Tsawwassen terminal - photos & discussion

[Retrovision]

Tsawwassen terminal
From the original version of "B.C. FERRIES - Exploring British Columbia's Coastal Waterways - A Complete Pictorial Study of B.C.'s Ferry Fleet (including sea and land maps)
(There is no copyright notice)
Photography and design by John L. Barnard (Except a few that are credited in the book)

[pscurr]

Berth 2 Tsawwassen Terminal circa 1970, test kitchen etc on right.



Vintage yacht navigating the passage between North and South Pender Island

[Northern Exploration]

This summer we were at the locks in Fenlon Falls on the Trent-Severn Canal System and two vintage yachts came through. One was a beautiful Chris Craft exactly like the one in the bottom pic. All gleaming mahogany. Because the boats start at your level and then drop to the next level down, you can clearly see into the yachts. The inside was in as pristine condition. The big diesels had a beautiful low rumble when they were restarted to pull out of the lock. The other was a huge open lake cruiser. It had a couple of cockpits (I think that would be the appropriate term.) A forward one, main cockpit and then an aft one sort of like a rumble seat. Huge engines that roared when it started up. Sort of like a vintage fountain speedboat is the best way I could describe it.

[Retrovision]

It was quite a spectacular storm surge at Tsawwassen Terminal yesterday and I was lucky enough to have been there to witness it. I'll be posting a portion of my images from the day here, but first some video to give a better idea of what people around witnessed and staff had to deal with...


Just after 8am, on the bus (going home for supplies knowing I'd not be travelling and would be at the terminal for a while) the driver actually had to slow to avoid waves crashing on the roadway near Berth 1


Waves crashing on the breakwater between Berth 2 and Berth 3, etc.


Queen of New Westminster bobbing around at Berth 3, making some disturbing sounds, and the surge upon the terminal

More to come soon...

[Retrovision]

...And a preview of photos to come

[Northern Exploration]

Thanks Graham those are great videos. There almost no beach left along the causeway. Wonder how much sand got scoured away. People used to tent and park their VW CamperVans on the stretch there. Those were brave workers who jumped off the ramp into the New West. If they timed it wrong when the ship was falling a sprained ankle would be the result.

[Ferryman]

Some amazing footage Graham! Thank you for spending the time and effort to do that. The way the 'New West was litterally bobbing around the dock is almost a little scary, couldn't imagine trying to load vehicles in those conditions.

[Retrovision]

It certainly was quite the experience; I'd rank it up there with the similar surge in 2005, probably above, though they waited to sail in calmer seas than the SoBC did then.


A volley of more vids...


Berth 4, with no cover where the apron meets the shore to stop the surge coming through, and SoBC at Berth 5
You'll notice I even have to back up to avoid the flood

A few even alarming clips of the 'New West at Berth 3...

[Retrovision]

coxnnick said:

Those are amazing videos, Graham. Must have been awe inspiring to be there in person.

Quite inspiring, to say the least. If your computer speakers have the capability, turn up the bass to get even closer to actually being there and hearing the deep and eerie moans that the Queen of New Westminster was making as she interacted with her berth.

[Neil]

Fun videos, Retro, thanks for those. It was a good storm, although, thankfully, it didn't have nearly the destructive power of the big one last year.

Yesterday morning at White Rock, there must have been almost as many people as there would have been on a nice afternoon. Lots of people out on the pier, with huge waves breaking against the breakwater and dramatic plumes of spray. Tons of drenched people braving the beachfront walk, with spray cascading up onto the pavement and bits of driftwood getting heaved onto the grass. No real damage, unlike last year, when concrete picnic tables were smashed and brickwork ruined. Good day to be at Tsawwassen (if you didn't actually need to go anywhere), and at the beach, for mother nature's free entertainment.

[Retrovision]

flugelhorn said:

Graham-Retro:...

I know that you've seen storms at Tsawwassen before, so I ask: "What surprised you about this particular storm?".

ie. was it a typical Tsawwassen storm, or were there impacts that you've never seen before, or that surprised you?

And when the ferries finally did start running, do you think it was too early or too late? .....or "just the right time to start"?

Also, did you have to buy a Pax ticket to get into the terminal? or did you just walk in, through the vehicle exit lane? Just curious.... Oh, and did you get any "strange looks" from employees or passengers?

I have seen storms at the terminal before, I've also seen storms at my family's nearby Point Roberts house, and I can't say this was worse than we've seen in the last decade, but only in the last decade - my folks report that the intensity of such storms we experience these days is indeed quite a relatively new thing. Compared particularly to that storm surge in '05 that I was even more lucky to experience, because of circumstances at the time, I'd call this one more intense, though not by a great distance.

As for when they started sailing again, it was definitely later than in the '05 surge, though I certainly don't blame the company or captain who gave the call as these were quite volatile conditions and in fact I was surprised at how early they sailed in 2005 despite how proud I was of the crew for their valiant and qutie successful attempt that season.

As early as I arrived atleast an attempt at a ticket was necessary, though this was exactly my goal in arriving so early, before the 0515 sailing to Duke Point, but even after this and among the chaotic scene a ticket wasn't necessary to access the available services at the Tsawwassen Quay, which I feel should always be the case when such diverse retail services are available let alone advertised.

