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Post by Charles on Nov 26, 2017 21:26:27 GMT -8
Heres another article about the Nanaimo/LP5, they're talking about her like shes a five star hotel! Also they say she could hold 1500 passengers but how come here in canada her max was about 900? Is it because of different laws? Also it said that there was negative criticism about the boat, where would they have heard that? fijisun.com.fj/2017/11/15/mv-lomaiviti-princess-v-on-her-way/ |
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 26, 2017 21:47:50 GMT -8
Heres another article about the Nanaimo/LP5, they're talking about her like shes a five star hotel! Also they say she could hold 1500 passengers but how come here in canada her max was about 900? Is it because of different laws. When it left our shores I noted that MEC (marine evacuation chutes, not sure if that is the right name?) #'s 1 & 2 were missing. Perhaps they were stowed somewhere on board or there is some other plan for passenger survival if all hell breaks loose ... |
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 28, 2017 14:28:37 GMT -8
I think it’s safe to say that the Queen of Nanaimo has made it safely to Suva, Fiji today. The broadcasting of her position via the internet is spotty, but her “sat-ais” position seems to be in the harbour...stay tuned for news updates I guess
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 28, 2017 16:48:43 GMT -8
I think it’s safe to say that the Queen of Nanaimo has made it safely to Suva, Fiji today. The broadcasting of her position via the internet is spotty, but her “sat-ais” position seems to be in the harbour...stay tuned for news updates I guess ....and there it is. www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=425704 |
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Post by Starsteward on Nov 29, 2017 7:40:00 GMT -8
I think it’s safe to say that the Queen of Nanaimo has made it safely to Suva, Fiji today. The broadcasting of her position via the internet is spotty, but her “sat-ais” position seems to be in the harbour...stay tuned for news updates I guess ....and there it is. www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=425704 Memo to George Goundar @ Goundar Shipping: George: (first name basis because we've met, chatted etc. when he drove off on my dear old 'QPR, plus I've got at least 20 years on him) George: big thanks for getting my 'other' former love-boat 'Queen of Nanaimo', yes, now your 'Lomaiviti Princess V' safely across the big Pacific pond to her new home under 'Southern skies'....but George for all that's decent in boat-world "please give the old girl at least 2 or 3 days to rumble, vibrate and hiss to a complete nod-off!!! Twenty-odd days at or near full tilt!!! (and she used to complain about doing a late summer p.m. sailing on route 2)But geez, even doing 14 hours back when she was but a young lass was taken as a full days' work, but 20 days George, not so much as a pit stop, bilge dump, nada, try that when you're 56! Good grief man, haven't you ever heard the old song 'The old grey mare she ain't...' so George.....George ah thought you'd drifted off on me, just because you dabbed a fresh coat of dark 'bluegsh' on her before you throttled off with her, ....it wasn't like you gave her a heart transplant or something. .........anyways.. George take care of our 3 former old 'Queens', a wee powder break now and again will do wonders...but alas, powder breaks no matter how frequently offered won't turn old 'queens' into younger 'princesses', but I guess you knew that 7 years ago.  |
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FNS
Voyager 
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,956
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Post by FNS on Nov 29, 2017 10:00:57 GMT -8
Here are some final time stamps of the LOMAIVITI PRINCESS V's voyage from Deas to Suva: 11-10-2017 - 1350PST - CLEARED DEAS 11-10-2017 - 1440PST - CLEARED FRASER RIVER 11-10-2017 - 1530PST - TSAWWASSEN 11-10-2017 - 1617PST - EAST POINT 11-10-2017 - 1700PST - TURN POINT 11-10-2017 - 1835PST - PILOT DISEMBARKS VICTORIA 11-10-2017 - 1900PST - RACE ROCKS 11-10-2017 - 2300PST - EXIT JUAN DE FUCA STRAIT 11-18-2017 - 0800PST - EAST OF THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII 11-26-2017 - 0500PST - WEST OF THE ISLANDS OF SAMOA 11-27-2017 - 1920PST - WEST OF TAVEUNI ISLAND 11-28-2017 - 0100PST - EAST OF NAKODU 11-28-2017 - 1130PST - SOUTH OF SUVA The arrival at Suva took place while I was away from my computer. Most likely the afternoon of 11-28-2017. To all the people of Fiji, enjoy your Christmas present. This concludes my voyage reports of the MV LOMAIVITI PRINCESS V's trip from BC to Suva. *** *** *** From the Fiji Sun: fijisun.com.fj/2017/11/29/lomaiviti-princess-v-arrives/One nice quote: A former regular Queen of Nanaimo passenger said when the vessel goes into service it will be a dignified renewal. “It’s kind of a happy ending in my opinion,” Mr Wright said. “It is because this vessel is starting a brand new life in Fiji, and its kind of magnificent.” *** *** *** More story links later. Welcome to Fiji, MV LOMAIVITI PRINCESS V (QUEEN OF NANAIMO)! |
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 29, 2017 23:21:52 GMT -8
A couple of searches on Facebook of "Lomaiviti Princess 5" or "Lomaiviti Princess V" reveals a fair number of posts regarding her arrival. It seems to be well documented among alot of very excited people. I find it quite neat to see at least. While I'm very sad the Nanaimo is gone, I'm even more happy she'll sail on for a few more years still at least. From what I gather, she was escorted into Suva Harbour under escort of Lomaiviti Princess I through IV For those who have Facebook, take a look at some of these public posts. The Fiji Sun posted a video of her nearing Suva. www.facebook.com/fijisun/videos/1646467322072207/ |
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Neil
Voyager
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Post by Neil on Dec 5, 2017 22:53:46 GMT -8
I was just musing tonight about the ethics of disposing of old vessels, partly brought on by looking at the Queen of Burnaby this afternoon from my vantage point at Deas Island park in Delta.
