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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 12, 2013 5:23:39 GMT -8
I'm reading a superbly written book right now called 'Eating Dirt', by Charlotte Gill. She chronicles her life as a tree planter, interspersed with reflections on the biology and history of forests and mankind's relationship with wood. The book was nominated for two non-fiction awards. She details life aboard the Lasqueti Daughters, a vessel I had never heard of. It is a combination freight landing craft and floating hostel for work crews... I found these photos. www.hbeck.net/pics/2004/0407/lasqueti/lasqueti.htmlThanks for that, Neil. I hadn't heard of that ship either. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jun 29, 2013 21:53:57 GMT -8
Here is the tug Race Point 1, passing Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo, while towing a log boom.  - a couple of hours later, and SiiTech shows her off the Winchelsea Islands, headed for Fanny Bay. |
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Post by Chris City on Jul 2, 2013 22:11:39 GMT -8
Sea Imp IX & Charles Cates XX bring another barge load of contaminated sediments from the waterlot of the Esquimalt Graving Dock through Victoria's Upper Harbour. The barge is bound for the Ralmax slip at South Bay where the dredged material will be transferred to truck.  |
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KE7JFF
Chief Steward
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Post by KE7JFF on Jul 3, 2013 1:11:36 GMT -8
So here's an interesting one for you and maybe someone knows the awnser. In this photo I took back around March of this year, I was out on my friends boat by Swartz Bay and when my friend pointed out the boat seen in the photo below on the left. Its not Navy, but appears to be navy-like. Anyone have an idea?  |
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Post by Chris City on Jul 11, 2013 22:15:15 GMT -8
Storm Spray pulling an empty gravel barge from the slip at Ralmax in Victoria's Upper Harbour, Ledcor sibling Storm Rider assists. The gravel barge was brought in this morning at 5:30 from the large gravel pit at Sechelt.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 21, 2013 18:46:17 GMT -8
I stayed a few nights at Oyster Bay, south of Campbell River. One thing that I noticed on the ocean across the street (besides the fact that it is salty and wet) is the regular frequency of the Western Towboat tugs and barges that sail between Seattle and Alaska.
We've seen at least two of these every day, in both directions. And the barges are packed full of containers with occasional toppings of vehicles such as moving vans.
Very interesting to see all the traffic on our coastal highway near the "Marine Traffic Funnel" of Discovery Passage.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 25, 2013 20:23:28 GMT -8
My video of a couple of freighters in Boundary Pass area. Seen from East Point, Saturna Island.
- October 19, 2013.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 12, 2013 9:14:53 GMT -8
Some stills from Boundary Pass. - seen from East Point on Saturna Island, October 19, 2013 Ocean-bound freighter, with Patos Island Lighthouse in the background  Same ship, with the historic fog-horn building at East Point in the background. - this building is said to be the most photographed scene in the southern gulf islands. It's part of Gulf Islands National Park.  Inbound "ship" (there's a ship in there somewhere, I think)  |
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Post by Chris City on Nov 22, 2013 19:05:47 GMT -8
Storm Rider & Storm Bandit pause for a moment before tying up to an empty gravel barge in Victoria's Upper Harbour.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 7, 2013 22:33:20 GMT -8
Freighter WANISA at anchor, just behind Newcastle Island, at Nanaimo BC - seen by me in the morning of December 7, 2013. I'm at Departure Bay beach, looking out at the entrance to the bay. - to the left in the photo is Entrance Island lighthouse, with her light shining.  She's a Hong Kong flagged bulk carrier. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 14, 2013 19:08:02 GMT -8
Western Towboat Company tug & barge headed from Alaska to Seattle. - seen by me near Campbell River, BC, in July 2013. A lot of container freight is moved this way, because there are no freight railroads to Alaska (unless you want to go CN to Prince Rupert and then take Aqua Train).  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 15, 2014 18:08:27 GMT -8
From a foggy October 2013 day at Sidney: This barge loaded at the boat-ramp next to the Sidney WSF ferry terminal, and is likely headed for James Island.  |
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 12, 2014 21:59:34 GMT -8
ITB tug Island Champion on departure from Kitimat, BC, with empty barge destined for Anacortes, Washington - 12 March 2014. This tug had hauled a load of 'green' petroleum coke to Rio Tinto Alcan in Kitimat from an oil refinery in Anacortes, Washington. In this photo the tug & its barge are just underway on the return trip south. This tug was new in 1965.  Smit Cecil heading back to its Kitimat base after assisting the Island Champion & its barge to depart from RTA Terminal 1 - 12 March 2014 
both photos © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 19, 2014 18:26:23 GMT -8
A YouTube video of a landing craft being loaded with a few vehicles, at Lund, BC.
