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Post by Taxman on Jan 25, 2008 22:20:23 GMT -8
Tried to do my due dilligence, but couldn't find anything on this.
How is the MV Nimpkish operated during the winter. Does the crew Live-aboard? Is it based out of Bella-Bella or Bella-Coola? Does the crew come up with the NorAd, run the boat, then come back down to Port Hardy?
I am very curious.
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Post by Scott on Jan 25, 2008 22:37:32 GMT -8
Good question. I'm interested in the answer as well. In another thread I read that "another ferry" was used to ship fresh oil to the Northern Adventure from Bella Coola when she had her engine problems earlier this month. I'm assuming this was the Nimpkish.
I'm pretty sure the crew either comes up on the Northern Adventure or, more likely flown up. Last year I recieved an e-mail and photograph from one of the Nimpkish's masters and his place of residence, from what I could tell, wasn't anywhere near the north coast.
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WettCoast
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 25, 2008 22:59:05 GMT -8
It was indeed the little Nimpkish that rescued the NorAd with a truckload of clean lube oil. The oil was 'highway-ed' into Bella Coola via Williams Lake.
The schedule seems to indicate that the Nimpkish is 'based' at Bella Coola when not in use. I assume they have accommodation for the crew there. It would be interesting to hear more.
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Post by Nickfro on May 27, 2008 11:54:09 GMT -8
How is the MV Nimpkish operated during the winter. Does the crew Live-aboard? Is it based out of Bella-Bella or Bella-Coola? Does the crew come up with the NorAd, run the boat, then come back down to Port Hardy? I am very curious. I too am curious about the crew's logistics aboard the Nimpkish on the Mid-Coast. A guess of mine would be that they have a rest period at Shearwater since there's a 10 hour layover there in the schedule. On another note, my curiosity has to do with the Nimpkish over the past few summers. Has she ever provided supplementary service during the summer periods on any routes in the last couple of years? I know she has provided such service on Routes 18 (Texada) and 24 (Cortes) in the past, but has anything happened recently or does she simply rest in Blubber Bay all summer long? (sometimes accompanied with the Tachek, which makes this query also apply to the Tachek too, if somebody wishes to elaborate on that as well!) Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2008 12:54:11 GMT -8
How is the MV Nimpkish operated during the winter. Does the crew Live-aboard? Is it based out of Bella-Bella or Bella-Coola? Does the crew come up with the NorAd, run the boat, then come back down to Port Hardy? I am very curious. I too am curious about the crew's logistics aboard the Nimpkish on the Mid-Coast. A guess of mine would be that they have a rest period at Shearwater since there's a 10 hour layover there in the schedule. On another note, my curiosity has to do with the Nimpkish over the past few summers. Has she ever provided supplementary service during the summer periods on any routes in the last couple of years? I know she has provided such service on Routes 18 (Texada) and 24 (Cortes) in the past, but has anything happened recently or does she simply rest in Blubber Bay all summer long? (sometimes accompanied with the Tachek, which makes this query also apply to the Tachek too, if somebody wishes to elaborate on that as well!) Thanks! I rode the Nimpkish from McLaughlin Bay to Bella Coola in Ocotber 2006 and the crew told me that she is based out of Bella Coola. BC Ferries flies the crew of the Nimpkish into Bella Coola and they begin and end their shifts there. I know the lounge on the one side has been converted into "accomodations" for the crew (a place to make food, relax, etc...). I am not sure what they do for sleep and why she lays at Shearwater so long. As for what she does in the summer time that I am not sure of either. I saw her last September tied up with the Techek (which is in lay up all summer) at Texada.
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Post by Political Incorrectness on May 27, 2008 16:43:31 GMT -8
According to SiiTech, she's currently at Blubber Bay.
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WettCoast
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Post by WettCoast on May 27, 2008 17:20:43 GMT -8
The Nimpkish did spend a summer doing central coast service during 2006. This followed on the loss of the Queen of the North. That summer the QPR was used to provide Inside Passage 'day trips' as well as Hecate Strait crossings. Obviously the number of Inside Passage sailings was much reduced from previous summers... some bus tours had no where to go... BCFS's decided to try and divert some of that traffic onto the Queen of Chilliwack by increasing the number of non-stop trips between Port Hardy and Bella Coola. As a result they needed another means to keep service going to places like Shearwater and Klemtu. Hence the presence of the Nimpkish. The Nimpkish photographed near Bella Bella, August 2006 D. Mendel photo ©
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Post by Nickfro on May 27, 2008 21:02:56 GMT -8
Thanks for the great feedbaack, as well as that great picture of the Nimpkish with her stern loading ramps. This does, however, make me pose another question:
Which Mid-Coast ports do not have conventional loading ramps that therefore required the Nimpkish to install these ramps? What about the larger ferries? To my knowledge the QPR (at some point in the year) stops at each port except Bella Coola, the NorAd stops at Bella Bella and Klemtu, and the Chilliwack stops at every port. The larger ferries don't have such ramps, so I'm somewhat confused why the Nimpkish needs them. My only guess is that she is perhaps too small for a certain berth or two and uses an adjacent ramp that's similar to ramps the Kwuna deals with.
