QUEEN OF SIDNEY - Photos & Discussion

[camroncamera]

Mar 29, 2018 11:19:17 GMT -8 WettCoast said:

Mar 29, 2018 9:33:02 GMT -8 camroncamera said:

Hello, forum!

I have a fun little detective story for you! And I am hoping you can help me solve this "X-File"

TL;DR version:
I've been catching up on the new season of The X-Files on my DVR... Season 11, Episode 5 "Ghouli". Important scenes are set on a rusting, decommissioned ferryboat. Something about it catches my eye, and after a night of research I've determined that there is a 50/50 chance that my parents took photos on that very same ferry back in 1970 while on their honeymoon to Victoria, BC.

.....

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this "detective story" and thank you for any answers you can provide

Your parents were almost certainly aboard the Queen of Tsawwassen.  The photo I have left in the quote of what you wrote above showing the tail end of the upper 'Sun Deck' could only be from either the Sidney or its twin sister. 

Your parents were there in the latter part of July 1970.  I do know where the two vessels were working that summer.  The Tsawwassen was one of four regular vessels serving on 'Route 2' (Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island).  The Sidney was the 5th (extra) vessel serving on Route 1 (Vancouver to Victoria via Tsawwassen Terminal & Swartz Bay).  My brother David was working on the Sidney at the time as a summer student crew member.  So your parents must have been on the sister ship, Tsawwassen.

The Sunshine Coast Queen, BTW, was operating on 'Route 3' (Horseshoe Bay to the Sunshine Coast via Langdale). 

Horseshoe Bay Terminal with Queen of Tsawwassen at berth 1 - 9 April 1971


Queen of Tsawwassen (@ Saltery Bay) showing Sun Deck aft raised area over the cafeteria - 8 August 2007.  This feature was unique to the Sidney class twins.

Both photos © WCK-JST - Fujichrome 71-1-16 - ViewScan by Jim Thorne, on Flickr

Thank you Neil and WettCoast for your answers! The next slides in the roll are of Victoria Inner Harbour with the Parliament Building, the Empress Hotel, and Government St. (I'll not clutter the thread with off-topic images, but if anyone is curious to see some nice scans of Kodachrome snapshots of Victoria in 1970, they can view them in the gallery linked in my last post).  It seems to make sense that the ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay near Nanaimo would then be followed by a drive south into Victoria.

I was playing around in Google Maps with the 3D/Satellite Imagery function to see if I could identify the landscape in the background of the photo of the Sidney-class Sun Deck, and I think it is Bowyer Island that is the most prominent: goo.gl/maps/JL6azV6kW6o


Also, the "Sunshine Coast Queen" can be seen heading North-Northwest in the distance, presumably to Langdale, as you stated.

Both my mom and I have been X-Files fans since the very beginning, so I wanted to dive deep into this mystery. After a bit of pestering from me on Facebook, I got an answer back from my mom whether my parents happen to remember which ferry they took. This is what she wrote: "Hey, give us a break. That was almost 48 years ago. We don't remember."

I'm still curious about the ventilation cowls. In various photos I've come across in this research, I've found some with the grille facing fore, some facing aft, and some facing at random uncentered angles. Did they freely rotate? Were they removed for maintenance and then replaced with the grille facing in no particular direction? And some seem like they might have had a grille on both sides of the same cowl. Also I notice that on the aft ventilation cowl on the raised part of the sun deck, there is a ribbed feature halfway up the stem. In all of the photos of the "Queen of Sidney" and "Queen of Tsawwassen" that I have come across in this research, I have not been able to spot that upper rib (though sometimes a vestigial concentric mark can be made out).

[Nick]

Mar 30, 2018 1:23:35 GMT -8 camroncamera said:

I'm still curious about the ventilation cowls. In various photos I've come across in this research, I've found some with the grille facing fore, some facing aft, and some facing at random uncentered angles. Did they freely rotate? Were they removed for maintenance and then replaced with the grille facing in no particular direction? And some seem like they might have had a grille on both sides of the same cowl. Also I notice that on the aft ventilation cowl on the raised part of the sun deck, there is a ribbed feature halfway up the stem. In all of the photos of the "Queen of Sidney" and "Queen of Tsawwassen" that I have come across in this research, I have not been able to spot that upper rib (though sometimes a vestigial concentric mark can be made out).

