MV Columbia (AMHS)

[FNS]

pnwtraveler said:

Ok thanks. So maybe leave the car in Vancouver and take the train to AMHS then. Food for thought. OK here is a question for those who may know. I know the Columbia is more or less the flagship of the fleet - is that true or not. If not of the ferries that serve the southern routes which is the nicest? Maybe subjective but would be interesting to know.

By the way, the train leaves Pacific Central Station at 1800. Looking at the timetables of AMH, the ferry leaves Bellingham at 1800 as well. Checked the timetables for Greyhound and there are 1345 and 1445 trips that get to Bellingham two hours later (if there are no delays at US Customs). Best bet is to take the 1345. There is also an 1120, according to GH.

[Low Light Mike]

re possible move out of Prince Rupert:

Latest article www.thenorthernview.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=142&cat=23&id=1032206&more=0
==================
By Shaun Thomas
The Northern View

Jul 25 2007


Following concerns raised by Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond in last week’s issue of The Northern View about the increasing pressure to move the service from Prince Rupert, the communications officer for the Alaska Marine Highway System says that the organization has no plans of leaving the city anytime soon.

“We’re getting calls from reporters down there and we are scratching our heads wondering where this is coming from,” said Mike Chambers, noting that the lease the company has on file shows an expiration date of 2013.

“The maintenance of the dock is a big issue and along with that the rent is a big issue because they increased the rent pretty significantly. We have sent them a letter explaining to them that the dock has structural and safety issues that have not been met and that we feel the rent should go toward fixing those problems, but we have no plans of pulling out of Prince Rupert.”

For his part Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond reiterated that there is pressure to move the service, but he is unaware of any plans to do so.

“There has always been and continues to be pressure from other groups. There was a letter to the editor from Gary Benedict out of Hyder printed in the Juneau Empire the day of a meeting several months ago listing all of the reasons why Hyder would be a great place to go, and I certainly have had extensive conversations with people in the Marine Highway System about some of the difficulties that they have experienced operating in Prince Rupert.”
===================

[WettCoast]

It would make no sense at all for the AMHS to move out of Prince Rupert in favour of Hyder, Alaska.

Prince Rupert has all of these advantages:
1 - good connection to the North American highway system
2 - good connection to BC Ferries so that AMHS clients can continue south toward the 'lower 48'.
3 - Lots of over night accommodation and a good variety, including camp sites for tenters & RV's.
4 - All kinds of services for the traveler

Hyder, by contrast has few of the above, and in the winter months is often difficult to get to by virtue of the avalanche prone road leading in. It is also a significantly further by water from Ketchikan to Hyder than it is from Ketchikan to Rupert. Hyder also lacks berthing facilities, terminal buildings, etc. Lastly, to my knowledge there is still no US Customs in Hyder. Hyder, is sort of an American suburb of Stewart, BC, poulation ~800 in Stewart; 250 in Hyder.

The only reason that I can see to go to Hyder in favour of Rupert is to keep the route an all American one, and to 'teach Rupertites a lesson' for their sometimes testy attitude toward their northern neighbours.

[hergfest]

Was in Bellingham today and decided to check out the AMHS dock at Fairhaven. Lucky me the Columbia was loading! Didn't even plan it. Here are some pics:
gary-hergert.fotopic.net/p43983879.html
gary-hergert.fotopic.net/p43983880.html

[Low Light Mike]

Thanks for those photos, Gary.

I've never seen the Columbia at Bellingham, until now. Looks like stern loading. Does anyone know if Columbia also has a side-door? I am assuming that all AMHS ferries have side-doors.

[SS Shasta]

flugelhorn said:

I've never seen the Columbia at Bellingham, until now. Looks like stern loading. Does anyone know if Columbia also has a side-door? I am assuming that all AMHS ferries have side-doors.

Yes, side-door loading/unloading is used at all Alaska ports except Skagway where the stern door is also used. Stern loading is also used at Prince Rupert, BC.

[FNS]

Here in Seattle, all the AMH ferries used their stern when they made this town their southern terminus before the move to Bellingham's Fairhaven Terminal.