- headed for Savary Island.
---------
The account holder, Larry Warner, has lots of interesting "Working Coast" videos on his YouTube account.
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Neil
Voyager 
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Mar 19, 2014 20:11:03 GMT -8
A YouTube video of a landing craft being loaded with a few vehicles, at Lund, BC. - headed for Savary Island. That was really neat, Mr Horn... thanks for that. I think an argument could be made that the Giderdun 2 isn't just another 'working vessel', but is in fact the smallest car ferry serving on our coast. It transports vehicles and their drivers on a regular run, albeit unscheduled. The lack of a lounge places her only slightly lower on the ferry scale than the Mill Bay. Savary almost has a conventional ferry service. |
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 20, 2014 6:09:35 GMT -8
A YouTube video of a landing craft being loaded with a few vehicles, at Lund, BC. - headed for Savary Island. That was really neat, Mr Horn... thanks for that. I think an argument could be made that the Giderdun 2 isn't just another 'working vessel', but is in fact the smallest car ferry serving on our coast. It transports vehicles and their drivers on a regular run, albeit unscheduled. The lack of a lounge places her only slightly lower on the ferry scale than the Mill Bay. Savary almost has a conventional ferry service. That is one cool little vessel! However, we can live with no passenger lounge but NO slot machines???  |
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 1, 2014 19:45:31 GMT -8
AAL Dalian (IMO 9498470) at Ogden Point, Victoria, BC, about to wet launch a yacht directly into the salt chuck - 11 June 2014. There were several yachts aboard the big boat, all waiting to be launched in a similar fashion. The cruise ship in the background is the Star Princess.  photo © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 23, 2014 20:30:51 GMT -8
Japanese bulker Amakusa Island seriously disabled with a load of coal in Prince Rupert Harbour - 23 July 2014. She had taken on a load of coal at Prince Rupert's Ridley Island Terminals, & then departed on a trans- Pacific journey to Japan. Very soon after departure it suffered a serious run in with rocks! But we all know that navigation on BC's North Coast is pretty much without risk. If she had been carrying crude oil or 'dilbit' there would have been a spill.  © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 1, 2014 20:05:14 GMT -8
The "Alaska Barges" of the Western Towboat Company always crack me up, with the vehicles, trailers and equipment placed at the tops of the stack of shipping containers. - seen in Discovery Passage on November 1, 2014  These barges are a regular (ie. every day or so) sight in Campbell River. |
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Neil
Voyager
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Post by Neil on Nov 1, 2014 20:59:14 GMT -8
That is quite a sight. I'm assuming that truck is sitting atop a forty foot container? Looking at Western Towboat's fleet list, I don't see a barge bigger than 300'... perhaps it's this one. With those containers stacked five high, I imagine they wait for suitable weather to cross the Gulf of Alaska...