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WettCoast
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Post by WettCoast on May 27, 2008 21:19:46 GMT -8
I do not know the answers to these questions. Perhaps member 'QPR' may know. I do not know if these ship-based ramps are used at any of the central coast ports. Which brings up more questions: - If they are not needed are they in the way? - Do they necessitate that loading must always be done over the bow? - Were these ramps ever used when the Nimpkish is in service 'down south'?
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Nick
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Post by Nick on May 27, 2008 21:31:52 GMT -8
The ramps are used up north. From what I understand it is because the Nimpkish doesn't fit in a few of the berths, so they use the extra ramp to "bridge the gap". She doesn't have it on when she is down south.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2008 7:07:08 GMT -8
Which Mid-Coast ports do not have conventional loading ramps that therefore required the Nimpkish to install these ramps? What about the larger ferries? To my knowledge the QPR (at some point in the year) stops at each port except Bella Coola, the NorAd stops at Bella Bella and Klemtu, and the Chilliwack stops at every port. The larger ferries don't have such ramps, so I'm somewhat confused why the Nimpkish needs them. My only guess is that she is perhaps too small for a certain berth or two and uses an adjacent ramp that's similar to ramps the Kwuna deals with. Most of the berths up north are quite primitive with the exceptions being McLaughlin Bay and Ocean Falls. When I was on board the Nimpkish she backed in and used her ramp at McLaughlin Bay and Bella Coola. At Ocean Falls she landed bow first. I believe when the QPR stops at Klemtu she backs in and so does the NORAD, they both back into McLaughlin Bay and when the QPR goes into Ocean Falls the crew told me it's a back in landing. As for Shearwater (if the QPR stops there) it's a bow first landing. The Nimpkish needs the stern ramp for coupling with the docks like Shearwater and Bella Coola because they are basically a float and there would be a drop from the stern to the float without the ramp. The Chilliwack fits the floats better but they do have to put out some blocks and small ramps for the cars to drive off on.
West Coast Kid- I don't believe the ramps are ever in the way because they are used at all ports except bow landings at Ocean Falls and the ramp seems to fit just fine with the McLaughlin Bay berth so I am imagine it would do the same if they had to back into Ocean Falls. I know the ramps are removed if she taken down south and I believe they are stored at Deas.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 25, 2009 11:55:56 GMT -8
I checked the BCFS website ship-tracking page today, and the Nimpkish was travelling east of Shearwater, on the Gunboat Passage route.
I don't know if little Nimpkish normally takes the Gunboat Passage shortcut when travelling from Ocean Falls to Shearwater / Bella Bella, but it was today.
I assume everyone knows which side of the markers to stay on....
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Post by DENelson83 on Sept 25, 2009 13:02:19 GMT -8
I was on the Nimpkish once, the first time I sailed on the Sutil Channel route.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Sept 25, 2009 19:07:05 GMT -8
I've never quite understood how the Nimpkish's schedule works, because the printed central coast schedule is so convoluted, and printed on different pages for northbound and southbound. So I ripped out a couple of pages and wrote it down in order.
The schedule varies during the winter, but this is how it goes from late September to late November. It alternates between Friday and Saturday departures from Ocean Falls, week to week. I've left out arrival times, except for when the vessel is laying over for more than a couple of hours.
Week 'A'
Lv Ocean Falls- Saturday- 11:00am Ar Shearwater- Saturday- 1:30pm Lv Shearwater- Saturday- 11:30pm Lv Bella Bella- Sunday- 2:15am Lv Shearwater- Sunday- 3:00am Ar Ocean Falls- Sunday- 5:45am
layover
Week 'B'
Lv Ocean Falls- Friday- 11:00am Ar Shearwater- Friday- 1:30pm Lv Shearwater- Friday- 11:30pm Lv Bella Bella- Saturday- 2:15am Lv Shearwater- Saturday- 3:00am Ar Ocean Falls- Saturday- 5:45am
layover until following week
repeat Week 'A'
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Nimpkish sits at Ocean Falls during the week. So I wonder:
Why Ocean Falls? How does the crew get there, and what is their work week, when they're actually sailing two days? Ocean Falls has tons of unused houses, many in habitable condition, but surely the crew isn't living there.
Why the late morning departure from Ocean Falls, only to sit at Shearwater for ten hours? Shearwater isn't a transfer point. For the odd passenger going from Ocean Falls to meet the ferry to Port Hardy or Prince Rupert, what are they supposed to do for ten hours in Shearwater? For that matter, what does the crew do all that time?
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Post by WettCoast on Sept 25, 2009 21:27:14 GMT -8
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Sept 25, 2009 21:59:42 GMT -8
I always thought the Nimpkish ran out of Bella Coola so I was wondering the same thing! The printed schedules I have I got off the Nor Ex says she runs out of Ocean Falls too! So who knows there seems to be differences between the online schedules and printed schedules!