I went to the Seattle waterfront on the PRINCESS MARGUERITE's last day of service in 1989. The MAGGIE was using Pier 48 then and her car carrying ability disabled due to no side auto ramp there (she had been using Piers 69 and 64 beforehand where side ramps were available). The VANCOUVER ISLAND PRINCESS was at Harbor Island getting fuel. The COLUMBIA was awaiting to land at Pier 48. The MAGGIE left at her normal time in the morning. Then, two long blasts plus two short ones from COLUMBIA's whistles (they sound just like the SPOKANE, WALLA WALLA, and COHO) herald her fanfare approach. COLUMBIA lands stern first. It was fun to see cars come off and each one has to be lowered at a time from her upper car deck. The VANCOUVER ISLAND PRINCESS was now standing outside Pier 48. After all (except the crew) have gone ashore, the COLUMBIA let's out a long comforting blast from her whistles and headed for fuel. VANCOUVER ISLAND PRINCESS arrives stern first and began loading for Victoria. All cars made a U-turn at the bow as she used her stern at both ends of the run (she used her side door when using Pier 69 before the Sea-Vic operations moved to Pier 48). Then, at last, her minor chord whistles (BCF C-Cass like sound) serenaded Seattle and she was off to Victoria. A busy chain of events at Pier 48 that morning of the MAGGIE's retirement day in 1989.

[Low Light Mike]

ferrynutseattle said:

...COLUMBIA lands stern first. It was fun to see cars come off and each one has to be lowered at a time from her upper car deck...

This comment has got me curious, re the upper car deck on Columbia. The one-at-a-time-lowering sounds unusual to me. Is this some kind of "loft like" deck where cars are stored, much like the top shelf of a kitchen cupboard? (poor illustration, but I trust you know what I mean...).

I'm used to movable-ramps that lead to the upper car decks, such as on Queen of Prince Rupert and Queen of the North and Queen of Tsawwassen, etc.

Can you explain how the MV Columbia's upper car deck works ?

Thanks FNS.

[FNS]

flugelhorn said:

ferrynutseattle said:

...COLUMBIA lands stern first. It was fun to see cars come off and each one has to be lowered at a time from her upper car deck...

This comment has got me curious, re the upper car deck on Columbia. The one-at-a-time-lowering sounds unusual to me. Is this some kind of "loft like" deck where cars are stored, much like the top shelf of a kitchen cupboard? (poor illustration, but I trust you know what I mean...).

I'm used to movable-ramps that lead to the upper car decks, such as on Queen of Prince Rupert and Queen of the North and Queen of Tsawwassen, etc.

Can you explain how the MV Columbia's upper car deck works ?

Thanks FNS.

You have the right answer: The upper car deck is like an upper storage loft.

The COLUMBIA has an upper car storage room on the first passenger deck (the lower stateroom level above the car deck). I think this room is sealed off while underway. Passageways surrounds this room for access to the staterooms and aft prom. The ship has side-by-side uptakes like you see on most ferries here and BC. The room is in the middle and the staterooms are on the outer perimeters.

Each car goes on a lift platform. The lift takes the car up to the room and staged. The reverse is done when unloading, which took quite a while for me to see done that day in 1989.

[hergfest]

You can see her side door in the second pic. I didn't know the Columbia had an upper car deck. I didn't get a good look inside her because of all the signs saying you are subject to search when entering the terminal. Since I was taking pictures I didn't want to tempt fate.

[Northern Exploration]

Does anyone know if a floor plan exists of the Columbia? Either in a brochure or some publication - particularly if it is on the web. I looked on the AMHS website and they don't have many pics or floor plans.

[Mill Bay]

shasta said:

flugelhorn said:

I've never seen the Columbia at Bellingham, until now. Looks like stern loading. Does anyone know if Columbia also has a side-door? I am assuming that all AMHS ferries have side-doors.

Yes, side-door loading/unloading is used at all Alaska ports except Skagway where the stern door is also used. Stern loading is also used at Prince Rupert, BC.

I think at one point, there was at least one AMH ship that had a bow visor as well... I remember once, long ago, I got a book about the Alaska Marine highway system from a library and I'm pretty sure I remember a picture of a ship loading at Wittier, bow on with a raised bow visor.

[Barnacle]

Wasn't it the Bartlett?

[EGfleet]

barnacle said:

Wasn't it the Bartlett?

Yep, it was the Bartlett.

[SS Shasta]

MV Chilkat also loaded/unloaded from the bow:

[Mill Bay]

The old Alaska ferry Wickersham would have loaded by the bow as well, she was very similar in design to
the old Stena Danica/ Queen of the North.

www.evergreenfleet.com/wickersham.html
www.evergreenfleet.com/alaskaferries/SE-9B.jpg

[hergfest]

If any of you are in the Seattle area you can see the Bartlett from the Ballard bridge. Been sitting in the ship canal for as long as I can remember.

[SS Shasta]

MV Columbia has broken down again with damaged piston rod and associated bearings in the starboard engine; the problem developed near Juneau and about 270 passengers bound for Haines and Skagway were impacted by the problem. The vessel has been removed from service and will be moved to Ketchikan for repairs. According to AMHS officials, the southbound voyage to Bellingham has been cancelled. It is hoped that repairs can be made by next Sunday so that the MV Columbia can sail north from Ketchikan and resume her normal schedule.