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 1, 2014 21:24:46 GMT -8
That is quite a sight. I'm assuming that truck is sitting atop a forty foot container? Looking at Western Towboat's fleet list, I don't see a barge bigger than 300'... perhaps it's this one. With those containers stacked five high, I imagine they wait for suitable weather to cross the Gulf of Alaska... I don't think those barges go beyond S-E Alaska, but they still have to cross the open bits such as Queen Charlotte Sound. |
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SolDuc
Voyager
West Coast Cyclist
SolDuc and SOBC - Photo by Scott
Posts: 2,055
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Post by SolDuc on Nov 1, 2014 22:42:37 GMT -8
That is quite a sight. I'm assuming that truck is sitting atop a forty foot container? Looking at Western Towboat's fleet list, I don't see a barge bigger than 300'... perhaps it's this one. With those containers stacked five high, I imagine they wait for suitable weather to cross the Gulf of Alaska... I don't think those barges go beyond S-E Alaska, but they still have to cross the open bits such as Queen Charlotte Sound. That's what I've been told as well. Cross-gulf traffic goes on much larger ships, which don't take the inside passage at all. With much less demand in SE Alaska, everything goes on these barges, which sail up from Seattle to various ports. Some, such as Skagway only get one barge a week, but I think that Ketchikan gets at least a couple per day (one in each direction) as everything has to sail through there. Also, Western Towboat is not the only company that provides service up there, but they're probably the one with the most traffic/sailings. |
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Post by northwesterner on Nov 2, 2014 11:06:09 GMT -8
I don't think those barges go beyond S-E Alaska, but they still have to cross the open bits such as Queen Charlotte Sound. That's what I've been told as well. Cross-gulf traffic goes on much larger ships, which don't take the inside passage at all. With much less demand in SE Alaska, everything goes on these barges, which sail up from Seattle to various ports. Some, such as Skagway only get one barge a week, but I think that Ketchikan gets at least a couple per day (one in each direction) as everything has to sail through there. Also, Western Towboat is not the only company that provides service up there, but they're probably the one with the most traffic/sailings. Uhmmmm.... not sure about that. First things first. Western Towboat appears to have the contract to tow the barges, but they are not the barge/logistics operator. That provider is Alaska Marine Lines (note the AML markings on many of the containers). When I was living in Alaska, AML serviced SE Alaska, and another company (with a terminal near the AML terminal in South Seattle), Northland Services, provided barge service to Whittier which connected with Alaska's interior transportation network. Northland services was purchased by AML a few years ago (apparently), and those services are now listed on the AML site. They send barges to Whittier, too. If you go to this site: www.lynden.com/aml/barge-schedule.html you can see how long it takes the barges to get up to the ports of SE Alaska. When I lived in Juneau I complained about the fresh produce at the grocery stores (it was awful). This was due to the travel time from Seattle to Juneau. I finally gave up and started buying produce exclusively at the organic co-op downtown, solely because their stock was flown in (and was priced appropriately) but at least it had flavor. Then I lived in Skagway. With just once a week barge service, I didn't realize how good I'd had it in Juneau. I began making weekly trips to Whitehorse where fresh groceries were only a three day truck drive from Calgary. |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Nov 2, 2014 22:29:24 GMT -8
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Post by WettCoast on Dec 11, 2014 23:06:50 GMT -8
In Kitimat there is a kind of a back water off the harbour that is called Minette Bay. It is semi cut-off from the harbour by the delta of the Kitimat River. The channel between the harbour & this bay is narrow & shallow. Nothing much bigger than a tug boat can pass through the channel, and only on favourable tides. In this bay there is a fair bit of log booming going on. There is also a connection with BC steamship history, and in particular, Union Steamships. That connection is in the form of an old 1944-built work boat that is still active (barely, I think). The boat was, in the time of Union Steamships, named the Redonda. Between 1955 & 59 it was part of their fleet (see page 140 in Gerald Rushton's book Echos of the Whistle). See also this page at the VRQS page at Transport Canada. The Redonda is still its name. A couple of photos... 
 The Redonda (IMO 5291513), a one-time Union Steamships boat - still active (sort of) in Minette Bay, Kitimat, BC - 31 May 2014
Both photos © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
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