Seaspan Ferries - photo & discussion thread

[Low Light Mike]

Seaspan Ferries' Swartz Bay berth, seen from the float at end of Barnacle Rd.
- May 20, 2013




I need to go back to this place to witness the loading of a Seaspan ferry and her departure. This would be a good spot to view that activity.

[Low Light Mike]

The Greg Yorke (now Seaspan Greg), seen in a 1966 book ("British Columbia: Challenge in Abundance") by Herbert McDonald (author & photographer).


I like the caption





Close-up on the Greg, with her load of 22 rail cars
- notice the F M Yorke & Sons "Y" livery on the ship.

[Neil]

Jun 1, 2013 17:17:21 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

The Greg Yorke (now Seaspan Greg), seen in a 1966 book ("British Columbia: Challenge in Abundance") by Herbert McDonald (author & photographer).

Two reasons I really like that shot; the original operator, and livery... and the fact that she's fully loaded. Don't know that we'll ever see a vessel crossing the strait with a full deck of railcars again. Sad.

[SolDuc]

The Princess Superior entering the strait of Georgia, out of Active Pass:

Princess Superior - Seaspan Ferries by SolDuc Photography, on Flickr

Along with the Coastal Celebration, ount on the strait:

MV Coastal Celebration and Princess Superior - BC Ferries by SolDuc Photography, on Flickr

[Chris City]

I've wanted to get a photo of Seaspan Greg for the longest time but as it's currently a back-up vessel she spends most of her time moored at Tilbury awaiting the call. I missed my chance of getting a photo of Seaspan Doris in action so I vowed not to let that happen with Seaspan Greg. I've been keeping an eye on AIS to see when I'd get an opportunity and other than one late night trip to Nanaimo a month ago, she's stayed put. Sunday night Carrier Princess made a trip to one of the drydocks in North Vancouver and I knew I'd get a chance as Seaspan Greg was pressed back into service right away. She only made 2 daylight trips to Swartz Bay and I would've preferred the morning run for better light, but I was just happy to get a shot regardless. Carrier Princess left the drydock this morning and actually followed S.G. up the Fraser back to Tilbury where S.G. was tied up again and C.P. resumed her regular duties. Now I just need a photo of her in better light.....

[Low Light Mike]

This is a long video compilation of approx. 10 different journeys through Active Pass by ferries.
- taken from shore at Miners Bay, Mayne Island during the evening of July 14, 2013 and then from 6:15am to 12:45pm on July 15th.

Video is sped-up 2.5x, which allows you to hear and enjoy the various ship horns as they sound near/in the pass.

This video compilation includes multiple trips of the 4 Route-1 ships as well as the Route-5 ships, Route-9, and an appearance by Princess Superior. The ships appear in chronological order.

I've posted this into each of these ship's threads.

ps: this took 20 hours to upload to YouTube...


Princess Superior is at the END of this video, at the 0:59:12 mark.

[Low Light Mike]

...and here's a YouTube upload of just the Princess Superior's transit through Active Pass during my July 15, 2013 visit to Mayne Island.

- this includes her horn, part way through the video. (two longs, and 3 shorts)

[Low Light Mike]

Seaspan's Princess Superior in Active Pass.
- seen from Miners Bay on Mayne Island - July 15, 2013. 12:45pm.


With Coastal Celebration:




With C-Cell and QNW




Heading towards Georgina Point



I've said it before, I'll say it again: The Princess Superior is the least interesting of the various Seaspan truck ferries, regarding visual appeal.

[Low Light Mike]

News story about Seaspan Ferries and it's Nanaimo terminals (yes, they have 2)

From Nanaimo News Bulletin, on August 27, 2013:
www.nanaimobulletin.com/news/221191061.html

Seaspan discussing transfer of property rights to Nanaimo

By Tamara Cunningham - Nanaimo News Bulletin
Published: August 27, 2013 8:00 AM

Seaspan Ferries is in talks with the City of Nanaimo about releasing a key part of the south industrial waterfront as it considers moving operations to Duke Point.

Nanaimo officials and Seaspan Ferries have been in confidential negotiations about the potential transfer of right-of-way claims on the Wellcox railway land.

Bill Corsan, the city’s manager of real estate, said the discussion alone is a huge step forward and if successful, it could open up greater possibilities for redevelopment along the water’s edge.

The City of Nanaimo bought 10.8 hectares of the south industrial waterfront for $3.4 million in March.

Local officials and residents envision a changed waterfront, with parks, shops and a transportation hub. But officials have also known significant challenges stand in the way of immediate development.

Seaspan alone ties up six hectares of land and water with a statutory right-of-way, preventing the city from making use of the area so long as the company holds the claim. The Island Corridor Foundation holds a hectare.