I don't know specifically about those vent cowls, but often those "mushroom" type vents are closed by rotating the cowl on a screw thread. They would be opened/closed on a semi-regular basis for maintenance and for fire drills, and wouldn't necessarily be opened to the same exact position every time. Maybe Starsteward knows?

Thanks for sharing your "sleuthing" adventure.

[camroncamera]

Mar 30, 2018 14:46:25 GMT -8 Nick said:

I don't know specifically about those vent cowls, but often those "mushroom" type vents are closed by rotating the cowl on a screw thread. They would be opened/closed on a semi-regular basis for maintenance and for fire drills, and wouldn't necessarily be opened to the same exact position every time. Maybe Starsteward knows?

Thanks for sharing your "sleuthing" adventure.

Ah, thanks for the lesson! And, is there anywhere online I might be able to confirm those old ferry schedules? 1970... I know, it is a lot to ask for someone to dig through old paper records, but if they are already online somewhere, perhaps I wouldn't have to waste anyone's time.

Thanks again, you folks have been great!

[WettCoast]

Apr 3, 2018 20:18:59 GMT -8 camroncamera said:

Mar 30, 2018 14:46:25 GMT -8 Nick said:

I don't know specifically about those vent cowls, but often those "mushroom" type vents are closed by rotating the cowl on a screw thread. They would be opened/closed on a semi-regular basis for maintenance and for fire drills, and wouldn't necessarily be opened to the same exact position every time. Maybe Starsteward knows?

Thanks for sharing your "sleuthing" adventure.

Ah, thanks for the lesson! And, is there anywhere online I might be able to confirm those old ferry schedules? 1970... I know, it is a lot to ask for someone to dig through old paper records, but if they are already online somewhere, perhaps I wouldn't have to waste anyone's time.

Thanks again, you folks have been great!

Our member Neil has a collection of old schedules.  But he indicated that he does not currently have access to them.  You need to wait until he returns home.
We are, in anycase, 99.9% sure that your parents were aboard the Tsawwassen.

[WettCoast]

Is it growing moss yet?

Queen of Sidney & the ferry grave yard, at Silverdale, Fraser River, just below Mission, BC.
- 31 May 2018
The remains of the one-time Washington State Ferry San Mateo are visible along the near side of the Sidney, with the WS vessel in far worse condition.
© WCK-JST by Jim Thorne, on Flickr

[Starsteward]

Mar 30, 2018 14:46:25 GMT -8 Nick said:

Mar 30, 2018 1:23:35 GMT -8 camroncamera said:

I'm still curious about the ventilation cowls. In various photos I've come across in this research, I've found some with the grille facing fore, some facing aft, and some facing at random uncentered angles. Did they freely rotate? Were they removed for maintenance and then replaced with the grille facing in no particular direction? And some seem like they might have had a grille on both sides of the same cowl. Also I notice that on the aft ventilation cowl on the raised part of the sun deck, there is a ribbed feature halfway up the stem. In all of the photos of the "Queen of Sidney" and "Queen of Tsawwassen" that I have come across in this research, I have not been able to spot that upper rib (though sometimes a vestigial concentric mark can be made out).

I don't know specifically about those vent cowls, but often those "mushroom" type vents are closed by rotating the cowl on a screw thread. They would be opened/closed on a semi-regular basis for maintenance and for fire drills, and wouldn't necessarily be opened to the same exact position every time. Maybe Starsteward knows?

Thanks for sharing your "sleuthing" adventure.

     Unfortunately back in the day when my watch crewed aboard the 'Queen of Sidney', cowls and vents were most likely the last items I would have had any knowledge
     about. Why such fixtures were where they were took a back seat to getting proficient creating the best damn milkshakes known to mankind on one of two big
     Hamilton Beach mixers that adorned the service counters of the two 'Horseshoes' in the center of the prom deck cafeteria.
     That confession aside, I 'think' that those ventilation cowls vented the prom deck cafeteria when the coffee shops were added to the sun decks of the 'Sidney' and 
     'Tsawwassen'.

[princessofvanfan]

At least the Sid wasn't refitted with those awful fire windows like the Tsawwassen was. Glad those aren't on any of the modern boats.