I was thinking about BC Ferries selling the Queen of Prince Rupert and the Queen of Chilliwack to Goundar Shipping of Fiji, and how that perhaps differed from the recent sale of the Queen of Nanaimo.
The 'Rupert was unquestionably a vessel designed for at least some contact with open ocean. Not sure the 'Chilliwack ever was, but she received some alterations during her time with BC Ferries that might on some level qualify her for service on the open Pacific.
No one can make the same argument for the ex-'Nanaimo. She was designed for the waters of Georgia Strait, and never sailed a route where she was more than fifty minutes from port, and where weather forecasts always led to cancellations where there was any question of safe transit or docking. As far as I know, disasters like the sinking of the Estonia in the Baltic never led to any strengthening of the 'Nanaimo's car deck bow doors. Perhaps Philip Spaulding might have had confidence in her abilities to withstand ocean tempests, but I don't think we'll ever know.
She was, and is, a ferry designed for nothing worse than the Salish Sea. I wonder if BC Ferries had any misgivings about selling her to an operator in a country where the economy means safety standards just can't be quite what they are here. I don't know how BC Ferries feels about offloading old vessels that are laden with asbestos, and with regard to the 'Nanaimo, I don't know if they have any concerns beyond the monetary in seeing one of their old boats plying a route she was never designed to serve.
Anyone who ever enjoyed sailings across the strait or through the Gulf Islands on our Queen of Nanaimo I'm sure hopes that nothing ever happens to bring the ethics of this sale into too sharp a focus. I hope that Fijians enjoy however many years of safe service this ship can give them before she's finally retired without incident.
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Post by WettCoast on Dec 6, 2017 17:52:53 GMT -8
I am in full agreement with what Neil has said above ... Compounding that, I note that the LP V will be licensed in Fiji for about double the number of passengers she was allowed to carry in our waters. Also, when she left our shores she left without two of her four Marine Evacuation Chutes. Hopefully there is an alternate plan ...
If I was to go to Fiji for a holiday (I was there once, January 1985) I would probably want to go for a spin on one of our former ferries. I think the former QPR would be my first choice. I know that some one here would choose the Wack as their first choice ... |
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Post by dofd on Dec 13, 2017 21:13:16 GMT -8
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Post by Charles on Dec 16, 2017 13:04:08 GMT -8
What ever happened to the Nanaimo's whistle? I know it went to long harbour but has anything happened with it yet?
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Post by nannyman on Dec 16, 2017 18:21:25 GMT -8
What ever happened to the Nanaimo's whistle? I know it went to long harbour but has anything happened with it yet? Understand the plumbing set-up is being configured. |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,956
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Post by FNS on Dec 18, 2017 17:24:27 GMT -8
Oops! The Fiji Times shows an error.
www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=427911
The Fijians, on the other hand, are learning a bit of BC maritime history with this photo of the PRINCESS OF NANAIMO.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 18, 2017 18:07:18 GMT -8
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Post by Starsteward on Dec 19, 2017 10:21:51 GMT -8
This is sadly typical of the state of affairs news departments of all ilks find themselves in these days.
