QUEEN OF TSAWWASSEN - Photos & Discussion

[Dane]

And at some point in the 1970s I believe there was a coffee bar-esque facility in there that was removed.

[Dane]

Correction to my above post. I believe the coffee bar facility was added in 1969, and it was removed in 1978 during BC Ferries' battle against food service losses. 1969 is also the year the restaurant was converted into a cafeteria style facility.

[Low Light Mike]

Also keep in mind that on the Sidney/Tsawwassen, the upper-deck area closest to the stern was an outside sundeck, right up to today.

The Sidney / Tsawwassen upper inside-lounge only extended from mid-ships to part-way between mid-ships & the stern.

On the V-Class ships, the upper aft lounge / dining room / whatever enclosed area extends all the way aft to the stern.

[Mill Bay]

Oct 3, 2008 11:13:22 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Also keep in mind that on the Sidney/Tsawwassen, the upper-deck area closest to the stern was an outside sundeck, right up to today.

The Sidney / Tsawwassen upper inside-lounge only extended from mid-ships to part-way between mid-ships & the stern.

On the V-Class ships, the upper aft lounge / dining room / whatever enclosed area extends all the way aft to the stern.

On the original V's and B's, however, before the shenanigans with stretching and all, they also had the upper sundeck lounge configured much the same as the Sidney and Tsawwassen, with windows on both sides and across the stern. And they all originally had full-service restaurants, not highschool cafeterias, but true formal 'dining saloons' with real silverware, waiters that came to the table and linen table dressings. There was also the now famous horseshoe cafeteria layout as well, which featured a horsehoe counter in the center of the cafeterias with stools around it as a sandwich couter.

It wasn't until after stretching that they were subjected to the unsightly square box across their sterns to house facilities for the fabled buffet lounge. I'm curious though. In the Vancouver's former buffet lounge, she has the mirrored ceiling where the serving area would have been. Any idea what the reason was for the mirrored slats that go across the raised ceiling in the center of the Tsawwassen's cafeteria.

[bcferryfan87]

thanks for all the photos; it's good to see how it was laid out - for curiousity purposes. The back of the ships is alot like how they did the design of the spirits; that is, you can sit at the back of the ship; all the esq, vancouver, saanich, etc you don't have that option due to the stretching and cafeteria expansion etc.

I'm still trying to work something to get on the Tsawwassen (I know it's retired) but if I can't, I've had a pretty good look at things so I can put this curiousity to bed as it were. Thanks again

[Northern Exploration]

I will check when I get home but I think the later sisters to the Tswwassen and the Sidney had a slightly larger lounge upstairs but it still had some seating at the rear of the upper deck. You are right that as part of the stretching a full service dining room was put in place of the upper rear lounge and the kitchen/service area was above the cafeteria kitchen at the aft of the vessel. There was a full menu and I always looked forward to the Salmon. Back then the ocean was the garbage dump and we used to watch the kitchen staff throw garbage off the back of the ferry and the clouds of seagulls that followed would go swooping after it. The cafeteria was on the main deck. Later the dining room was converted to a buffet.

[chinook2]

Sidney and Tsawwassen never had the enclosed space on the upper deck that was added on the Victoria class vessels during stretching. The upper lounge on Tsawwassen was the original restaurant, it become the coffee shop in 1961 when the restaurant structure was added to the aft main deck. The roof of the restaurant became open deck seating, which was largely unchanged at retirement. And it is true that the coffee shop was tossed in favor of the upper lounge in the late 1970s.

The pre stretch Victoria Class ships had a near identical restaurant to the Sidney class, but the coffee shop was hole in the wall counter service, the window was in the aft wall of the aft lounge on the main deck. Sandwiches, donuts, and they made an awesome milkshake the real kind on one of those milkshake makers. This area became overload seating for the new caf during the conversion. The upstairs dining room was an upscale version of the more cafe style restaurant. And the former open sun deck was of course replaced by the semi enclosed solariums in the new mid section. The Sidney class cafs were based on the Victoria style plan, but were built within the existing restaurant space, not extended out to the waterline as on the newer ships.

Sidney and Tsawwassen also had newsstands, smaller than the Vics, but the same counter service, sold magazines, film, candy and souveniers.
They were located where the handicapped washrooms were later installed in a corner of the mid ship stairwell area. That modification was probably made when elevators were installed in the 1980s. The newsstands on the Vics were originally in the space on the outboard side of the
port side entry passage to the forward lounge.

[Deleted]

she still looks like a BC Ferry to us.

