Whither the Ferries Forum?

[Neil]

A couple of days ago, Mr F. Horn noted the birthday of a now mostly inactive member, and got me thinking a bit about where the forum has been , and where it’s going.

Apparently, the member in question, Quinsam Teen, has moved on to other interests. There haven’t really been a lot of people who formerly posted a lot, but have subsequently left, or become largely inactive. Brian Williams was a fine writer, and posted as much on other topics as on ferries. Cascade has dropped out officially, although it wouldn’t surprise me to find that he had re-surfaced, Zelig-like, as an expert in some completely different field. Retro rarely pops up, nor does Klatawa Teen, who surely must not be a teen anymore. Hardy, and our European correspondent, Starbucks Queen, are nowhere to be found.

Other regular or somewhat regular members have fallen off, but for the most part, many of the people who were posting a few years back are still here. Some of the regulars who were very young teens when the forum was also young are now in their twenties, and make up a part of the core group who travel around on ferry outings. There doesn’t seem to be the number of barely-teens that there once were, and for diplomacy’s sake, I’ll not comment on that.

I wonder what will happen to the forum in a few years when a lot of the younger, frequent posters and ‘voyagers’ move on to other stages in their lives, perhaps getting married, having kids, immersing themselves in careers, or just developing other interests. Is there a point at which one has just had enough recreational ferry trips, where enough photos have been taken, and where there are no more ways to describe an outing through the Gulf Islands? BC Ferries has completed its major vessel renewal. Will a sense of ennui set in with fewer new boats to pique peoples’ interest?

Internet forums haven’t really been around for that long, but I imagine that someone must have done some research into what happens when forums mature, and original members move on, particularly in forums focussed on relatively esoteric topics like ferries, with a small membership base.

From my standpoint, I’ve been infatuated with ferries ever since I was a little kid, and I’m 53 now. I’m probably not quite the fan I once was, and my forum interest might not be as high as when I first discovered it, but neither has diminished a lot.

There are constantly new people joining, but I wonder where some current participants see themselves in a few years time. Do you eventually take all the trips and photos that need to be taken, and is there a limit to the fresh conversation you can make about ferries? Does it eventually get crowded out by other interests, or does the ferry lover gene always remain prominent?

[lmtengs]

I'm one of the newest members of the forum, as most of you know, and even I have noticed one or two people who haven't posted in awhile...

Contradicting Neil's statement though, i must say that for every 2 members who move on, 3 join up, like me, hullnumbers, and others...

In a few years, I see myself still posting regularily on the forum, maybe a bit less than I do now, but still at least 20 posts per week. Later in life, depending where careers take me, I could have totally forgotton about the forum, or be the captain of the NorEx, posting live webcam videos of each sailing, with links of that to the forum, putting the ferry into autopilot to read some of the topics about 'the new hover-ferries from Horseshoe bay to Beijing, Pacific skimmer and Pacific zoomer'

[BreannaF]

I am by no means an expert on what happens when forums mature, but I know that there is almost nothing sadder (at least in the online hobby world) than finding a formerly active forum or blog or gallery that has been forgotten and left to die. But, while some members have come and gone here, it is really far from dead.

Yes, the group was apparently started by a group of mostly teens who dreamed of the day that they would actually ride on a ferry. It was a big deal when they did. The fact that that group is now mostly in their very late teens and early 20's, and that so many of them still have fun participating in ferry trips, is a testament to the fact that one can still have fun at this.

I think that as long as there are ferry trips, and as long as there are people to take them, there will be new things to write about. One significant development is that as the core group has aged, the trips have become a bit more involved. Yeah, we have all done the Route 1 or Route 2 thing enough times that there might not be much more to say about them to say unless something unusual happens. But not surprisingly, we will still have something to say about it when something different DOES happen. Also not surprising, the number of times that one of our group IS on the scene when something happens.