[Low Light Mike]

Here's a recently uploaded fly-over video of Queen of Sidney:

[Starsteward]

Sept 11, 2018 14:32:27 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Here's a recently uploaded fly-over video of Queen of Sidney:

     That entire site is a disgraceful ugly mess! One would hope that 'someone' or 'some authority' could mandate a clean-up of the entire site.
     Poor old 'W.A.C. Bennett would be rolling in his grave and break his heart if he could see one of his first ferries floundering near the muddy banks of the Fraser River.
     One of the better videos of the entire site and especially the good aerial view of the dear old 'Queen of Sidney'.

[Low Light Mike]

Even when on the train, I couldn't escape the world of ferries:

Here's a partial view of the Queen of Sidney, seen from across the river on the CN Yale Subdivision. This is from a SilverLeaf coach on the Rocky Mountaineer.

- September 18, 2018

DSC07150 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr

[WettCoast]

Active Pass c1970 with Queen of Sidney (south bound, closer to camera) & Queen of Victoria (north bound).  I have some uncertainty about the year that this photo was taken, but am fairly certain that the ferry in the distance is the Victoria.  At the time the Victoria was the only vessel in the BCF fleet to have 'this look'.

BC Ferries Public Information Office Photo #25 [Mr DOT Collection] by mrdot., on Flickr

[Low Light Mike]

Queen of Sidney entering Departure Bay in Nanaimo, in the 1960s.

Photo taken by my father:
(...and poor quality camera-phone duplicates made by me from projected slide-show that my sister organized for our christmas visit, with a big stain on the projector. But that's all ok for conveying the subject here)

20181226_204604 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr

[princessofvanfan]

Dec 26, 2018 22:22:44 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Queen of Sidney entering Departure Bay in Nanaimo, in the 1960s.

Photo taken by my father:
(...and poor quality camera-phone duplicates made by me from projected slide-show that my sister organized for our christmas visit, with a big stain on the projector. But that's all ok for conveying the subject here)

20181226_204604 by Mike Bonkowski, on Flickr

Are you sure that's the Sidney? The Tsawwassen was on route 2 from the late 60's until 1975. I thought the Sid was a route 1 boat only back then.

[Low Light Mike]

Dec 27, 2018 19:53:40 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

Are you sure that's the Sidney? The Tsawwassen was on route 2 from the late 60's until 1975. I thought the Sid was a route 1 boat only back then.

With a photo of this blurry quality, the only thing I am sure of is the location and that it's either the Sidney or the Tsawwassen.

I thought that the Sidney was moved to Route-2, but I didn't do any research before posting.

[WettCoast]

Dec 27, 2018 20:28:39 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Dec 27, 2018 19:53:40 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

Are you sure that's the Sidney? The Tsawwassen was on route 2 from the late 60's until 1975. I thought the Sid was a route 1 boat only back then.

With a photo of this blurry quality, the only thing I am sure of is the location and that it's either the Sidney or the Tsawwassen.

I thought that the Sidney was moved to Route-2, but I didn't do any research before posting.

Balance of probability says that your photo is of the Tsawwassen, although it could be her sister, but that is less likely.  The Sidney served on Route 2 only as a refit replacement vessel, though for a year or two in the early 60's (62-64) I believe it was a route 2 regular, but only until the three B class boats were all in service.  The Tsawwassen, on the other hand, was the fourth Route 2 vessel (and a regular) until the original Queen of Surrey joined the fleet (1974).

[Mike]

Dec 27, 2018 20:28:39 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Dec 27, 2018 19:53:40 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

Are you sure that's the Sidney? The Tsawwassen was on route 2 from the late 60's until 1975. I thought the Sid was a route 1 boat only back then.

With a photo of this blurry quality, the only thing I am sure of is the location and that it's either the Sidney or the Tsawwassen.

I thought that the Sidney was moved to Route-2, but I didn't do any research before posting.

The Sidney did fill in for the Tsawwassen when that ship went in for refit, so it is possible that it could be either ship. 

Jun 29, 2014 8:59:42 GMT -8 Mike said:

The Queen of Sidney arriving in Horseshoe Bay, November 1968


M/V Queen of Sidney arriving at Horseshoe Bay by West Coast Photography, on Flickr

[dave2]

Dec 27, 2018 20:28:39 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Dec 27, 2018 19:53:40 GMT -8 princessofvanfan said:

Are you sure that's the Sidney? The Tsawwassen was on route 2 from the late 60's until 1975. I thought the Sid was a route 1 boat only back then.