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Sept 25, 2009 22:23:35 GMT -8
That is really bizarre. The printed schedule shows no service to Bella Coola from September through early June. The online schedule shows no Nimpkish service between Dec. 8 and Jan. 31, while the printed one does. What a colossal screw-up. Aside from a generic notice about the possibility of schedules changing, there is nothing anywhere on the BC Ferries site advising people that the printed schedule is very much at odds with the on-line one. Amazing incompetence- it's as if they've totally dismissed the needs of central coast travellers, because they're too few in number.
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Post by NMcKay on Oct 12, 2009 19:39:05 GMT -8
Which Mid-Coast ports do not have conventional loading ramps that therefore required the Nimpkish to install these ramps? What about the larger ferries? To my knowledge the QPR (at some point in the year) stops at each port except Bella Coola, the NorAd stops at Bella Bella and Klemtu, and the Chilliwack stops at every port. The larger ferries don't have such ramps, so I'm somewhat confused why the Nimpkish needs them. My only guess is that she is perhaps too small for a certain berth or two and uses an adjacent ramp that's similar to ramps the Kwuna deals with. Most of the berths up north are quite primitive with the exceptions being McLaughlin Bay and Ocean Falls. When I was on board the Nimpkish she backed in and used her ramp at McLaughlin Bay and Bella Coola. At Ocean Falls she landed bow first. I believe when the QPR stops at Klemtu she backs in and so does the NORAD, they both back into McLaughlin Bay and when the QPR goes into Ocean Falls the crew told me it's a back in landing. As for Shearwater (if the QPR stops there) it's a bow first landing. The Nimpkish needs the stern ramp for coupling with the docks like Shearwater and Bella Coola because they are basically a float and there would be a drop from the stern to the float without the ramp. The Chilliwack fits the floats better but they do have to put out some blocks and small ramps for the cars to drive off on. West Coast Kid- I don't believe the ramps are ever in the way because they are used at all ports except bow landings at Ocean Falls and the ramp seems to fit just fine with the McLaughlin Bay berth so I am imagine it would do the same if they had to back into Ocean Falls. I know the ramps are removed if she taken down south and I believe they are stored at Deas. The Vesuvius used to have to have ramps and bumpers installed to use the berths @ Albion. yet the klitsa and kahloke ( i heard a couple of times) and kuleet and klatawa could all use the berths without modification
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 31, 2009 12:23:22 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2009 12:55:10 GMT -8
At Blubber Bay I then took some shots around the terminal... This shot was taken while we were pulling out of the dock, so I was walking forward on the top deck to keep the same shot position...
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2009 13:01:37 GMT -8
Pics from Friday, December 29, 2006. Location: Nanaimo Shipyard, on Stewart Ave, Nanaimo BC (photos taken from Mobey-D*ck Motel's parking lot & marina). Event: - MV Nimpkish, having a quick visit to shipyard, in between coming off the mid-coast routes, and going on relief to Quadra-Cortes route. - I arrived at 9:30am, as Nimpkish was still in the railed-drydock. - 20 minutes later, the Nimpkish was lowered into the water, on the railed-drydock. I got to see this whole process, complete with occasional hearing of mariner-language choice-words, as the workers worked with the ropes, etc. Here's the website page re the railed-drydock. www.nanaimoshipyard.com/nanaimo_shipyard/facilities.htmlHere are some pics showing the marine railway and the lowering of the ship back into the water:
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2009 13:07:21 GMT -8
Photos from a trip on Nimpkish in February 2007, when she was on the Cortes Island route: ================= Photos by Ferryman, from this site: photosbychris2006.fotopic.net/c1207987.htmlI couldn't do a direct link, so I've saved and hosted them myself, in order to share these fine "aboard Nimpkish" photos with you all. At Heriot Bay: Tie-downs on centre-lane, for rolling mid-coast travel: At Whaletown: Loading at Whaletown, Cortes Island: (Karl is gonna get pissed off if they keep loading so slowly ;D) Here is how we know this is Chris' photo: Saddle-lounge: TV in saddle-lounge, for those long mid-coast trips:
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2009 14:01:28 GMT -8
A photo from Scott, from the February 2007 trip: Nimpkish at Heriot Bay...
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Post by Nickfro on Jan 15, 2010 15:52:53 GMT -8
I see in the BCFS schedules page, and in a Route 10 Service Notice today, that they are referring to the Mid-Coast ferry as a "Cherter Vessel". The Nimpkish is also not noted on the Northern Routes Vessel Tracking page. Is the Nimpkish still the ferry on the Mid-Coast? If so, why do they now consider it a charter vessel? If not, what ferry is on the route now? I also see that it does not go to Bella Coola until mid March. Seems odd to have a ferry based out of Ocean Falls (as others have discussed here before), but it looks like that's the case right now.
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 15, 2010 18:54:37 GMT -8
Funny you mentioned it.....
I recieved a text message from NewFlyer this afternoon, who was on scene at Fraser Shipyards, seeing the Nimpkish down there.
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