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Post by WettCoast on Mar 16, 2023 21:30:46 GMT -8
Northern Adventure is now heading to port hardy ferry terminal I saw it in the distance from Parksville this afternoon. Then it vanished. I checked Marine Traffic & it showed that it had disappeared in behind Lasqueti Island, as it was in the channel between Lasquetti & Texada.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
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Post by Neil on Sept 25, 2023 22:08:22 GMT -8
This doesn't apply to anything I'm planning on doing, but I'm curious...
I take it that the NorAd only loads from the stern. If you're clueless about backing a car/trailer combo any distance, can you get someone to do it for you when they load?
And... I assume this wouldn't be an issue on the NorEx, which I think loads bow and stern?
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 26, 2023 10:00:52 GMT -8
This doesn't apply to anything I'm planning on doing, but I'm curious... I take it that the NorAd only loads from the stern. If you're clueless about backing a car/trailer combo any distance, can you get someone to do it for you when they load? And... I assume this wouldn't be an issue on the NorEx, which I think loads bow and stern? Neil, not sure about having a BCFS staffer load a vehicle/trailer due to liability issues, but maybe one could recruit someone from the passenger pool. Maybe I'm wrong about a BCFS staffer but one could ask around, (maybe put that issue out when booking passage). Yes, the NorEx loads like the QPR so no problems there. Thanks for raising an old 'itch' about who the heck went on the NorAd buying adventure?
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Post by Ferryman on Sept 26, 2023 10:46:16 GMT -8
This doesn't apply to anything I'm planning on doing, but I'm curious... I take it that the NorAd only loads from the stern. If you're clueless about backing a car/trailer combo any distance, can you get someone to do it for you when they load? And... I assume this wouldn't be an issue on the NorEx, which I think loads bow and stern? It all depends on the load situation. Certain lengths of vehicle/towing combinations can make the turn around on the main deck just short of the Horseshoe, which is almost reminiscent of the Queen of Nanaimo days on Route 9. However, on full loads most vehicles may be forced to drive on to the dock in reverse, even at Prince Rupert. There is also the option to have your vehicle Hostled onboard, using a ship's deckhand (who has a Class 1 license). You have to be checked in alot earlier (4 hours early) in order to get that service, and I can't seem to find any reference to a hostler fee. Would likely be best to call and speak to someone on the reservations hotline to set it all up
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 27, 2023 23:11:17 GMT -8
This doesn't apply to anything I'm planning on doing, but I'm curious... I take it that the NorAd only loads from the stern. If you're clueless about backing a car/trailer combo any distance, can you get someone to do it for you when they load? And... I assume this wouldn't be an issue on the NorEx, which I think loads bow and stern? Didn’t the Queen of Prince Rupert and Queen of the North do loading and unloading through the stern for a couple months after MV Estonia sinking?
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Post by Mike C on Sept 28, 2023 8:04:18 GMT -8
This doesn't apply to anything I'm planning on doing, but I'm curious... I take it that the NorAd only loads from the stern. If you're clueless about backing a car/trailer combo any distance, can you get someone to do it for you when they load? And... I assume this wouldn't be an issue on the NorEx, which I think loads bow and stern? I’ll speak for my own experiences driving on both: The NorAd, most of the time, has standard passenger vehicles turn around like on the QoNanaimo as Mr Ferryman indicated. The bow end of the vehicle deck has a raised turnaround horseshoe type thing, where one can drive up one side, complete a 180-degree turn and drive down the other. On a sold-out sailing driving on at Bella Bella (having connected from the Nimpkish), my car was shoehorned into this space, right at the point of the bow. Larger vehicles were either backed on by the driver, or hostled by capable crew. The NorEx is far more like a standard ferry with a bow vehicle deck entry. There isn’t really anything abnormal about that experience compared to southern routes, except for the time they take to load the ship, which allows them more time to get vehicles right where they want them. On both ships (and presumably the NSW) loading is a bit of a tedious process, if you’re used to the speedy procedures of the southern routes.