With a photo of this blurry quality, the only thing I am sure of is the location and that it's either the Sidney or the Tsawwassen.

I thought that the Sidney was moved to Route-2, but I didn't do any research before posting.

In the summer of 1968 the schedule shows the Queen of Sidney on Route 1, making two round trips per day on the half hour (at different times depending on the day of the week). One direct, one with "stops in the Gulf Islands".

[Starsteward]

Dec 27, 2018 21:07:59 GMT -8 WettCoast said:

Dec 27, 2018 20:28:39 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

With a photo of this blurry quality, the only thing I am sure of is the location and that it's either the Sidney or the Tsawwassen.

I thought that the Sidney was moved to Route-2, but I didn't do any research before posting.

Balance of probability says that your photo is of the Tsawwassen, although it could be her sister, but that is less likely.  The Sidney served on Route 2 only as a refit replacement vessel, though for a year or two in the early 60's (62-64) I believe it was a route 2 regular, but only until the three B class boats were all in service.  The Tsawwassen, on the other hand, was the fourth Route 2 vessel (and a regular) until the original Queen of Surrey joined the fleet (1974).

    From the annals of my BCFS career, perhaps I can shed some light on the current discussion.
    It was a 'Sunday', June 14, 1964 when as a gawky-eyed, Busboy, newly hired out of the BC Ferries personnel office on Dunsmuir Street, downtown Vancouver, 
    reported for duty for the early morning sailing of the Queen of Sidney, under the command of the late Bob Ashmore.
    My career on the Sidney lasted but one day as our crew won the fleet booby-prize by moving over to the less than elegant Sechelt Queen where we would toil until
    'movin' on up' to the brand-spanking new Queen of Nanaimo! Just like stepping into a brand new car, the Nanaimo was straight from sea trials after her completion
    by the great builders at V.M.D.
    The 2 vessels out of Horseshoe Bay for that Summer were the Sidney and the Nanny but I confess I can't recall what sailed out of Departure Bay. ( I was too busy
    trying not to run afoul of the 'Nanny's Chief Steward Tommy Wheeler, who turned out to be a terrific boss once one sand-papered his rough edges.
    Terrific photos of yesteryear that bring back a flood of memories of what we fondly remember as 'the good old days'.

[Neil]

Dec 28, 2018 13:28:51 GMT -8 Starsteward said:

Dec 27, 2018 21:07:59 GMT -8 WettCoast said:

Balance of probability says that your photo is of the Tsawwassen, although it could be her sister, but that is less likely.  The Sidney served on Route 2 only as a refit replacement vessel, though for a year or two in the early 60's (62-64) I believe it was a route 2 regular, but only until the three B class boats were all in service.  The Tsawwassen, on the other hand, was the fourth Route 2 vessel (and a regular) until the original Queen of Surrey joined the fleet (1974).

    From the annals of my BCFS career, perhaps I can shed some light on the current discussion.
    It was a 'Sunday', June 14, 1964 when as a gawky-eyed, Busboy, newly hired out of the BC Ferries personnel office on Dunsmuir Street, downtown Vancouver, 
    reported for duty for the early morning sailing of the Queen of Sidney, under the command of the late Bob Ashmore.
    My career on the Sidney lasted but one day as our crew won the fleet booby-prize by moving over to the less than elegant Sechelt Queen where we would toil until
    'movin' on up' to the brand-spanking new Queen of Nanaimo! Just like stepping into a brand new car, the Nanaimo was straight from sea trials after her completion
    by the great builders at V.M.D.
    The 2 vessels out of Horseshoe Bay for that Summer were the Sidney and the Nanny but I confess I can't recall what sailed out of Departure Bay. ( I was too busy
    trying not to run afoul of the 'Nanny's Chief Steward Tommy Wheeler, who turned out to be a terrific boss once one sand-papered his rough edges.
    Terrific photos of yesteryear that bring back a flood of memories of what we fondly remember as 'the good old days'.

Starsteward, I'd be interested in your memories of the differences between the 'Sidney and the Sechelt Queen, from a work standpoint. I see you shared some on page 8 of the Sechelt Queen thread... any more you might have would be welcome.