Personal example: My ferry experience FEELS different depending on the situation. Taking the Kaleetan through the San Juans is a vacation that would merit some pictures and a story. Taking the Kaleetan from Bremerton to Seattle is more of a commute, and something I did for a while earlier in life. But it still feels special to be on the ferry in either case. Even on the commute run, it still is much more to me than a transit trip, even if there is nothing new to say about it today.

Likewise, I don't see many trip reports here about Route 2 trips,even though I know a lot of them happen among our members. But I'll bet that those same members are enjoying the trip much more thoroughly that the general public.

Finally, on trips, there does seem to be enough occasional participation by "grown-ups with real jobs" ;D that I wouldn't rule that out as other ferry young people grow up. They will just do it more like a prolific ferry fan known for a brass wind instrument. Or others in the same age range who have posted great numbers captivating of photos about recent trips. I'm betting that the, ahem, relaxed nature of the events might change, but the trips will still happen. Perhaps having a family means fewer but more quality trips.

This forum is much more than trips. There is more historical and interesting information posted on this forum about BCF and WSF than anywhere -- or perhaps anywhere except the websites of some of the actual contributors to this forum. This forum is frequented by casual ferry riders, by ferry commuters, by ferry system employees, by contractors who service a ferry system in some way. We see ferry builders, ferry captains, ferry promoters, and people who maintain ferries. We have students of marine studies and journalists who cover ferries. There is a heck of a lot of discussion going on here by people here who aren't 19 or 22.

Historically, this was a young-people's forum. Today, it may not get as many posts per day, but it does get posts from a wide variety of folks. And many more folks read the forum anonymously on a daily basis.

If anything surprises me, it is that so many of the early members are still here. No, from what I have read about them, it doesn't really surprise me. I don't know the average longevity of forums in general, but I have seen so many come and go after relatively short periods of time, the fact that this one is still here and so strong is certainly well above average. So many die from lack of interest. So many more die from infighting among members. I think this place is going pretty strong, considering the limited subject we discuss here.

Rah team!

[Low Light Mike]

I think that internet-based activities attract a demographic that has some sticking power. If our forum is typical of the internet world, then we've likely got some members who prefer the internet world to the outside real world. That preference for things online helps forums like ours to stay active.

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Now, let me compare this forum to my church, in a metaphorical sense. I've attended the same church for many years, and I've seen many regular members come & go, and have also seen some core members stay for extended periods of time. I've seen members grow and mature and take on greater roles of participation and service to the group. And I've seen other active members take time-out for a season, as they needed to focus on something else that needed their attention more.

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We've also got some topics / issues that attract a large number of readers and contributors just to that one topic. Think Coastal-Link and think Sunday-night traffic updates.

Who could have predicted the phenomena of the Coastal Link thread? Who could have predicted the emergence of the 2 lead-characters that played against each other in that forum drama? Certainly there were those who followed and participated in the Coastal Link episodes and ignored the rest of our regularly scheduled programming (as well as our standards of broadcasting, from time to time).

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I'm thrilled that this forum now has participation from 2 members who's other website-work I've admired for a few years: Stapleton and Keenleyside. I was in awe of these guys' work on their own websites (photographs and travel-logs) and still think it's awesome that they found their way onto this here forum.

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The forum is also strengthened by relationships between members.

I've had the privilege of meeting fine human beings on group trips, who share my ferry interests. I've even found some interesting non-ferry things in common with some (ie. the minister who did my marriage ceremony is the same minister who also did the marriage ceremony for a fellow forum member). I've got a common faith with some members. Frighteningly, I've even got a common sense of humour with some members.

The fact that so many of us regular members understand each others' quirks and styles helps to maintain a clubhouse atmosphere where we feel like we belong.

[Balfour]

I've been on this forum for almost 5 years... I was 17 when i joined.

When i first joined, I honestly thought that I would forget about it within 3 months and boy was I ever wrong... I went from being a goofy teen-aged poster to where I am now on this forum.

