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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 26, 2017 8:56:27 GMT -8
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Post by Scott on Feb 27, 2017 23:13:00 GMT -8
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Post by priver on May 11, 2017 20:28:00 GMT -8
Does anyone have pictures of the NIP in Drydock
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Post by priver on May 26, 2017 14:21:07 GMT -8
I see there's a service notice out that BC ferries is adding more sailing to the texada run until June 22 when the NIP is back cause of overloads on the tachek. I thought the NIP was suppose to be back by June 5 but that service notice has been taken down. They find more work needed than what was originally planned for this refit ?
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Post by Kahn_C on May 26, 2017 16:59:09 GMT -8
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Post by Curtis on Jun 23, 2017 17:47:38 GMT -8
The North Island Princess is back from Refit and looking fresh! Here are some shots from her takeover of Route 18 from the Tachek on Wednesday. All Photos are © CS16 Photography and may only be used with Permission from the Owner.Your standard profile shot of the current elder of the fleet. North Island Princess Not In Service Enroute to Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Texada's Queen sails away and Texada's Princess arrives. Tachek Not in Service Enroute to Buckley Bay, North Island Princess Not In Service Approaching Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr North Island Princess Not In Service Approaching Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Engines astern. It was a windy day but they went in without the help of a bow line. North Island Princess Not In Service going Astern into Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr North Island Princess Not In Service going Astern into Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr In the dock ready for the 3:45 school run to Blubber Bay. North Island Princess Docked at Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Now over to the Viewpoint. North Island Princess Departing Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr A similar shot to what I got with the Tachek a month back. North Island Princess Departing Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Cutting through the whitecaps. North Island Princess Enroute to Blubber Bay. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr That's all for now!
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Post by Starsteward on Jun 26, 2017 7:11:30 GMT -8
Great shots there 'Curtis'! The 'North Island Princess' must have used a false I.D. card, flashing her 2 inch long eye-lashes, and a big toothy grin at the major domo of the paint-shop cooing:"Hello there, I'm just a Princess, not an old Queen, and I really need a wee bit of lip stick and mascara cuz I've got a buzz on for my new 'mate' up there on route 17...so darlin', let's get this make-over rolling." I guess there's hope for us rather senior folks at the make-up salon after all. "Just turn on the charm, it might just belie one's flab and wrinkles" as the 'NIP' at 59, showed us how it's possible..eh?
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Post by Curtis on Jun 27, 2017 10:14:06 GMT -8
Friday evening I took a ride on the mighty NIP. Here are some shots from that evening. Warning: Photo Heavy! All Photos are © CS16 Photography and may only be used with Permission from the Owner.Coming into Westview. North Island Princess Approaching Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr A shot as I went aboard. Boarding the North Island Princess at Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Looking back toward the berth. North Island Princess Docked at Westview. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Not a speck of rust in sight. Lets hope it stays that way for now. Starboard Side, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Deck 5, Sun Deck, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Deck 5, Sun Deck, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr In Blubber Bay. North Island Princess Docked at Blubber Bay. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr North Island Princess Docked at Blubber Bay. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Sailing back into the Sunset. Deck 2, Car Deck, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr The lounge still looks the same as before, there is one noticeable difference though if you look closely at this shot... Deck 4, Passenger Lounge, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Deck 3, Port Promenade Deck, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr Closing in on Westview as the Salish Orca sails away behind her. Deck 2, Car Deck, North Island Princess. by Curtis Simonetta, on Flickr That's all for now!
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Post by Starsteward on Jun 27, 2017 11:30:12 GMT -8
Those latest shots of the old dame, ah 'North Island Princes' I mean, shows what a real 'sell-job' she must have done on the gate-keeper of the paint shop! Wow, you would never guess her age, albeit, one can see some rust bubbles starting to poke through the white paint on one of the shots. Really pleased that she looks so good today because she sure looked so tired and bedraggled before she went for her make-over! Yeah! Nice work 'Curtis'.
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Post by Queen of Nanaimo Teen on Jun 27, 2017 17:49:16 GMT -8
They replaced the old black and yellow signs! I wonder to what end this was done considering how close she is to retirement? I always enjoyed seeing those signs on the NIP,sad day that they're gone!
