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Post by chinook2 on Apr 29, 2012 19:38:02 GMT -8
The upper "sun" deck is built out to the width of the ship, it is a V. Hard call though, unusual angle to view the ship from.
The old, pre overhead walkway at Tsawwassen was a pretty basic affair, not fully enclosed, so pretty chilly on a stormy winter night.
The original Swartz Bay overhead would have been built between 1963 and 1965, when the current berths 4 and 5 replaced the original Gulf Islands terminal. They were there from my earliest memory(c.1966) maybe some other old timers can help with the history here.
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Post by chinook2 on May 2, 2012 10:25:13 GMT -8
photo from the BCF website, showing Swartz Bay in 1965, with the walkway system Attachments:
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Post by WettCoast on May 2, 2012 13:09:47 GMT -8
photo from the BCF website, showing Swartz Bay in 1965, with the walkway system I am just a little skeptical about the date given for this photo. It may in fact be correct. However, I would like some other evidence that these overhead walkways were actually in place as early as 1965. Mistakes on the BC Ferries website have been known to happen. As for the placing of the overhead walkways on the ships just forward of the position of V-class cafeterias: - They may have simply chosen a position opposite the furthest aft doors leading out from the ship's interior. If that is the case then why did they not come further aft with the placing of the walkway on the Tsawwassen side (i.e. opposite the most forward doors)? - Perhaps as early as 1965 they were anticipating full width cafeterias and did not want walkway access to interfere with that. It is known that BC Ferries was blown away by the demand for food services on board their vessels right since day 1 in 1960. Ever expanding restaurants, cafeterias & buffets were the order of the day back in those days. It is quite possible that full width cafeterias were being considered even before they started planning for the V- class stretching program. Somewhere someone knows the answers to these questions... |
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Post by WettCoast on May 2, 2012 16:24:18 GMT -8
Incorrectly identifying and dating of photos is unfortunately very common. This BC Archives photo is an example. The BC Archives site does say 1960, but if that date is correct then why is there a V-class vessel at berth 1?
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Post by WettCoast on May 2, 2012 16:39:03 GMT -8
Paul in 1960 there were only two vessels - both Sidney class. The vessel in berth 1 is an unstretched V. The archives date is clearly wrong.
Update: In 1960 there was only one berth - what we now call 'berth 1' (see page 60 of Bannerman).
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Post by WettCoast on May 2, 2012 21:09:10 GMT -8
I am having a look through the book Dogwood Fleet (Cadieux & Griffiths, 1967). It is fairly useful for providing some basic history for the first ten years of BC Ferries. I would strongly recommend this book to others.
It does have on page 16 (as indicated by Mr. P. K.) a nice aerial photo of Swartz Bay Terminal. That photo does show a complete overhead walkway running the length of the terminal and it does show branches of the walkway leading out to berths 1 & the old berth 2 (now 3). So the location of where these walkways lined up with the ships berthed stern in (i.e. normal practice at SWB) has been forward of what became the V-class cafeterias since the mid 1960's (several years before the first stretched vessel). The date shown on that photo of SWB on the BCFS website (see post #x above) is probably correct.
So next question: When did Tsawwassen receive its first overhead passenger ramps?
BTW, the Dogwood Fleet book has some very interesting stuff in it, particularly chapter 15 at the end which speculates about the future of BC Ferries from a 1967 perspective.
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Post by Low Light Mike on May 18, 2012 20:16:29 GMT -8
Experience the difference at Tsawwassen terminal, where they offer a whole new level of service.  - seen May 18, 2012. ------------ Obviously a novelty car owned by an officer of one of the ships. - note the License Plate  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on May 26, 2012 4:19:19 GMT -8
Tsawwassen terminal on May 18, 2012. Loading SOVI at berth-5, for 9:00am sailing  3:15pm departing on Q'Alberni. - Queen of New Westminster in berth-5, and Queen of Nanaimo in berth-2.  |
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Post by Ferryman on Aug 22, 2012 9:31:29 GMT -8
Restoration work is well underway for Berth 3 at Tsawwassen right now. I believe it's expected to take up to 6 months to complete. That's the Queen of New Westminster in the background while it was for us (Queen of Nanaimo) to vacate Berth 2 so she can tie up for the night. This pic is from last night.  |
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Post by Ferryman on Sept 24, 2012 22:18:56 GMT -8
A panorama of Tsawwassen from Berth 2 on the Queen of Nanaimo. September 23rd, 2012. Taken with the new iPhone 5, with the panorama feature. Coastal Celebration and Spirit of British Columbia are out there as well.  |
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 18, 2012 14:33:08 GMT -8
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Post by Mike C on Nov 18, 2012 17:56:56 GMT -8
Tsawwassen Terminal with the queens of Nanaimo & Vancouver @ berths 2 & 1 - 16 May 2012. In that month the 'Slug transition' was underway with a promise of affordable & improved service. ;D Great photo! Though I think you mean May 2003? |
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 18, 2012 18:38:15 GMT -8
Tsawwassen Terminal with the queens of Nanaimo & Vancouver @ berths 2 & 1 - 16 May 2012. In that month the 'Slug transition' was underway with a promise of affordable & improved service. ;D Great photo! Though I think you mean May 2003? Yes, I will fix that. Thanks for pointing out the error. |
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Post by princessofvanfan on Dec 27, 2012 0:36:32 GMT -8
Does anyone know why disembarking vehicles approach the causeway along the north side of the terminal now instead of the old, more sensible way along the south side? With the current configuration, inbound and outbound traffic now intersects with each other. The old way makes much more sense.
