and I take it you would be on Queen of Esquimalt now? (until Alberni comes back obviously)
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Post by nolonger on Mar 2, 2005 22:34:31 GMT -8
No ferryman,j ust an old deckhand. Heard tonight We might get her back on the 12th. which would be good news for the truckers,
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Post by nolonger on Mar 2, 2005 22:36:11 GMT -8
and yes, I'll be on the Esquimalt for my 5 nights starting Friday!
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 2, 2005 22:37:09 GMT -8
Oh ya thats still cool. I saw her en route to Langdale as I was going down the Sea to Sky today. Sure is weird seeing her do that route instead of Surrey.
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Post by nolonger on Mar 2, 2005 22:41:56 GMT -8
truckers need her back on rte 30.
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 2, 2005 22:44:51 GMT -8
Yeah and so Esquimalt can go and take over for Vancouver instead of going back and forth on route 1 and 30
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Post by nolonger on Mar 3, 2005 9:46:19 GMT -8
Heard we are sailing a round trip to Swartz Bay Friday night and Sunday night again this weekend.
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Post by ProudCanuck on Mar 3, 2005 12:09:06 GMT -8
Why was the Equimalt not put on the Langdale run instead of the Alberni during the Surrey's refit?
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Post by Curtis on Mar 3, 2005 15:08:23 GMT -8
I don't know but Good Question though They should of done it. It holds almost as much as the Al has two car decks. This is what they should have done this when the SOBC went for her major refit they should have replaced her with the Sannich full time making the Esq do extra sailings from time to time untill the Van came back from refit then the Esq goes to Departure Bay till the Surr goes for refit than Esq goes to Langdale than the SOBC and Surr comes back from their refits and the Van and Sanni are extras and the Esq on Dep Bay as extra thats a good no hassle plan ;D
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Post by kylefossett on Mar 3, 2005 15:15:10 GMT -8
i think the alberni is on the langdale run because of demand from the people on the sunshine coast. they hate the alberni on that run but extremly hate a v-class on it as it makes the trip in longer time.
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Post by Curtis on Mar 3, 2005 16:41:10 GMT -8
I have a few words for the people of Gibsons and Seachelt who extremly hate the V-Class on the Langdale run Live With It fer crying out loud! Just be glad you have a ferry with a big capacity so what if it takes longer just live with it  So any of us care about how long the ferry takes? (as long if it's not late) As long as you have a Camera, a big appetite or the ship has a gift shop you can window shop in you're okay. |
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Post by ProudCanuck on Mar 3, 2005 22:37:53 GMT -8
The reason I brought that up is simply as a frequent traveller on both the Mid-Island Express and the Langdale run, adding another 20 minutes to the Mid-Island sailing just does not make sense.
Simple logic to me says that put the slower boat on the shorter run. Also I have noticed the Alberni handles the rougher water (at times) than the Esquimalt and Vancouver. Howe Sound is more protected I think the V-Class would be good here.
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 3, 2005 22:53:41 GMT -8
Howe Sound and the Strait can have huge windstorms. There's wind speedometers on some rocks called Pam rocks almost near where the Langdale ferry turns away from Howe Sound when it goes up that channel to Langdale, and there is many times where they clock winds up to 100+ km/h winds all of the time. It's not cool trying to get our boat on to our trailer at Porteau with the summer winds that come up in the afternoon from the south, because there is like 5 foot waves blowing up the sound. The closer and closer you get to Squamish though, the worse the winds get, thats what Squamish means in the Native Language (Big Wind). The Strait isn't really any better, trying to fish Porlier Pass between Galiano and Valdes Island in the wind also with at least a 5 foot wave isn't fun in our little 16 foot boat, especially when the rip tide is going. But anyways my point is, the conditions in each area are about the same. I don't really recall being on any ferry when it has been rough out, except for the day that fishing boat capsized on the mouth of the Fraser back in summer of 02. That was a windy day and Oak Bay was running over an hour late, and New west was a few hours behind trying to assist with that huge dilema with that fishing boat. Horseshoe Bay was sure plugged up like a toilet that day too, but we missed the lineups seeming we missed the 12:30 by like 45 mins or something and the 3 was supposed to come in at like 2 but didn't get in till after 3. Jeez thats the huge disadvantage to the summer, the crowds on the ferries.
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Post by nolonger on Mar 3, 2005 23:39:56 GMT -8
There certainly seems to be politics at work here. There is no logical reason for the Alberni to be on Rte3 instead of the Esquimalt. In fact the Esquimalt can come close to keeping the schedule on that run as the C class run at reduced speeds to reduce wake effects, anyway. The loss of the Alberni on Rte 30 puts a major dent in the amount of commercial traffic we carry to the island. In the long run, Seaspan and the Washington's get more and more of the commercial traffic.