It has been interesting to watch this forum change over the last 5 years from when it was a mostly out of control free-for-all to being the top spot on the net to discussing ferry matters on the west coast.

We have seen some great new developments with BC Ferries thanks to their Newbuild program and there is still some questions to be asked about their future. Since we are the "West Coast Ferries Forum," I think it should be stressed that we go beyond just BC Ferries. Both Washington State Ferries and the Alaska Marine Highway System are upgrading their fleets too and there is quite a bit of discussion on that. So that will certainly keep things going on this forum while BC Ferries developments are slow.

I am very excited that we have members who post from all over the world. Hearing from our friends in Flensburg was and still is a pleasure. Our representation of members who have ties with WSF, BCF and AMHS is extensive and very much appreciated. And of course we can't forget those who have loads of pictures that may appeal to the history buffs, the artsy crowd or of course the engineering fans on the forum. This forum really is for the ferry fan of all walks of life!

There is a real sense camaraderie on this forum and it is something I really appreciate. I have met a number of forum members over the years and I have made some very good friends as a result.

I think this forum will continue to be successful as more historical stuff is dug up, more new developments are discussed and of course more new photos are posted.

[Dane]

Sort of off topic, but watch this it's worth the 266 seconds.

Like all online centres of interaction there will be people who come, who go, who stay, and who come in and out. Some people leave for professional reasons (for example, I don't participate in [public] forums involving my employment) and others as was said for the lack of interest, or lack of strong interest.

I've been a ferry fan for as long as I can remember. From Lego ferries to the custom built wooden monsters my family built me I was always lucky to have the ability to follow my "hobby," in various ways, including semi-regular travel (on route 2, go figure). Like all things the interest goes up, and down, and around. There were times this summer where I was about to leave my house to go out on Route 1 to enjoy the day and then stopped myself and decided to do something else. Yet when a 'special' event happens I do still have a genuine enough interest to try and get out.

My bigger 'fear' for the future isn't getting old in itself, but the ability for many of us to stay near the Coast with prices, and jobs being what they are. I have made my peace with my nearly certain impending (probably <6 months) departure from Vancouver, and British Columbia. There are surely others in this situation, albeit it might not be known to them yet. I don't think removal from the Coast in itself would make me disinterested in ferries, but it would make it harder to do things I am interested in, like understanding the local politics and requirements leading to service provisions & delivery. I don't really care if I can tell the difference between two sister ships from a mile away. Others can do that for me

Like all online communities we also need to foster a positive environment for people to join us. The cynicism and borderline rude comments to new members is sometimes a bit upsetting for me, when really we should be more focused on our common interest rather than the fact we've discussed what's on new post X 500 times before. Hopefully this is just a phase, as has been the case for many things on the forum. Polls anyone?

[timmyboy]

As has been stated the Internet and Discussion groups are cyclical. You have to look at the situation compared to all other internet based groups.

Facebook is an excellent example in my opinion; when I first got my account I can't tell you how much time I spent there, wasted I should say, now two years later I might check it once or twice a month and usually only if I get a notification that a friend has messaged me. Will I go back on more a later date, likely there will be some reason.

Since April I have been an active member on this site, long time lurker before, and I haven't posted much. For me the info is the interesting thing. I have noticed though lately that posting seems to be way down and I would love to find some topic, other than this to spark some discussion.

Cheers and great Day ;D

[BreannaF]

Sept 24, 2009 22:35:11 GMT -8 Dane said:

My bigger 'fear' for the future isn't getting old in itself, but the ability for many of us to stay near the Coast with prices, and jobs being what they are. I have made my peace with my nearly certain impending (probably <6 months) departure from Vancouver, and British Columbia. There are surely others in this situation, albeit it might not be known to them yet. I don't think removal from the Coast in itself would make me disinterested in ferries, but it would make it harder to do things I am interested in, like understanding the local politics and requirements leading to service provisions & delivery. I don't really care if I can tell the difference between two sister ships from a mile away. Others can do that for me

As someone who moved away from the Puget Sound area (read: access to ferries) for work and for love I have found that the move did not lower my interest in ferries. It just made it so I wanted to make sure I included them somehow when I did have a chance to visit.