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Post by Ferryman on Dec 27, 2012 8:27:12 GMT -8
Well Berth 5 is right in line with the north exit so it makes the most sense for them to exit that way because it would likely get everyone off quicker. Otherwise if they went the south exit, there's risk of tangling up with Route 30 or 9 traffic, not to mention that it's not very well setup for 2 lane discharge from Berth 5 to the south exit. It can be done, it's just not as pretty as going the north exit. This is another one of those reasons to show up early at the terminal.
Also during the week when the Nanaimo is loading for the 10:10am sailing, quite often the Route 30 discharge interferes with Route 9 loading and can sometimes delay the ship if that dreaded Alberni is late. The joys of a major terminal with multiple routes and similar departure times. Ferries are always fighting each others traffic for most of the day, everyday.
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Post by princessofvanfan on Dec 27, 2012 22:14:38 GMT -8
Well, it's sure a major cluster-f*** at that light right before the toll booths, especially with the outside lane ending right after you make the left hand turn onto the causeway inbound. They're gonna have to build an overpass for outbound traffic with inbound going underneath and get rid of that traffic light.  |
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Mar 4, 2013 16:49:47 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 4, 2013 20:57:15 GMT -8
Queen of Alberni getting set for departure, and departing, Tsawwassen's berth-3.
- 8:25pm on March 3, 2013
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 8, 2013 19:30:07 GMT -8
A couple of photos of ships at Tsawwassen, where I want to highlight some of the terminal itself: - from March 3, 2013. In this photo, I like the enhanced sunset colours seen through the tinted glass of the berth-5 walkway.  And this photo shows the presently at-rest working area between berths 2 & 3.  |
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 19, 2013 6:40:57 GMT -8
Spirit of British Columbia & Coastal Inspiration @ Tsawwassen Terminal - 18 March 2013  photo © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 21, 2013 21:57:04 GMT -8
Spirit of British Columbia @ Tsawwassen Terminal berth 4 with her sister Spirit of Vancouver Island approaching & Queen of Alberni also visible in berth 3 - 18 March 2013 photo © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 10, 2013 18:48:21 GMT -8
Tsawwassen Terminal at dusk with Queens of New Westminster & Alberni - 28 March 2013. Viewed from the incoming Q. of Nanaimo. The New West was about to depart with the 8 PM sailing for Swartz Bay. photo © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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Post by Low Light Mike on May 22, 2013 16:01:20 GMT -8
May 20, 2013 photo of Tsawwassen terminal. - I'm on the inbound Spirit of BC ferry, arriving just in time for the 2:45pm crew-change. You can see the uniform-clad evening crew waiting at the base of the lower vehicle ramp. With large crowds of foot-passengers on board, you know that it takes some time for disembarkation. Therefore there is lots of time for photogs like me to stay up in this location to capture the berthing and the start of disembarkation, before heading down-decks to join the line up. - I couldn't really do that on the 5:15am route-30 sailing; where I was one of 5 walk-ons...  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 3, 2013 19:39:04 GMT -8
Tsawwassen Terminal's berth-3, as seen from the Queen of Alberni. - 7:45pm on June 2, 2013. It was nice to stay on-board and witness the disembarkation from an on-board perspective.  |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 7, 2013 12:33:02 GMT -8
Tsawwassen Terminal's berth 3 receives a 'Coastal Cleansing' from the approaching C. Renaissance as it 'puts on the brakes' - 10 May 2013  [photo © WCK-JST] by Wett Coast, on Flickr |
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