[Starsteward]

Dec 28, 2018 17:49:52 GMT -8 Neil said:

Dec 28, 2018 13:28:51 GMT -8 Starsteward said:

    From the annals of my BCFS career, perhaps I can shed some light on the current discussion.
    It was a 'Sunday', June 14, 1964 when as a gawky-eyed, Busboy, newly hired out of the BC Ferries personnel office on Dunsmuir Street, downtown Vancouver, 
    reported for duty for the early morning sailing of the Queen of Sidney, under the command of the late Bob Ashmore.
    My career on the Sidney lasted but one day as our crew won the fleet booby-prize by moving over to the less than elegant Sechelt Queen where we would toil until
    'movin' on up' to the brand-spanking new Queen of Nanaimo! Just like stepping into a brand new car, the Nanaimo was straight from sea trials after her completion
    by the great builders at V.M.D.
    The 2 vessels out of Horseshoe Bay for that Summer were the Sidney and the Nanny but I confess I can't recall what sailed out of Departure Bay. ( I was too busy
    trying not to run afoul of the 'Nanny's Chief Steward Tommy Wheeler, who turned out to be a terrific boss once one sand-papered his rough edges.
    Terrific photos of yesteryear that bring back a flood of memories of what we fondly remember as 'the good old days'.

Starsteward, I'd be interested in your memories of the differences between the 'Sidney and the Sechelt Queen, from a work standpoint. I see you shared some on page 8 of the Sechelt Queen thread... any more you might have would be welcome.

       Sure thing 'Neil', first item of business was to go back to page 8 of the 'Sechelt Queen' thread to refresh my 'SQ' introduction to B.C. Ferry & Toll Authority's first-
       born from the Victoria Machinery Depot or VMD for short.
      
       Before attempting to describe the differences, from a work standpoint, between the two vessels, let me take my first assignment astern just a wee bit and establish
       a physical and mental picture of 'the first day'.
      
       Fortunately I had been to Horseshoe Bay several times so at least I knew where the ferries to 'somewhere off the mainland' departed from, and where the terminal
       building and personnel guy hung out and had to check in with him before I set foot on the asphalt pathway to berth #1, where 'The Sid', as the personnel guy
       called her, awaited this panicked yet excited sea-going rookie.
       Report to the Chief Steward's Office he'd told me, so down the asphalt pathway to berth # 1 I cantered and stepped across the 'Sid's' loading ramp, to be startled by
       a khaki-clad brute of a man demanding to know where I was going! (Some bloody welcoming committee that was!) My dry-mouth reply; "Looking for the Chief
       Steward's office". The brute's directions were short and simple. "First stairway"! 
      
       Found the first stairway and now beginning to wonder if 'they were all going to be like that', clambered two steps at a time to spilling out onto a passageway where
       I first encountered 'The Boss' and set forth to his office where I was outfitted with a brand-new stiffly-starched white jacket, two pair of blue-black wool dress pants
       with a very thin green stripe that ran from the side pockets to the cuff, a seaman's book, and a set of keys. The 'Boss' remarked that unlike other newbies that had
       arrived onboard, he was pleased to note that my button-down collar white shirt and brand new medium width bow tie looked very good to him. (Score 2 points)
      
       Then began the ship walk-about with the Chief and what would be my 'tour of duties'. We ambled forward and up the stairs to the forward lounge, the Chief pointing
       to the large and not so large garbage bins that needed to be checked at the beginning of the days' watch, during and definitely at the end of last trip. I sensed that          bonus points were mentally tallied by the Chief if he observed busboys rather than the female cleaners, emptying the ashtrays. (Ashes weren't the only deposits
       some days).
       The men's washrooms were checked off the tour as we went along, the Chief running his hand along the tops of the outer walls and doors of the toilets, the storage          and equipment lockers inspected revealed various states of upkeep which did not amuse! I quickly sensed that the Chief wasn't impressed with a sloppy work ethic.
       
       The 'tour' wended its way aft towards the cafeteria/dining room and seeing the room almost full of hungry travellers, I hadn't realized we were underway, totally out
       of the Bay and heading west.
       Waste bins were noted throughout the dining area and as we went into the galley and through the back door onto the 'flats' the Chief posed an unexpected question.
       "You smoke"? "Ahhh, yeah, not a lot I stammered". "Well if you want to sometime, stay out here and then throw the butt down the big chute inside the door here".
        Old Tommy the Chief was a right handed, two, dark yellow-fingered puffer.