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on Jun 28, 2017 5:57:03 GMT -8
Those latest shots of the old dame, ah 'North Island Princes' I mean, shows what a real 'sell-job' she must have done on the gate-keeper of the paint shop! Wow, you would never guess her age, albeit, one can see some rust bubbles starting to poke through the white paint on one of the shots. Really pleased that she looks so good today because she sure looked so tired and bedraggled before she went for her make-over! Yeah! Nice work 'Curtis'. Nice comments, "Starsteward". My late grandfather would be proud to see her with that latest paint job, and that she's taken decently good care of. He built the original parts of this ferry in his Vancouver shipyard.
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Post by Curtis on Jul 16, 2017 22:34:04 GMT -8
Here's a fresh walkthrough of the NIP.
Next Time: The Salish Eagle.
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Post by Balfour on Aug 10, 2017 11:55:29 GMT -8
North Island Princess approaching Westview terminal on a rather smokey day last week North Island Princess
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 28, 2018 17:26:28 GMT -8
Dusk view of NIP at the nip-slip on Texada Island, seen from Salish Orca. - August 2018 I like the wasteland-like background of the Texada quarry DSC06561 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,172
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Post by Neil on Jan 29, 2019 22:05:50 GMT -8
For some reason, I started pondering today on how the North Island Princess and the Mill Bay, representing Coast Ferries, are the very last vessels from any of the pre-BC Ferries companies still operating on our coast.
The Mill Bay, last I saw, was still in service as the Buttle Shuttle, a working freight vessel. Coast Ferries' other last surviving ship, the Tyee Princess, was slated for demolition not long ago... maybe she's gone now. Such a small company, even in their prime, but now they're the only one with a footprint on the coast, tenuous as it may be.
No Black Ball vessels survive. Same for Gulf Island Ferries. Northland Navigation and Canadian National are all gone. The Carrier Princess, the last CP vessel, is laid up at Duke Point... and I think the Princess Superior was actually brought here by Seaspan, although I stand to be corrected. The Lady Rose, at last report, was rusting away in Tofino, far from able to carry the torch for Union Steamships.
The North Island Princess is due to be retired when the first Island class ferry gets here from Poland. Can't imagine she'll find a post-retirement life. That will leave the Buttle Shuttle as the last sliver of connection to the era of private ferry service.
Not necessarily anything to be lamented. Time marches on. Just something to make one go, "hmmh."
Wait a minute. I forgot about the Seaspan Greg. She's still listed as being part of Seaspan's fleet. But she wasn't built by CP, only inherited, so I don't know if she counts.
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 30, 2019 16:44:25 GMT -8
... and I think the Princess Superior was actually brought here by Seaspan, although I stand to be corrected. Wait a minute. I forgot about the Seaspan Greg. She's still listed as being part of Seaspan's fleet. But she wasn't built by CP, only inherited, so I don't know if she counts. The Princess Superior was brought to the west coast by the CPR in 1993. It was not until five years later that the CPR sold her & the Carrier Princess to Seaspan (This according to Robert Turner's The Pacific Princesses - second edition 2004). The Seaspan Greg and also Seaspan Doris were never in the CP fleet but they were under charter to CP prior to the sale of the entire business to Seaspan in 1998. Those vessels were built by FM Yorke & Sons as the Greg Yorke & Doris Yorke and sold to Seaspan in the mid 1970's when their names were changed.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,172
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Post by Neil on Jan 30, 2019 23:06:19 GMT -8
... and I think the Princess Superior was actually brought here by Seaspan, although I stand to be corrected. Wait a minute. I forgot about the Seaspan Greg. She's still listed as being part of Seaspan's fleet. But she wasn't built by CP, only inherited, so I don't know if she counts. The Princess Superior was brought to the west coast by the CPR in 1993. It was not until five years later that the CPR sold her & the Carrier Princess to Seaspan (This according to Robert Turner's The Pacific Princesses - second edition 2004). The Seaspan Greg and also Seaspan Doris were never in the CP fleet but they were under charter to CP prior to the sale of the entire business to Seaspan in 1998. Those vessels were built by FM Yorke & Sons as the Greg Yorke & Doris Yorke and sold to Seaspan in the mid 1970's when their names were changed. Thanks for those clarifications, Jim. Should have consulted my library.