Terminal staff were warm and inviting. The first foot passenger arrivals, those for the Duke Point sailing, were treated by a kind ticket booth attendant who took the initiative to gather us both a free coffee from the staff's coffee maker and a free paper, and other terminal staff throughout the day, one in particular, welcomed my coverage of the situation, and no one shot me anything even near a dirty, let alone even a potentially insulting inquisitive look, though I'm confident security was well aware of all that was happening that day including my documentation of the substantial "act of god" event that triggered the chaos. If I was put off by anything it was the actions, though quite understandable in this day and age, of the Delta Police officer who stopped me with lights flashing, obviously dictated by policy from on high and not his own bias; this officer did quite briefly state that "the last bus has gone," though not specifically given as reason for his stopping me, but it was taken to our societal extreme of even asking if I've "been in trouble with the law before" (my answer obviously being 'no') and even calling my ID into HQ (which I was fishing from my pocket in anticipation of the question even before I was asked), who stopped me close to the causeway while walking without a suspicious nature along Hwy. 17. After assuring him that I was headed for the terminal and, upon being prompted, showing him briefly what the contents of my bag looked like, I was let loose.

[Retrovision]

Though this isn't it, I felt I should get some pics I've edited from the other day's surge published for you all, available here:
www.ferrypicsbygraham.fotopic.net/StormSurge

More on the way...

[Ferryman]

As the title says, we'll be seeing construction crews at Tsawwassen yet again. I'm baffled by this, because there's nothing wrong with the way it is. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when they upgraded it last. The construction at Departure Bay was stopped once the Bistro on the Bay was demolished, and am assuming it was because it was due to the lack of money. So they don't finish what they've started, yet they continue on anyways...How long will this last?

Posted Monday, January 5, 2009 Print Version
Note: This Service Notice applies to the following route(s):
- Vancouver (Tsawwassen) - Nanaimo (Duke Point)
- Vancouver (Tsawwassen) - Victoria (Swartz Bay)
- Vancouver (Tsawwassen) - Southern Gulf Islands

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

The foot passenger facilities at the Tsawwassen Terminal will be under construction for approximately four months starting on Monday, January 5 to upgrade the facility and improve customer service.

Temporary foot passenger ticketing facilities and wayfinding signage will be in place for the duration of the construction.

We apologize for any inconvenience during construction and look forward to the customer service improvements this spring.

[Nick]

I have to agree. What exactly is wrong with the current foot passenger facilities at Tsawwassen? They were remodeled not all that long ago, if I recall correctly, so what is the need now?

The only thing I can think of that could be doing is to enlarge the waiting area for berth 3. How they would go about doing that, I'm not sure.

[Northern Exploration]

I wonder if part of this is some security improvements promised to TC and the RCMP.

[Low Light Mike]

Jan 5, 2009 16:47:27 GMT -8 DENelson83 said:

The foot passenger facilities at the Tsawwassen Terminal will be under construction for approximately four months starting on Monday, January 5 to upgrade the facility and improve customer service.

I think that this announcement is about the West Coast Ferries members' "Voyager's Club" lounge that BCFS will be constructing. Similar to the Maple-Leaf Lounge's at airports, it's going to be a club-like facility for WCF members only.

Voyager's Club lounge amenities are expected to include the following:
- Tattoo parlour
- Dopesauce dispenser
- Honda body shop & repair facility
- Steinway grand piano, with coat-rack for the black leather jacket.
- Ferry book reference-library
- a couple of cats roaming around the lounge.
- First aid kit (for accident-prone members)
- a few AirChime horns to play.

For $250, you can sponsor the purchase of a lounge chair, and get your member-name engraved on the seat.

[Ferryman]

Don't forget the cinnamon bun machines, and tilly hat sales

[DENelson83]

Also don't forget a full AIS display and charts for us vessel trackers.

[kerryssi]

Couple of problems..ground subsidence causing problems with the buildings,poor design and problems hearing PA announcements. These are old problems and I don't know if they fixed them as I rarely leave civilization for the backwoods of the lower mainland. I presume you guys caught that "Galley West" means beeing knocked cockeyed.

[Ferryman]

No major construction things to note just yet. The Departures area has been roped off, and people are directed to go to the temporary setup they have in a shed right beside the building. There's four booths in there, but the lineup is completely outside, which wouldn't be too fun in bad weather. It was rather frustrating standing in that lineup today, with people having lots of luggage, and trying to squeeze beside me through the only door, which just happens to be where the lineup comes out of. Ah well. The signs say "New and EXCITING upgrades and security improvements coming soon".

[Mac Write]

Chris any photos of the temp ticketing area?

[Ferryman]

Sorry, but no I didn't think to take any of the temp ticket booths. It'll be there for a number of months anyways, and I expect I'll be down there again soon.

[rt1commuter]

The new ticket booths are in a poorly put together plywood enclosure. They're really terrible. It would be neat if the extended the enclosed area before the ticket booths back a bit. Waiting in the rain to buy tickets for a busy sailing is very lame.

[bcferryfan87]

to describe the booth area - similar to above, you walk up to the departure area, but the doors are blocked off; they direct you to the right -----> you then walk through a entrance into a wooden temporary structure; in front of you is about 4 windows running about 50 feet across - about one every 12 feet as I recall. You line up parallel to them in a sorta que/cue. When I was there on Sunday, there were people lining up for last min purch of tickets for the departure to duke point. People couldn't hear the staff yelling out windows to tell them to move forward if they are going to nanaimo; anyways then you get to the window, and you proceed to your left forward, where you shift to you left again, back into the building and up the escalator/stairs.

The renovations will NOT move the area any closer to Terminals; it is some kind of upgrades for security.

I see CTV had some story today on funding increase for security, but this is already underway. I see alot of alarmists are saying all this stuff about security weaknesses. I believe BCF is doing things that they are not talking about (e.g. they very well maybe watching people more than they say- and GOOD on them!).

[hullnumbers]

Out of Curiosity i been wondering about tsawwassen terminals berth 1 and 2. i under stand that vehicles can drive off. But do they use those berths to load or do they use another to put vehicles on.