And, actually, I found this forum for the first time while I was looking for ways to expand my current knowledge of the ferries online one day.

Yup, you loose the local knowledge part when you aren't right there riding them regularly. That's a bummer. Places like this forum help.

That being said, consider the ability to move somewhere else for work an opportunity to see some other part of the country or the world in a closer way than any tourist will ever get to. It's a bummer, but I have found it a way to see how other people live. But get back as soon as you can, you hear?

BTW, the link at the top of Dane's post is well worth the viewing. It may be obvious to some generations, but it is quite eye opening to some of us just how fast things change in our lives now.

[Deleted]

Being one of the members who hasn't posted as much in recent times I felt the need to respond to this post and give my thoughts and reasons for why I haven't been a regular on here. I have been a member of this forum since February 2006 and have posted my thoughts, trips and experiences in the forum from time to time. The reason why I haven't posted in the past year is because for awhile there it seem that the forum was becoming one based on speculation and rumors verses the facts. I felt like some of the posts I made which were from my view point were made light of because some members thought that I didn't know what I was talking about. I felt that just because one member made more posts on the forum that someone else did they were automatically correct and everyone else was wrong. However, I did back away from the forum for the reasons listed above. Now I will say that recently the forum, in my opinion, has become even better than it was before. There are many people on here that have good thoughts and experiences to share and I think everyone should be given a fair chance. I have also come to the conclusion that sometimes it's fun to speculate on a ferry matter. For instance wouldn't it be great if BC Ferries did spend the money and put front windows into the NORAD? I also must say last February, by pure chance, I had a great opportunity to meet some of the members of this forum while taking a day trip with my father on the Queen of Vancouver. It made my day speaking to other people that knew about the ferries and enjoyed riding them. I think we all need people in this forum to share our thoughts, experiences and ideas. After all, I can't speak for everyone on here but I do know that in my life the only person I know who can truly relate and talk about the ferries is my father. So having this forum is a great thing because it allows all of us to come together and talk about something we truly love without people thinking "why does he like the ferries so much?" I am so glad this thread was started so I could have a chance to write this. I think you will see more posts from me in the future.

[Ferryman]

Well, I hope the forum doesn't wither away too much. As one of the "mid teens, now early twenties" members, it's been a very eventful 5 years aboard this forum. I think discussion has been severely cut in half just in the past couple of months, due to the lack of huge projects with BC ferries. When I first joined this forum, it was right at about the same time the Contract for the Super C's was given to FSG. It was fun to speculate the designs, and uses of the vessels, and then to one day sail on the inaugural voyage of the first new build, Coastal Renaissance with a large group of members from this forum.

This year I've only had the opportunity to do a small handful of trips with this forum. This was mostly due to my idea of taking my fanaticism to the next level, to become part of the crew of these fine vessels by undergoing vigorous Transport Canada training. Most of my training was done on Vancouver Island, but I did go over to North Vancouver for one week to do a course at the Marine Institute that BCIT has to offer. I even bumped into one of the members of this forum on a daily basis for that week while I was there. This was a fun experience within itself, but the dream has yet to come true due to some frustrating reasons. Once school was finished, I commuted from my home on Vancouver Island, to the Sea to Sky corridor aboard the Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo ferries twice a week for three months to take advantage of the construction sites that were wrapping up in time for the Olympics. The Ferry commute damaged my ferry fannery, because the trips would feel more and more like a chore, instead of a hobby. That was probably more to do with the fact that commuter days were mostly limited to Friday and Sunday evenings. But I was at least able to try and mend that damage on the quiet Saturday and Monday evening sailings every once and a while. But the damage couldn't have been that substantial, because I still watch this forum everyday as part of a daily routine, and will continue to do so for as long as I can.

