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Post by Ferryman on Sept 11, 2016 12:35:51 GMT -8
anyone know the docking arrangements last night after the Coastal Celebration was tied up for the afternoon Coastal Rennaisance came in for her evening sailings at 5 and 9? According to the history replay on Marinetraffic, the Coastal Celebration tied up in Berth 3, allowing the Renaissance to use Berth 2. Nothing too unusual about that to be honest though.
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Post by chinook2 on Sept 11, 2016 23:52:44 GMT -8
Yes, the CCel was in berth 3. Saturday schedule brings all 3 SGI ships in at same time, and I happened to be there. For a few short minutes, the berth status was: 1/. Sovi, unloading 2/. Skeena unloading 3/. Celebration, not in service 4/. Cumberland, loading and 5/. Mayne, loading. Cumbie left about 0640.
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 24, 2017 8:56:01 GMT -8
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Post by Starsteward on Jan 24, 2017 11:22:55 GMT -8
That's a great vintage photo of 'the good old days'. Back then did we ever visualize what would become of the Route 1 and 2 terminals as time went by? I spent many week-end hours on Route 1, to and fro-ing from Victoria to my parents' home in Burnaby. No matter what time of year, there was always something of interest along the way, the trip through Active Pass was always fun. Can someone refresh my memory as to how long the Queen of Surrey 1 was on route 1? Strangely, I don't think I ever rode the Surrey on any of my week-end jaunts. I do remember her on Route 2 in her early days. Your refurbished old slides are a wonderful reminder of my 'salad days'.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 24, 2017 11:46:39 GMT -8
Can someone refresh my memory as to how long the Queen of Surrey 1 was on route 1? Strangely, I don't think I ever rode the Surrey on any of my week-end jaunts. I do remember her on Route 2 in her early days. Never on Route-1. She was tied-up at Swartz because there was room for her there.
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Post by mybidness459 on Jan 24, 2017 15:58:48 GMT -8
Awesome Picture Wettcoast!!
Brings back memories for me too.
Most pictures posted of the Queen of The North/Surrey shows her docked bow into the dock at Swartz Bay, But I have personally spotted her stern to dock at Swartz Bay. This was probably the last time I have sailed on the Spirit of BC.(mid to late 1990's) Yes this tells you just how often I sail on rt 1. Although as the Queen of the North she had no choice but to dock stern in.
I remember that on this day, QTN was at Tsawwassen when I departed on the Spirit of BC, and I went into downtown Victoria and when I arrived back at Swartz Bay, I was surprised to see the Stena ship at Swartz Bay.
To Clarify: I have sailed on route 1 a few times since, several times in the 2000's but not on the Spirit of BC.
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 24, 2017 22:39:44 GMT -8
Some items of note regarding that photo from 1976 that I posted above: 1 - Berth 2 was new then, having been added just before the Queen of Alberni entered service on route 1 as the dedicated truck/ over-height ferry. That may explain the unfinished appearance of the modified over head walkway. 2 - If you look closely you can see smoke coming from the funnel of the Surrey I. I have a few photos of the Surrey sitting at Swartz Bay in that time between when she was pulled from route 2 (once the first C-class sisters were in service) and when she was transformed & renamed for northern service in early 1980. In those photos she has smoke coming from her funnel. I am guessing the ship's generator(s) were operating. Perhaps, because of her 240v electrical system, they could not hook her up to shore power? Or maybe, at that time, they did not do shore power on any of the vessels? Does anyone know anything about this?
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Jan 25, 2017 12:09:19 GMT -8
Some items of note regarding that photo from 1976 that I posted above: 1 - Berth 2 was new then, having been added just before the Queen of Alberni entered service on route 1 as the dedicated truck/ over-height ferry. That may explain the unfinished appearance of the modified over head walkway. 2 - If you look closely you can see smoke coming from the funnel of the Surrey I. I have a few photos of the Surrey sitting at Swartz Bay in that time between when she was pulled from route 2 (once the first C-class sisters were in service) and when she was transformed & renamed for northern service in early 1980. In those photos she has smoke coming from her funnel. I am guessing the ship's generator(s) were operating. Perhaps, because of here 240 electrical system, they could not hook her up to shore power? Or maybe, at that time, they did not do shore power on any of the vessels? Does anyone know anything about this? A guess, but depending on the time of year it could have also been a boiler for heating purposes.
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 28, 2017 21:28:36 GMT -8
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 3, 2017 21:52:13 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 4, 2017 13:05:40 GMT -8
I find it puzzling why she's docked bow-in at Swartz Bay, if she's on a regular route. Maybe she's being stored there in old berth #3 until she's needed, and then she moves to berth 1 or 2 ?