Corsan said the city planned to hold the land in trust for future development and help create a vision for the area that could be rolled out once “serious encumbrances” like land claims were dealt with.

Negotiations for right-of-ways weren’t expected for another four decades. But Seaspan Ferries recently approached the city about the potential to work toward making the Wellcox property free and clear as it looks to consolidate its downtown terminal with Duke Point.

“It’s huge,” Corsan said. “[When the city purchased the Wellcox Railway land] we were told not to expect Seaspan to be leaving anytime soon, so it’s quite fortuitous we are having this discussion in the first year of ownership.”

Seaspan Ferries has owned the right-of-way to water and land at the south industrial waterfront for close to 20 years and only started to reconsider when it purchased Van Isle Barge Services in Duke Point two years ago.

Seaspan Ferries vice-president Steve Roth said it no longer makes sense for the company to operate two terminals in such close proximity to one another.

Seaspan has made a bid to barge garbage at its Duke Point site for a potential waste-to-energy incinerator, but Roth said the two projects are not “tied at the hip.”

The potential incinerator would fit with its service and help make the case for the significant investment needed to develop the terminal for increased marine traffic, Roth said, adding relocation could still be years away.

“Before that becomes a free and clear piece of property for the City of Nanaimo and right of way limitations are removed, we have to figure out how we are going to run our business,” he said.

The city will also have to negotiate with the Island Corridor Foundation over land rights.

While the company is willing to work with other stakeholders on the vision for the Wellcox site, it hasn’t stepped forward to bargain with its right-of-way – one of the few connections to Island rail.

Corsan said he’s hopeful the city can take the first step toward taking control of the south industrial park by working with Seaspan. If the land is released, it could allow the vision for the waterfront to move forward and the city could have greater authority over development along the water. There will also be more options on where to put the Regional District of Nanaimo’s new transportation hub, which has been planned for the area.

The city would have to offer compensation for the land rights.

[Low Light Mike]

Here's an article on rail barges that includes mention of 2 ships of F.M. Yorke & Son.

- Today we know those ships as Seaspan Greg and Seaspan Doris

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

Aug 27, 2013 19:17:46 GMT -8 cobblehillian said:

Thanks to a fellow named ENR3005 I found the following link on railfan.net, E & N forum.

The article, originally appearing in the CRHA periodical "Canadian Rail", is a detailed description of intermodal (truck, barge, and rail)marine operations in the Strait of Georgia circa 1967. I found the article full of details and excellent photos.

Although the main focus is on coastal operations there is brief discussion of the railways' inland lakes operations.


www.exporail.org/can_rail/Canadian%20Rail_no210_1969.pdf

ps: does anyone have a guess or idea on where the cover photo is of?
- My first thought was Stewart BC, but maybe it's Skagway ?

[northwesterner]

Aug 27, 2013 19:55:58 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Here's an article on rail barges that includes mention of 2 ships of F.M. Yorke & Son.

- Today we know those ships as Seaspan Greg and Seaspan Doris

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

Aug 27, 2013 19:17:46 GMT -8 cobblehillian said:

Thanks to a fellow named ENR3005 I found the following link on railfan.net, E & N forum.

The article, originally appearing in the CRHA periodical "Canadian Rail", is a detailed description of intermodal (truck, barge, and rail)marine operations in the Strait of Georgia circa 1967. I found the article full of details and excellent photos.

Although the main focus is on coastal operations there is brief discussion of the railways' inland lakes operations.


www.exporail.org/can_rail/Canadian%20Rail_no210_1969.pdf

ps: does anyone have a guess or idea on where the cover photo is of?
- My first thought was Stewart BC, but maybe it's Skagway ?

Coming from a one-summer Skagway resident, its not Skagway.

Does Stewart have a rail line?

[Chris City]

Aug 27, 2013 19:55:58 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

ps: does anyone have a guess or idea on where the cover photo is of?
- My first thought was Stewart BC, but maybe it's Skagway ?

The cover photo is of Alaska Steamship's Delta terminal, it's located south of Fraser Surrey Docks (look for Alaska Way on a map). The slip is still there but it's used by Seaspan as a tugboat tie-up, maintenance facility. That's a fantastic article, I printed it out a couple years ago for my files, hard to believe how much marine-rail activity there used to be.

[Low Light Mike]

This morning, I filmed the Carrier Princess as she loaded trucks, and then left her Nanaimo harbour berth.

I was set up at the top of the trestle bridge over the rail tracks, on the roadway that goes to the Assembley Wharf / Cuise-ship terminal, Port Authority office.

The video shows some drop trailers being loaded (with the donkey tractor zipping about) and just before departure you can see the gates being shut at the base of the ramp, and the ramp being raised (not a great angle for that).
- cameo appearances by Miss Quinsam and Herr Inspiration, with a very brief long-distance appearance by Herr Renaissance.