        So there I was catching wafts of the Chief's fumes whilst gazing at the Red Ensign as it snapped about, propelled by a stiff Howe Sound breeze.
        We were well past Cowan Point by the time I was unleashed to begin harnessing mops, buckets, push brooms, spray cans of cleaning goop, garbage bags et al as
        B-watch busboy # 2.
        As the day progressed, I began to realize that this boat was new! Everything was shiny, and bright. Everything worked as one might expect it to. That was a less
        than subtle incentive to keep our new boat up to snuff, as it were.
     
        Throughout the day as I became acquainted with most of the catering staff, I sensed that many of these folks came from various backgrounds with divergent work
        resumes, degrees of humour and less enamouring human qualities but that was the first-day melting pot into which I'd begun my varied, interesting, and very
        rewarding journey with B.C. Ferries.
        My first day's watch felt at times, never-ending yet the two round trips to Departure Bay actually dispelled those feelings. At least tomorrow I thought would be
        much easier as I knew what, where, when and how to get the job done. This was going to be a blast!
        That sense of whatever the heck one feels at the end of one day and looking forward to the next, sometimes takes a grand detour......as we would hear at the 
        end of the one and only day I would crew on the Queen of Sidney.
        
       
                
 

  

  
        
          
           
  
       
      
         
         
  
       

[coastal memories]

Seeing the Queen of Sidney in her present state on the Fraser River is a shame. During her time on the New Westminster waterfront, I held out hope that she was a tourist attraction in the making.

Now on to better memories!

I remember sailing on her from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen in the early 1970's. The restaurant still had table service while the stretched vessels had the cafeterias. I remember the waiters wearing the blue jackets. It felt so classy.


My only complaint was (keep in mind that I was about 4) was there was no newsstand for me to buy a comic book at.

[Deleted]

I personaly plan to Become CEO of BC Ferries by the year 2040, although currently an american citizen I am going to move to Canada when I turn 18. After becoming CEO or before Becoming CEO I will atempt to buy and restore the MV Queen of Sidney to make it look like it was just built yesterday, I will have to get lots of goverment support in order to do this, however for what I now about BC Ferries for an 11 year old, this will be a piece of cake.

[Low Light Mike]

Apr 25, 2019 19:00:09 GMT -8 @chase said:

I personaly plan to Become CEO of BC Ferries by the year 2040, although currently an american citizen I am going to move to Canada when I turn 18. After becoming CEO or before Becoming CEO I will atempt to buy and restore the MV Queen of Sidney to make it look like it was just built yesterday, I will have to get lots of goverment support in order to do this, however for what I now about BC Ferries for an 11 year old, this will be a piece of cake.

Poorly spelled satire aside, I'm curious what you think a Washington equivalent is, to compare to the Queen of Sidney and her fate.

Would it be the M/V Olympic, on the beach at Ketron Island?

Speaking of restoration, an old ferry, a trip video, and a satire post have this thing in common: They all look better when the time is taken to carefully present them in the best quality way that you can do. A good idea needs good execution.
- The fun thing about video work is that you can keep editing as much as you like, taking the time to try all sorts of new ideas to make it polished and presentable.

[Jessica]

So for some reason one of my friends has wanted to make a new company called BC Speakers and has wanted to repair the Queen of Sidney and put it on some random route to compete with BC Ferries. I don't think it would be possible to repair the Queen of Sidney at its current state and I also wouldn't want to see BC Speakers become a ferry company.

[Neil]

Dec 31, 2019 18:28:37 GMT -8 Jessica said:

So for some reason one of my friends has wanted to make a new company called BC Speakers and has wanted to repair the Queen of Sidney and put it on some random route to compete with BC Ferries. I don't think it would be possible to repair the Queen of Sidney at its current state and I also wouldn't want to see BC Speakers become a ferry company.

This post is baffling, so I wonder if someone has had an early start on New Year's Eve lubrication.

Although... you mention speakers, and today in my new White Rock condo, I packed Christmas away, and set up my stereo, which had been in storage for several months. Thirty five year old Advent speakers. They sound great! But they still won't bring the poor old Queen of Sidney back to life.