Like Dane, I do believe that change is upon me as well, for relocation to suit my needs. The tickets I acquired through the training have expiration dates if I'm not working in the marine environment.

[Neil]

Sept 26, 2009 8:27:19 GMT -8 Ferryman said:

Well, I hope the forum doesn't wither away too much.

That was whither, not wither. I don't think it will. And I'm appreciating everyone's thoughtful responses.

[M/V LeConte]

First off, as one of the "Newer Generation" of members, let me say thank you to all of you who helped start this forum, and those who continue to keep it going strong.

I hope that most of you have viewed this forum as your baby. You have helped to nurture it, and to gently nudge it in the direction you think it should go. Hopefully, like parents you also expect that it should outlive you, and that it will learn and grow from other influences.

Sadly, our lives change, and sometimes we find that we simply do not have time for the things that were so important to us when we were younger. Not that they are any less important or meaningful to us, it just seems that life gets in the way. Growing up in Sunny Southern California, I never imagined that I would be living in Alaska, working on ferries. With that change, I had to let some things go. I still think fondly of them, and I try to involve myself whenever I am down there, but things I once did on a weekly basis, I am lucky if I can be involved in once a year.

Fortunately this forum can be viewed world wide, and though you may end up far away from your beloved ferries, you can still keep some form of contact. Also through trips and other activities, I am sure that friendships have been formed that will last lifetimes.

Just understand that this forum is truly a wonderful thing, and that as long as there are ferries, there will be us ferry "geeks," and as long as there are geeks, there will be forums.

-------

Now, I have a question that I hope some of you can help me out with.

Near the bottom of the Main Page, in the section labeled Users Online, it states that the most users online was 171 on 1 July 2007 at 0227 (I have it set up for Alaska time, so it may say 0327 for most of you). What happened so early in the morning on 1 July 2007?

I have poked around in the Archives, and haven't found anything that I think would bring everyone out. Most of the time I am on here, there are usually less than 10 people on. I figured this was at least semi-relevant to this topic.

~LeC

[Low Light Mike]

Sept 28, 2009 12:19:07 GMT -8 M/V LeConte said:

Now, I have a question that I hope some of you can help me out with.

Near the bottom of the Main Page, in the section labeled Users Online, it states that the most users online was 171 on 1 July 2007 at 0227 (I have it set up for Alaska time, so it may say 0327 for most of you). What happened so early in the morning on 1 July 2007?

I have poked around in the Archives, and haven't found anything that I think would bring everyone out. Most of the time I am on here, there are usually less than 10 people on. I figured this was at least semi-relevant to this topic.

~LeC

It was a bunch of Google (or something similar) spambots tracking our site for search-engine purposes. For some reason, there were a lot of them automatically viewing our website all at the same time.

[lmtengs]

Sept 28, 2009 12:28:31 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Sept 28, 2009 12:19:07 GMT -8 M/V LeConte said:

Now, I have a question that I hope some of you can help me out with.

Near the bottom of the Main Page, in the section labeled Users Online, it states that the most users online was 171 on 1 July 2007 at 0227 (I have it set up for Alaska time, so it may say 0327 for most of you). What happened so early in the morning on 1 July 2007?

I have poked around in the Archives, and haven't found anything that I think would bring everyone out. Most of the time I am on here, there are usually less than 10 people on. I figured this was at least semi-relevant to this topic.

~LeC

It was a bunch of Google (or something similar) spambots tracking our site for search-engine purposes. For some reason, there were a lot of them automatically viewing our website all at the same time.