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 4, 2017 17:03:45 GMT -8
I find it puzzling why she's docked bow-in at Swartz Bay, if she's on a regular route. Maybe she's being stored there in old berth #3 until she's needed, and then she moves to berth 1 or 2 ? I suspect that the Sidney was either 'in storage' or in service only as the #2 vessel on route 1 at the time of this photo. In other words she would have been doing only the extra even hour weekend sailings. To this day, they still do the same thing at Swartz Bay. When I was last there on the 14th of December I saw the SoVI berthed 'bow-in' in today's berth 3. At the time, the SoVI was doing only the extra Friday & Sunday even hour sailings. The more the world changes the more it stays the same ...
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 4, 2017 17:24:10 GMT -8
I'm not sure if the Queen of Sidney ever did Route 5 before.... But I've seen photos of the Queen of Tsawwassen in the late 80's/early 90's on Route 5 where she would dock bow-in at Swartz Bay as well. This timeframe was likely too early in time for there to be a need for a 100+ car ferry on route 5. These days it's preferred to dock the SOVI bow-in at Berth 3 for it to be a simpler/faster maneuver into the berth for tie up. This also makes for a quicker switch over to Berth 1 by simply going astern just enough to clear the end of Berth 2, and then lining up for a normal approach for berth 1. Way back when this forum was first created, I remember a discussion about this photo of four double decked Queens in Swartz Bay. Would be nice to know which one is which, but I can see the New West arriving in Berth 3. Plus a V-Class in berth 4. Something you will likely never see ever again is a V/B class in berth 4 even though the berth width hasn't changed much other than the ramp/pontoon setup that is there now. It's hard to imagine bringing one of those vessels in there anyways. www.globalairphotos.info/large/BC/Sidney/All/1997/001/2
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on Feb 4, 2017 23:07:17 GMT -8
I'm not sure if the Queen of Sidney ever did Route 5 before.... But I've seen photos of the Queen of Tsawwassen in the late 80's/early 90's on Route 5 where she would dock bow-in at Swartz Bay as well. This timeframe was likely too early in time for there to be a need for a 100+ car ferry on route 5. These days it's preferred to dock the SOVI bow-in at Berth 3 for it to be a simpler/faster maneuver into the berth for tie up. This also makes for a quicker switch over to Berth 1 by simply going astern just enough to clear the end of Berth 2, and then lining up for a normal approach for berth 1. Way back when this forum was first created, I remember a discussion about this photo of four double decked Queens in Swartz Bay. Would be nice to know which one is which, but I can see the New West arriving in Berth 3. Plus a V-Class in berth 4. Something you will likely never see ever again is a V/B class in berth 4 even though the berth width hasn't changed much other than the ramp/pontoon setup that is there now. It's hard to imagine bringing one of those vessels in there anyways. www.globalairphotos.info/large/BC/Sidney/All/1997/001/2Chris, I'm pretty certain that the only time the Queen of Tsawwassen was ever on route five was during Expo, summer of '86, when she did the route with Queen of The Islands. I don't think the ' Sidney ever did it.
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 4, 2017 23:20:53 GMT -8
Chris, I'm pretty certain that the only time the Queen of Tsawwassen was ever on route five was during Expo, summer of '86, when she did the route with Queen of The Islands. I don't think the ' Sidney ever did it. Thank you, Neil. I didn't know the specifics on the date, especially since I wasn't quite around for the time...but I also didn't realize that the Queen of the Islands was in the mix for that as well. That would have been alot of extra crew and amenities for that route compared to what we see today with the Mayne and Cumberland
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Mirrlees
Voyager
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
Posts: 1,013
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Post by Mirrlees on Feb 5, 2017 0:44:46 GMT -8
Chris, I'm pretty certain that the only time the Queen of Tsawwassen was ever on route five was during Expo, summer of '86, when she did the route with Queen of The Islands. I don't think the ' Sidney ever did it. Thank you, Neil. I didn't know the specifics on the date, especially since I wasn't quite around for the time...but I also didn't realize that the Queen of the Islands was in the mix for that as well. That would have been alot of extra crew and amenities for that route compared to what we see today with the Mayne and Cumberland
The Queen of Tsawwassen was the Summer Route 5 ship from 1986-1990. Mayne Queen did 5A as she does today. In the Summer of 1991, the 'Wack was used sending the Tsawwassen over to 9A tandem with Nanny.