Just as WSF has the MV Elwha, AMHS has MV Columbia.........both hard luck vessels . These problems always seem to develop at the wrong time of the year.

[SS Shasta]

AMHS has announced that MV Columbia will be out of service for the remaining summer schedule. She suffered a major engine failure on Monday near Juneau.

[Low Light Mike]

shasta said:

AMHS has announced that MV Columbia will be out of service for the remaining summer schedule. She suffered a major engine failure on Monday near Juneau.

Wow, that's bad news for folks who are booked on the busy summer Bellingham-Alaska route.

In an earlier post in this thread, Shasta mentioned that MV Columbia broke down at Juneau. I didn't realise that she went that far north. I just assumed that the Bellingham route ended/started at Ketchikan, and that a ferry that goes Ketchikan/Skagway would call-in at Juneau.

Can you elaborate on which ports the Bellingham route calls-in at?

Thanks.

[FNS]

flugelhorn said:

shasta said:

AMHS has announced that MV Columbia will be out of service for the remaining summer schedule. She suffered a major engine failure on Monday near Juneau.

Wow, that's bad news for folks who are booked on the busy summer Bellingham-Alaska route.

In an earlier post in this thread, Shasta mentioned that MV Columbia broke down at Juneau. I didn't realise that she went that far north. I just assumed that the Bellingham route ended/started at Ketchikan, and that a ferry that goes Ketchikan/Skagway would call-in at Juneau.

Can you elaborate on which ports the Bellingham route calls-in at?

Thanks.

The MV MALASPINA sails from Bellingham on Tuesdays and she stops at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, and ends her line way up there in beautiful downtown Skagway. Her southbound trips include stops at Haines, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, and ends at Bellingham.

The MV COLUMBIA normally sails from Bellingham on Fridays with stops at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Haines, and ends in Skagway. Her southbound trips include stops at Haines, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, and ends at Bellingham.

I get this from AMH's site at:

www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/Plan/Schedules/index.html

[Low Light Mike]

Thanks FNS. That's quite the long-trip that Malaspina/Columbia takes each week.

[Low Light Mike]

news article re Columbia's latest:
===============================

seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2003841251_webalaskaferry17.html

Ferry breakdown halves popular sailings between Bellingham and S.E. Alaska

By Kristin Jackson
Seattle Times travel staff

The state of Alaska's flagship ferry, the MV Columbia, which sails between Bellingham and Southeast Alaska, is out of service for the rest of the summer season because of a mechanical problem. That leaves only one ship sailing the popular route, with only one round trip a week instead of the normal two.

The Columbia broke down earlier this week and engine repairs will take weeks; the ship already was scheduled for a lengthy overhaul beginning Sept. 23 so it was taken out of service.

Only the MV Malaspina will now sail between Bellingham and ports in Southeast Alaska, including Ketchikan and Juneau. It departs Bellingham each Tuesday. (The Columbia departed on Fridays.)

"There's no substitute boat," said Mike Chambers, a spokesman for the state's Department of Transportation. Travelers who have reservations on the Columbia — which can carry 626 passengers and 134 vehicles — will be accommodated on other ferries if possible or may need to get alternate transportation.

Many ferry schedules within Alaska and to Prince Rupert, B.C., are being rearranged to compensate for the absence of the Columbia; travelers should check with the Alaska Marine Highway System which runs the ferries: www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/o or phone [phone].

A piston rod failed and caused the shutdown of the Malaspina's starboard engine; new bearings need to be specially manufactured and that takes weeks.

Kristin Jackson: [e-mail]
=======================

edited to fix broken link

[SS Shasta]

I'm a bit surprised that AMHS has apparently not considered shifting one of the mainline Prince Rupert-Skagway vessels to replace MV Columbia for the remaining summer schedule. Statistics released last year indicated that the Bellingham run was attracting more riders while the Prince Rupert run had lower traffic numbers. Confusion over new passport requirements was likely the cause of some of this change. In addition, MV Taku was recently added to the Prince Rupert run following a long maintenance period at Todds, Seattle. One thing for certain, this breakdown of MV Columbia came at a real bad time with the busy summer tourist season not yet over.

[SS San Mateo]

hergfest said:

If any of you are in the Seattle area you can see the Bartlett from the Ballard bridge. Been sitting in the ship canal for as long as I can remember.

In at least 3 different locations. She was tied up at a pier adjacent to the east side of the Ballard Bridge, then was moved west to the other side of the canal, then was moved further west again.