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 28, 2023 9:34:42 GMT -8
This doesn't apply to anything I'm planning on doing, but I'm curious... I take it that the NorAd only loads from the stern. If you're clueless about backing a car/trailer combo any distance, can you get someone to do it for you when they load? And... I assume this wouldn't be an issue on the NorEx, which I think loads bow and stern? Didn’t the Queen of Prince Rupert and Queen of the North do loading and unloading through the stern for a couple months after MV Estonia sinking? Simple answer: No The Estonia sinking had no influence on operations at BCFS.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
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Post by Neil on Sept 28, 2023 11:26:08 GMT -8
Didn’t the Queen of Prince Rupert and Queen of the North do loading and unloading through the stern for a couple months after MV Estonia sinking? Simple answer: No The Estonia sinking had no influence on operations at BCFS. I thought at least one of those vessels had their bow doors welded shut after that incident?
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 28, 2023 14:56:56 GMT -8
Simple answer: No The Estonia sinking had no influence on operations at BCFS. I thought at least one of those vessels had their bow doors welded shut after that incident? There was no reason to weld the bow doors welded shut on the Queen of the North I never rode on her before her fatal accident. I rode the QPR on her last week of service and attended her departure for "Gundar-land" and her bow doors were not welded.
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Post by Mike on Sept 28, 2023 15:26:53 GMT -8
I thought at least one of those vessels had their bow doors welded shut after that incident? There was no reason to weld the bow doors welded shut on the Queen of the North I never rode on her before her fatal accident. I rode the QPR on her last week of service and attended her departure for "Gundar-land" and her bow doors were not welded. I'm pretty sure both the QPR and the Queen of the North had their bow doors welded shut for a period of time after the Estonia incident in 1994. See WettCoast's relevant post from 2006 confirming at least the QotN's door was: Installment for April 24th: Queen of the North berthed stern to at Bear Cove, Port Hardy - later in 1994 This was done during period that bow door was welded shut following the Estonia sinking in Europe. © WCK-JST by Jim Thorne, on Flickr
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 28, 2023 15:43:53 GMT -8
There was no reason to weld the bow doors welded shut on the Queen of the North I never rode on her before her fatal accident. I rode the QPR on her last week of service and attended her departure for "Gundar-land" and her bow doors were not welded. I'm pretty sure both the QPR and the Queen of the North had their bow doors welded shut for a period of time after the Estonia incident in 1994. See WettCoast's relevant post from 2006 confirming at least the QotN's door was. I wonder what safety measures where introduce to Queen of Prince Rupert, Queen of The North and Northern Expedition?
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 29, 2023 10:08:45 GMT -8
As the Scolar said: "It's not often I'm right, but I'm wrong again (: Well, rather than go 2 for 2, I'll go one for for two, regarding the Queen of Prince Rupert. She never had her bow doors welded, however I did not have a close look when I attended her departure ceremony for her Fiji trip. They may have done it then but I'll hang onto my assertion that she was was never welded during her service up North.
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Post by WettCoast on Sept 29, 2023 19:40:57 GMT -8
Sorry everyone, I am on a bit of a vacation and have missed this conversation til now. Yes, the QotN did have its bow visor welded shut about 30 years ago, and I am fairly sure that the QPR received the same treatment. I have the photo ‘proof’ you see above for ‘the North’ but no proof for the QPR, though I think there was a Mark Wilson article in the Province that I posted once upon a time. The visors were unwelded once new watertight doors were installed inboard of the primary watertight doors. In the case of ‘the North’ Macgreggor doors were also added to the main car deck.
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Post by Ollie on Mar 6, 2024 12:37:50 GMT -8
Northern Adventure coming under the Lions Gate Bridge, today.
The lifeboat holders are now removed. I’m not sure if they were already like that or if they were removed in the refit.
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