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 5, 2017 9:52:47 GMT -8
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Post by Olympic Ferries on Feb 5, 2017 10:37:38 GMT -8
I believe the Q-Nan docked at Berth 1 bow-in after coming from a refit earlier this year but I'm not sure.
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Post by mybidness459 on Feb 5, 2017 16:47:08 GMT -8
I remember one day arriving at Swartz Bay on the Queen of Saanich on a MD sailing from Tsawwassen. All foot passengers were instructed to disembark via the main car deck which I thought was strange, untill I watched us come into berth 3 Stern into the Berth though. It was the only time I remember using that berth on rt 1. Berth 2 must have been closed for some reason. This was soon after the Saanich was refurbished in the 1990's. It is very rare for rt 1 in service ships to use that dock. This of course was in the days before I had a camera.
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Post by chinook2 on Feb 17, 2017 17:27:14 GMT -8
I find it puzzling why she's docked bow-in at Swartz Bay, if she's on a regular route. Maybe she's being stored there in old berth #3 until she's needed, and then she moves to berth 1 or 2 ? I suspect that the Sidney was either 'in storage' or in service only as the #2 vessel on route 1 at the time of this photo. In other words she would have been doing only the extra even hour weekend sailings. To this day, they still do the same thing at Swartz Bay. When I was last there on the 14th of December I saw the SoVI berthed 'bow-in' in today's berth 3. At the time, the SoVI was doing only the extra Friday & Sunday even hour sailings. The more the world changes the more it stays the same ... At that time of year, in the year 1971, Route 1 would be operating 4 ships seven days a week. If Sidney was one of the active ships, it would be in service, or ported stern in in Berth 1 or 2. Likely just out of service after relieving a Victoria class ship, and by the date I am guessing on its way for refit, having done more or less continuous relief assignments since just after Labour Day.
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Post by Dane on Jun 27, 2017 17:23:40 GMT -8
Swartz Bay has had departure / arrival status screens installed throughout the foot passenger areas, and the previously existing ones updated with a screen more akin to an airport style update. I wasn't smart enough to take a picture. But it much more clearly lists the sailings and their status in large font. The map of ship location still alternates through. They've done a really nice job. Only area for improvement I noted is that Route 5 sailings just say "Southern Gulf Islands" and not the actual destination.
I would imagine that this would be coming to all the majors but don't know.
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Post by futureferrydriver on Sept 9, 2017 13:11:39 GMT -8
A question for anyone who has been through Swartz Bay in the last few days (specifically at night time); Does the Coastal Renaissance tie up in berth 3, allowing the Celebration to use berth 2 for the 2100 sailing to Tsawwassen, OR does the Celebration use berth 1 for this sailing (I'm assuming she uses berth 2 whenever her sister isn't there?).
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Sept 9, 2017 18:29:40 GMT -8
A question for anyone who has been through Swartz Bay in the last few days (specifically at night time); Does the Coastal Renaissance tie up in berth 3, allowing the Celebration to use berth 2 for the 2100 sailing to Tsawwassen, OR does the Celebration use berth 1 for this sailing (I'm assuming she uses berth 2 whenever her sister isn't there?). The Celebration uses berth 2. The Renaissance ties up at berth 3....sometimes it docks at berth 3 on it's last arrival of the day, and other times it arrives and unloads at berth 2, then repositions to berth 3 for tie-up. I haven't been to Swartz Bay since Labour Day, but I've been following the "action" on SiiTech.
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Post by futureferrydriver on Sept 9, 2017 19:49:25 GMT -8
A question for anyone who has been through Swartz Bay in the last few days (specifically at night time); Does the Coastal Renaissance tie up in berth 3, allowing the Celebration to use berth 2 for the 2100 sailing to Tsawwassen, OR does the Celebration use berth 1 for this sailing (I'm assuming she uses berth 2 whenever her sister isn't there?). The Celebration uses berth 2. The Renaissance ties up at berth 3....sometimes it docks at berth 3 on it's last arrival of the day, and other times it arrives and unloads at berth 2, then repositions to berth 3 for tie-up. I haven't been to Swartz Bay since Labour Day, but I've been following the "action" on SiiTech. Cheers ferryfanyvr, you answered a second question I was about to ask as well! (Unloading in 3 vs unloading in 2 and moving)
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Post by arrrrmatey on Sept 9, 2017 20:41:15 GMT -8
Why can't the Renaissance unload in berth 3? Is it not double-decked? And also, why can't the Celebration use berth 1? Since she is currently TSA's #1 she won't have conflicts with the SOVI.
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