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Post by Curtis on Feb 25, 2019 2:24:46 GMT -8
You may not have known it, but sometime during 2018, the North Island Princess hit what will likely be her last major milestone before retirement: 60 years in service! Now the actual day she entered service seems to have been lost to history along with some other early milestones like her launch, but back in December, a party was held onboard the NIP to celebrate her diamond anniversary. It started on the 12:15 departure from Westview. A few decorations had been strung up in the lounge and the refreshments included sandwiches, wraps, cupcakes, cookies, water, hot chocolate, coffee, and of course the cake which is pictured below. Once unloaded in Blubber Bay, more locals came onboard and the party began. A few speeches were made and the cake was cut by two of the NIP's masters and the chief engineer. They also held a draw for a couple of complimentary travel vouchers. Overall, it was a nice little gathering and good to see BC Ferries recognize the North Island Princess' 60 years of service!
A very special thanks to Jordan and the rest of the BC Ferries staff and crews who helped organize this event!
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Post by Starsteward on Feb 25, 2019 9:06:17 GMT -8
I remember when the 'North Island Princess' shared Kelsey Bay terminal with the 'Queen of Prince Rupert'. This was before the 'NIP' underwent her hull conversion to the catamaran build. Yes, good to see the old girl get her 60 years of service recognized.
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Post by paulvanb on Feb 25, 2019 9:22:05 GMT -8
I remember when the 'North Island Princess' shared Kelsey Bay terminal with the 'Queen of Prince Rupert'. This was before the 'NIP' underwent her hull conversion to the catamaran build. Yes, good to see the old girl get her 60 years of service recognized. I have a fondness for her. I lived in Port Hardy for two years when my father worked for MacMillam Bloedel. I have a vague remembrance of a deckhand backing our car onto her. My last remembrance of her before "surgery" was they painted her funnel blue to signify her becoming part of the Dogwood Fleet.
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Post by Curtis on Apr 14, 2019 18:01:14 GMT -8
North Island Princess in the snow back in Febaruary. All Photos are © CS16 Photography and may only be used with Permission from the Owner.We start were I left off in the Salish Raven thread. On the Sea Walk walking back to the terminal. Back at the terminal during loading.
In frame.
Back on the Wharf.
And away she goes. My camera battery died after this so I missed out on a few shots with the snow covered Texada as a backdrop. That's all for now.
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Jess
Deckhand
Posts: 59
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Post by Jess on Mar 12, 2020 16:19:49 GMT -8
Does anyone know when the North Island Princess, because I was going to go on it this spring break but I am not sure if that is going to happen now due to the Coronavirus. I would like to know just on case I have to plan a trip to Powell River during April or May.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 12, 2020 20:10:42 GMT -8
Does anyone know when the North Island Princess, because I was going to go on it this spring break but I am not sure if that is going to happen now due to the Coronavirus. I would like to know just on case I have to plan a trip to Powell River during April or May. If you add one critical word to your post, you might get some responses....
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Post by yak on Mar 13, 2020 19:20:55 GMT -8
Does anyone know when the North Island Princess, because I was going to go on it this spring break but I am not sure if that is going to happen now due to the Coronavirus. I would like to know just on case I have to plan a trip to Powell River during April or May. If you add one critical word to your post, you might get some responses.... My best guess is he's asking when she'll be taken off the run ;-) My understanding is that it will likely be early May.
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Jess
Deckhand
Posts: 59
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Post by Jess on Mar 13, 2020 20:00:25 GMT -8
Does anyone know when the North Island Princess, because I was going to go on it this spring break but I am not sure if that is going to happen now due to the Coronavirus. I would like to know just on case I have to plan a trip to Powell River during April or May. Update: I am probably going to be riding the North Island Princess this Spring Break. I wasn't sure if I was going to be riding it because my dad said that we might not bother going to Nanaimo due to the Coronavirus.
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