Also I have to question the thinking behind having the Spirits undergoing major refits at the same time as a C class is undergoing a mid life upgrade. There's about an 800 car liftoff tied up in drydock. Now the Vancouver goes down and we have almost 1200 vehicle liftoff out of service. And Easter and Spring Break are getting close. Go figure.
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Post by nolonger on Mar 3, 2005 23:42:44 GMT -8
As for weather, V Class vessels cannot sail in anything above sustained 39 knots of wind. Unusual at this time of year but not unheard of. A walk in the park for the Alberni.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager 
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 4, 2005 9:31:06 GMT -8
Yeah I too think they could of used the Esquimalt on the Langdale run. I mean a ferry goes out for refit there is going to be a replacement. Maybe not the one residents wanted, but you live there, use the ferries, you have to deal with it!! The Alberni should be on her normal route. I dont think they should have two major ships out at the same time, well actually 3 now. Three out of service, and only 3 replacements, if one of the replacements go, then you will see what we are going to see again this weekend. But when would they do the SOBC upgrade. The Oaky is in refit for 6 months, Surrey is in refit. By the time the Surrey comes back it till be like end of the month, actually I dont know when the Surrey is due back off hand, but then it's like April/spring traffic is building up, so there not going to take a Spirit out in the summer, and Spring, then Surrey goes for mid life this fall I would assume, so this is probably the only time in the off season they can do it.
My idea about having ferries go early and have an extra roundtrip, someone said that wouldent work unless traffic increased. But I think it has right now with all these delays and waits that could work.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 4, 2005 9:33:59 GMT -8
Yeah I have a news clip of that from BCTV I recorded of the Alberni out in the big windstorm a few years ago. That was something to see. Imagine being on her that sailing.
What I dont get about that is why she went out in the first place if the New West never left Tsawwassen, I know Duke Point is a bit more sheltered but it seems like a communications error.
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Post by nolonger on Mar 4, 2005 10:37:17 GMT -8
the Alberni has sailed many times while the New West has remained glued to the dock. She can dock easier in higher winds than a v class.
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Post by queenofthenorth on Mar 4, 2005 13:12:29 GMT -8
I will stand up for the Alberni anyday. I have been on a few of those rough sailings that makes you wonder if it is realy safe for us to be out there. I Also remember one very windy day at the Tsawwassen Terminal while boarding the Alberni via the car deck. The ship was rocking so much in dock that there was a lot of movement between the ramps and the ship. It was weird too feel the end of the ramp move on the cardeck as you were walking on top. One such sailing from Duke Point we got most of the way to Tsawwassen on the 5:15am sailing when there was a anouncement over the PA that we might have to turn around and head for Horesshoe Bay. but we made it to Tsawwassen. And if the ferry does fall behind schedual, she can easily make up the difference, I have been on the Alberni when it made it from Departure Bay to Tsawwassen in 1 Hour, 40 minutes.  |
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Doug
Voyager
Lurking within...the car deck.
Posts: 2,213
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Post by Doug on Mar 5, 2005 1:39:22 GMT -8
Karl, is it at all possible to put that video clip on a website (or even on the computer)? It probably isn't just me who would like to see that, but most of us here. ;D If you can't, no problem.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 5, 2005 8:45:02 GMT -8
If I could I would definately post it but I dont think it is possible as that was a news clip that I taped off of the News with a VHS tape and I dont know how that would work or if that is even possible to do that, to put it up on a webpage.
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Post by NMcKay on Mar 5, 2005 10:13:04 GMT -8
its kinda hard. i can do it, so if i can contact you into sending me a copy of the VHS, then i can convert it to a digital signal, then load it back on my desktop (finally working again) and then you guys can watch iy
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 5, 2005 20:01:21 GMT -8
You can convert video footage into digital?? This is not a home video from a video camera. It's the news story from BCTV or CH that I recorded. But yeah if you havent seen the news clip it's kind of neat as it shows you the Alberni and the high winds are amazing what it looks like. But yeah let me know.
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Post by NMcKay on Mar 5, 2005 23:28:27 GMT -8
yeah i can convert digital signals. i use a TV capture card to convert analouge to digital
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So any of us care about how long the ferry takes? (as long if it's not late) As long as you have a Camera, a big appetite or the ship has a gift shop you can window shop in you're okay.