This is a sped-up video, with loading and long-distance leaving at 10x speed, and the berth departure at 3x speed.

[Low Light Mike]

Seaspan's Carrier Princess, seen by me this morning in Nanaimo.
- I'm at the top of the trestle bridge that goes down to the cruise-ship dock area.

The scene:
- the rail-yard, overgrown with weeds and littered with old forgotten items, is sad to see.




Here's CP in her berth




With Quinsam passing by.




Leaving the berth, a few minutes late on her 10:45am departure.
- no horn sounded. Just some smoke and a slow reverse out of the berth




Leaving the harbour
- Gallows Point on Protection Island is the left background. Malaspina Galleries Point on Gabriola Island is the right background.

[Low Light Mike]

Seaspan's Carrier Princess, seen by me in the morning at Nanaimo.
- September 26, 2013. I'm at Jack Point park.

The dawn shot, 6:45am (30 minutes before sunrise)
- CP on the left, Quinsam on the right.




Leaving at 10:45am



With the Quinsam


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

Carrier Princess spends weekday early-morning hours at Nanaimo. It's a long layover in the dark.

- The weekday afternoon ship, the Coastal Spirit / Seaspan Challenger combo, has a much shorter stay in port.

[Low Light Mike]

Princess Superior at Swartz Bay on a foggy morning.
- October 19, 2013.





...and with SoVI (out of service) and Mayne Queen

[Low Light Mike]

The Seaspan Challenger / Coastal Spirit combo is leaving Nanaimo, as she does every weekday around 5:00pm
- this is shot from a long ways away on College Drive, on Sept.17, 2013.

Quinsam can be seen, headed towards Descanso Bay

[mrdot]

Canadian Pacific's Carrier Princess passing under the Lions Gate Bridge @ 1st Narrows, Vancouver Harbour - c1980.  In the early days she carried trucks, rail cars, standard automobiles & passengers between the CP terminal on the downtown Vancouver waterfront and Vancouver Island terminals @ Nanaimo & Swartz Bay near Victoria.

photo © Mr. DOT] by mrdot., on Flickr

[Low Light Mike]

Nov 4, 2013 11:12:23 GMT -8 mrdot said:

Canadian Pacific's Carrier Princess passing under the Lions Gate Bridge @ 1st Narrows, Vancouver Harbour - c1980.  In the early days she carried trucks, rail cars, standard automobiles & passengers between the CP terminal on the downtown Vancouver waterfront and Vancouver Island terminals @ Nanaimo & Swartz Bay near Victoria.

A nice match of colour between the Lions Gate Bridge and the ferry's hull.

[princessofvanfan]

I was thinking today about what if the Carrier Princess had been purchased by BCF and refit for passenger only use. What route would she be suitable for? I was thinking Comox-Powell River. Anyone else?

[Low Light Mike]

Dec 31, 2013 13:53:20 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

I was thinking today about what if the Carrier Princess had been purchased by BCF and refit for passenger only use. What route would she be suitable for? I was thinking Comox-Powell River. Anyone else?

I'll ask the same question that most other people likely will have:

- Why use a ferry with a large open vehicle-deck as a passenger-only ferry ?

Sure, there is a nice passenger accommodation deck, but the large vehicle deck is what makes this a large ship, and as such would be an uneconomical ship to use as passenger-only.

[Mike C]

Dec 31, 2013 13:53:20 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

I was thinking today about what if the Carrier Princess had been purchased by BCF and refit for passenger only use. What route would she be suitable for? I was thinking Comox-Powell River. Anyone else?

Being a vessel oriented for commercial vehicles, I think she would be better suited to off-season Route 30.

I know what you're all thinking (Michael, you hate the Alberni, imagine this thing for two hours!), but this vessel would probably be more suited to the traffic utilization.

[Blue Bus Fan]

Dec 31, 2013 13:53:20 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

I was thinking today about what if the Carrier Princess had been purchased by BCF and refit for passenger only use. What route would she be suitable for? I was thinking Comox-Powell River. Anyone else?

The Comox to Powell River could work for her. I was think route 9 in off-season and route 5 in peak season. 

[princessofvanfan]

The passenger accommadations could be enlarged like the QQ 2, and mid level vehicle decks could be added on both sides, like the Island Sky has. An interesting idea for us ferry nerds.

[Low Light Mike]

Dec 31, 2013 18:27:36 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

The passenger accommadations could be enlarged like the QQ 2, and mid level vehicle decks could be added on both sides, like the Island Sky has. An interesting idea for us ferry nerds.

Please explain what you meant in your first post about "Passenger Only".

- Why would a passenger-only Carrier Princess need additional vehicle decks ? Passenger-only ships don't carry vehicles.


I'm thinking that perhaps a typo on your part is causing confusion for anyone reading your post.