We should try and beat that number by messaging every member of the forum and making a time and date for the 'everyone online day'

[lmtengs]

Actually, now that I thought about it.... I'm starting to realize what Neil was saying, too.
It used to be that whenever I checked in the evenings, there would be 5 or 6 new posts. Now when i check the forum, theres between 0 and 2 most of the time. Jordan (Coastal Skier) and I were discussing that a few nights ago, and I sorta decided in the end that forum traffic comes in waves. During summer, when some of our regulars are off work/school, theres lots of posting due to the extra time on peoples' hands. Also, during big events, like when the Kinniket, (or whatever that Alaska ferry is called) sailed down to bellingham a few nights ago, there were posts all through the night. So, in conclusion, there are A FEW fewer posts lately, but it'll hop back up soon, like when a new member joins and he has a couple years worth of questions to ask

[Nick]

I've noticed that posting activity is dependent on a number of factors, but predominantly it's discussion material. When BC Ferries does something out of the ordinary, or unexpected, there is a lot of activity. When they were bringing new vessels online, as has been in the past few years, there was a lot of discussion surrounding the various issues those bring, like deployment, usage, crewing etc.

Also, discussion picks up during refit season, when vessels are relocated and various improvements are done to the fleet.

[Neil]

Sept 30, 2009 18:44:01 GMT -8 @lmtengs said:

Actually, now that I thought about it.... I'm starting to realize what Neil was saying, too.
It used to be that whenever I checked in the evenings, there would be 5 or 6 new posts. Now when i check the forum, theres between 0 and 2 most of the time.

That's not what I was saying. I don't believe posting has dropped off to any significant degree. 'Whither', when used in a question, means, approximately, 'where to?', and I was wondering where regular forum posters see their interest level being in the future.

[lmtengs]

Sept 30, 2009 19:18:43 GMT -8 Neil said:

Sept 30, 2009 18:44:01 GMT -8 @lmtengs said:

Actually, now that I thought about it.... I'm starting to realize what Neil was saying, too.
It used to be that whenever I checked in the evenings, there would be 5 or 6 new posts. Now when i check the forum, theres between 0 and 2 most of the time.

That's not what I was saying. I don't believe posting has dropped off to any significant degree. 'Whither', when used in a question, means, approximately, 'where to?', and I was wondering where regular forum posters see their interest level being in the future.

oh... i was thinking of it as withering away...

[Barnacle]

Having been a member for three of the forum's five years, I have to say I've found my enthusiasm waning somewhat. It has nothing to do with the forum, I think; rather, the fact that I've been a ferry enthusiast/geek for twenty years prior to my joining the forum led to an eventual burnout on the hobby. Add to it that I've been working for the neighbors to the south for twelve years, and I find myself increasingly wanting to just get away from ferries once in a while.

I still try to add quality posts whenever possible, mostly in the North American section (specifically WSF) both to spur on conversation and quell rumors or pointless speculation.

[Neil]

It's becoming disturbingly clear what facebook really is, and what Zuckerberg's actually created, whether he intended it to be that way or not.

I look at the withering of so many forums like this one, as people gravitate to more seductive platforms. Even though this forum has such a good structure, with the archived threads that make it pretty straightforward to pull up information on a huge variety of topics. The WCFF is the best online encyclopedia of west coast ferry history and insights there is.

I don't participate as much as I used to, and I recognize that I'm a part of the decline.

[northwesterner]

Mar 23, 2018 21:31:28 GMT -8 Neil said:

It's becoming disturbingly clear what facebook really is, and what Zuckerberg's actually created, whether he intended it to be that way or not.

I look at the withering of so many forums like this one, as people gravitate to more seductive platforms. Even though this forum has such a good structure, with the archived threads that make it pretty straightforward to pull up information on a huge variety of topics. The WCFF is the best online encyclopedia of west coast ferry history and insights there is.

I don't participate as much as I used to, and I recognize that I'm a part of the decline.

I tend to think the Cambridge Analytica scandal is just the latest in a long line of problems for Facebook. 