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Post by Charles on Dec 24, 2017 11:52:14 GMT -8
Here's the latest news article on the Nanaimo Port authorities point finger on ship owners for cause of delays Passengers complain of overcrowding in ships and at port Many were left stranded at Port Mua-i-Walu in Suva Improper scheduling and irresponsibility by local ship operators have been blamed by the authorities for the delays that left hundreds of passengers waiting overnight on Friday at Port Mua-i-Walu, Walu Bay, in Suva. Thousands of passengers travel to Vanua Levu and the maritime islands by ship during the Christmas season every year. Fiji Ports Corporation chief executive officer Vajira Piyasena said: “Boat operators were not keeping up to schedules and most of them had overloaded their vessels. “This (problem) was entirely created by those people (boat owners) and has nothing to do with Fiji Ports. When you have a boat owner who has issued tickets more than they can carry, it is not our problem.” On Friday, the Goundar Shipping Limited’s Lomaiviti Princess V trip to Vanua Levu and Taveuni was delayed by eight hours. It was scheduled to leave Suva at 6pm bound for Savusavu and Taveuni, but it did not depart until 2am the next day, a passenger, on condition of anonymity, told Fiji Sun. In an earlier telephone interview with Goundar Shipping Limited’s managing director, George Goundar, he had said shipping owners were always blamed for overcrowding, but were not at fault when non-ticketholders were allowed into the wharf area. He also said, while inside the ship trying to calm things down, that at least 30 per cent of the people at the jetty were not passengers. Mr Goundar runs the biggest interisland ferry business with his five Lomaiviti Princess vessels. But other operators also use Port Mua-i-Walu. The passenger who spoke to Fiji Sun also said many passengers who had boarded Lomaiviti Princess V early on Friday were sitting along the corridors of the vessel. This is common on such vessels where people buy seats but then lie in the corridors to sleep. Mr Goundar had said Lomaiviti Princess V had the capacity to carry 1100 passengers, and 800 had purchased tickets for that particular journey. Yesterday, more questions sent to Mr Goundar remained unanswered. Another passenger, who was denied entry to board Lomaiviti Princess I, said six ships departed at around the same time on Friday. He said ticket-holders scheduled to board Lomaiviti Princess I, travelling to Kavala in Kadavu, were denied entry after the vessel went outside its schedule. Lomaiviti Princess I also had a large number of passengers travelling to Vunisea and it is believed this forced the ship owner to postpone the journey to Kavala by one day. Another passenger, who also asked to be kept anonymous, said his first time travelling on the new Lomaiviti Princess V would most likely be his last. “This is the worst boat experience I’ve ever had,” the passenger said. “We’ve been standing in the rain for nearly two hours and I just feel sorry for the hundreds of people still behind us.” Others who spoke to Fiji Sun also mentioned about passengers hurling abuse at the ship’s staff members as tension began to rise amid deteriorating weather conditions while the wait continued deep into the night. They also said children were heard crying. The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) chief executive officer, John Tunidau, said yesterday their enforcement officers were trying to control the crowd in the docking area with Police. Last month, MSAF had said they would closely monitor passenger ships during the festive season. In a statement, the authority had warned ship owners to follow the Maritime Legislations or face criminal charges under the Maritime Transport Act 2013. Goundar Shipping had invested $2.5 million on the Lomaiviti Princess V in November. But most of the passengers travelling on it buy the cheaper seats rather than cabins or first class seating. From fijisun.com.fj/2017/12/24/ship-drama-port-authorities-blame-ship-owners-for-cause-of-delays/ |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 24, 2017 12:08:45 GMT -8
Click into the story to see photos of the interior of Queen of Nanaimo, with wall-to-wall Fijians. Quite a sight. |
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Post by Charles on Dec 24, 2017 12:23:33 GMT -8
I've been thinking about that article for a bit of time now and George Goundar used to work with BCFerries and wouldn't he know how to properly load them with normal amounts of passengers and when the boat is full?
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Post by Starsteward on Dec 24, 2017 12:52:47 GMT -8
I've been thinking about that article for a bit of time now and George Goundar used to work with BCFerries and wouldn't he know how to properly load them with normal amounts of passengers and when the boat is full? Unfortunately Mr. Goundar and his expanding ferry operations are being hindered by infrastructure systems that are rarely found in our part of the world, although also existed here many years ago. Imagine BC Ferries operating ferry schedules from passenger/vehicle docks that were also used by other operators. No possibility of security or volume control if the "departure wharf" was 'common ground' as it is in many parts of the world. Goundar Shipping needs its own dock/passenger facilities. Developing private infrastructure costs money which will have to be invested in the future. Unfortunately, these developments take time and money and won't be accomplished overnight. We will be reading of more of these stories for the foreseeable future. I'm sure George Goundar isn't happy about stories like this one as he tries to build be better transportation system but in reality, Fiji is a developing country with associated conditions/problems that we, in our part of the world would find unacceptable. Given time, necessary resources, and the further support of developed nations such as Canada, we can only speculate as to when improved travelling conditions for our Fijian friends will come anywhere near what we take as 'everyday normal'. |
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Post by mybidness459 on Dec 24, 2017 14:30:35 GMT -8
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Post by compdude787 on Dec 27, 2017 11:50:34 GMT -8
Weird that nobody bothered to take any of the ads down. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 18, 2018 13:26:13 GMT -8
I was on Queen of Nanaimo on a September 2016 day, which ended up being my final trip on that ship. We ended up at Berth #3 in Tsawwassen, and an out-of-service Spirit of BC was in Berth #2. Here's the reflective look, from my last moments on board the good old ship:  . by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr |
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Post by Mike on Apr 19, 2018 15:02:32 GMT -8
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Post by westcoastjonny on Apr 19, 2018 23:25:10 GMT -8
I miss this old ship. Any news of how she is doing in Fiji?
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 20, 2018 8:38:58 GMT -8
I miss this old ship. Any news of how she is doing in Fiji? For your answer just scroll up a few posts and read the ones from this past Christmas - New Year's period. |
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