I've had an account for 13 years. My log-in is still my long defunct .edu email address from my undergraduate university, which was required at the time to join. For people my age that were in college when facebook launched and thus were amongst the earliest users of the platform, we literally have our entire adult lives archived there. 

Over the last five years, the platform has slowly devolved into a total wasteland. User generated content seems to be at an all time low; I'd say less than 15% of my "friends" post anything unique on a regular basis. Instead, I have a news feed full of garbage memes, clickbait links, and "fake news." Many of the decisions made by leadership there over the last five years were incredibly poor, if I was a shareholder, I'd be very worried about the current direction. 

Additionally, its frustrating to watch their leadership try to and dig their way out of this. Zuckerberg has this public persona that combines naievity with altruism. Frankly, it's gross. He makes it sound like every decision he's ever made was for the common good and he could not have foreseen these problems. For some of those business decisions, the current outcomes probably were unknown unknowns. But don't mistake that persona for the truth; Zuckerberg and Facebook's senior leadership are ruthless businessmen, who have transformed many industries, both tech and traditional, through their business practices. 

A really cynical person would note that while Facebook (and Google, etc) were capturing huge segments of very important markets, the US government stood by and allowed it to happen. The silicon valley tech firms are big donators to liberal political causes - and it is the democratic party that is predisposed to look towards government regulation to regulate the exercise of monopoly power. But for eight years, with the money flowing freely, that party ignored these issues. The Republicans are/used to be the free marketers, so you wouldn't expect them to encourage additional regulation to slow the growth of these firms.

Think about the big hot mess regarding Microsoft, Windows and Internet Explorer 20 years ago, and how they used monopoly power to push Netscape out of the internet browser market. 

That case was small potatoes compared to our current Google/Facebook situation, which, some have argued (convincingly) are now approaching public utility status for how they control, without any competition, significant portions of how the internet functions. And we got to that situation without a peep from our politicians, from either party. 

The Cambridge Analytics scandal (which isn't much different than what the Obama campaign did in 2012 for his reelection) shows how much power and data facebook has about you. I have dozens of 3rd party apps that I log into on my phone with my facebook profile; it is simpler than remembering that many additional usernames and passwords. Some of these apps I use daily (for exercise tracking, for instance). To disconnect them from facebook and start my accounts over from scratch would be brutal. For someone that has allowed Facebook into my life for 13 years, its increasingly difficult to disconnect my life from facebook.

[Low Light Mike]

I'm responding to the non-Surrey part of this post, here in this older thread:

Apr 5, 2019 17:32:11 GMT -8 Neil said:

Few years ago, somebody would have posted this story fifteen minutes after it appeared. From two days ago...

www.citynews1130.com/2019/04/03/langdale-dock-crash-ferry-damage/

Clearly, the damage was much worse than what was easily seen.

For me, I've noticed that my interests, or at least the intensity of my interests, are changing. I used to live-breathe-eat ferries, and especially the ferry-forum. Now, not so much.

I think it's just a natural ebb&flow of interests during the course of life. I still love looking at a ferry when I see one sailing by, such as from a window in my office building where I can see Quinsam or a Duke Point ship. But I haven't taken a ferry trip for "Ferry Fan's Sake" in over a year (probably longer), and so I'm finding that my now-rare ferry trips are for purposes such as work, vacation, or a quest for a photograph at the destination.
...but of course while I'm on the ferry, I still walk around with my photo-gear, having fun on the outside decks of a ship. But on the Salish Class, for instance, that fun ends quickly with the lack of outside sheltered places with a photo view.

I'm still rabidly intense with my interests, but they're just different interests now. I'm on a personal project of photographing (in fine Low Light Mike style detail) the various railway bridges & trestles on Vancouver Island. I'm full-on into that project, which provides me with a lot of hobby satisfaction.

But as for ferries, they're just not as important to me anymore. But when I do step-aboard a ferry, I still feel a spark.