[Ferryman]

Just before the Sidney was retired, she had a news stand in the mid lounge on the main promenade deck, on the port side just before the door that leads to the main staircase to the car deck. The Tsawwassen however, did not. The upper lounge on the Tsawwassen was a great place to escape from the crowds on the lower decks, because access to it was best known by the regular travellers. On the main promenade deck in the mid lounge, there was a closed door near the mens washroom, that had a sign on it that said "Access to Sundeck Lounge". Most people would walk right past it without noticing. But you'd be glad if you did notice it, because that was a nice and warm lounge to sit in during the cold damp days of winter. The Sidney actually had a kids play area up in the Sundeck lounge, right at the port side of the aft windows. Again, the Tsawwassen didn't have that, at least during all of the times I've been on her in the past 2 years.

Maybe if I get some free time this weekend, I'll post a video of this lounge. I plan to include footage of this lounge, along with a video tour of the ship in my farewell DVD that is in the making. So consider this a treat, as I wasn't planning on posting any footage of that on the internet.

[Low Light Mike]

Oct 3, 2008 18:34:15 GMT -8 Ferryman said:

The upper lounge on the Tsawwassen was a great place to escape from the crowds on the lower decks, because access to it was best known by the regular travellers. On the main promenade deck in the mid lounge, there was a closed door near the mens washroom, that had a sign on it that said "Access to Sundeck Lounge". Most people would walk right past it without noticing. But you'd be glad if you did notice it, because that was a nice and warm lounge to sit in during the cold damp days of winter.

I did lots of studying for my accounting exams in 1993 & 1994 in the Sidney's upper aft lounge. My favourite spot was the port-side row of chairs, closest to the bow (really, closest to mid-ships). There were usually a few coffee-tables that you could use, to put between the rows of chairs.

I hated that they put the kids' play area in that same lounge. ;D

[chinook2]

Too many years since I rode the Tsawwassen, but I recall there was a play area in the sundeck lounge back in 1992 when I last rode her.

Never did get up to visit the Sidney in her latter career up north, but it is interesting that when the elevators and related accessibility work was done on the two ships in the 1980s, that the newsstand was moved on one, and trashed on the other. My theory is that at the time, before Capilano, Cumbie, and the Wack came along, BCF assumed the Tsawwassen would spend the rest of its summers on rte. 6, which had never had newstand service.

[Nick]

Umm, route 6 is Vesuvius --> Crofton. I'm not aware of any time the Tsawwassen spent any time on that route, and that there was actually demand for a ship of that size on it. Are you possibly thinking of route 9 (Tsawwassen to SGI)?

[Ferryman]

Here's some details on the Tsawwassen that was released during the ceremony.

-Her original Twin Mirrlees engines have run for a total of 270,000 hours, which have been completely overhauled 12 times

-She has burned 210,000,000 litres of fuel

-She has sail 3.9 million Nautical Miles. Enough to sail around the world 180 times.

Finally, here's a group photo that was taken on a BCF workers' camera. It was sent to Esquimalt Queen, which was forwarded to some of us.

[Low Light Mike]

I look like I'm buzzing my lips to play a flugel horn or trumpet.

Oct 6, 2008 18:30:43 GMT -8 Ferryman said:

[Deleted]

Nice Picture!

Now who are these people. Left to right--------

Thankyou

[Ferryman]

From left to right we have:

(Back row) NewFlyer, Alex, Coastal Skier, Myself, Esquimalt Queen, Nick, John H, Mill Bay

(Front row) Karl (in the blue), Flugel Horn, Mirrlees, and Neil

[Mike C]

I look like a used car salesman making a pitch

[Northern Exploration]

Hmm who was taking the picture? Flug it kind of looks like you were getting ready to blow a kiss to someone. Maybe it was a good bye one to the Queen of Tswwassen. NewFlyer it looks like you are selling tickets for a sailing of the Queen of Richmond, not used cars.

[chinook2]

Oops! Route 5 of course. Tsawwassen was there for summers of 87 and 88 for sure, possibly 89.

[Mike C]

Oct 8, 2008 0:11:43 GMT -8 chinook2 said:

Oops! Route 5 of course. Tsawwassen was there for summers of 87 and 88 for sure, possibly 89.

I would love a cafeteria on Route 5... ;D

Seriously though, that's very interesting... but I guess it would make sense though.

[Nick]

So, I was browsing the Transport Canada vessel registration site, and what did I find?

www.tc.gc.ca/ShipRegistry/detail.asp?lang=e&ShipID=312277&category=all

Long story short, I think this means the Queen of Tsawwassen is now known as the Inlet Explorer. According to this, she was sold to Helifor Canada, which confirms the rumours that she was sold to a heli-logging company (Helifor is Interfor's heli-logging division).

This is a great thing in my opinion, as my uncle is a helicopter mechanic for Helifor, and is sent to logging camps all over the place. Pictures are a definite possibility!

This site doesn't explicitly say that it was the Queen of Tsawwassen, but the characteristics are identical, right down to the date of registry.

[Northern Exploration]

Unless the Queen of Richmond has been sold with none of us knowing anything about it. You never know as she keeps herself cloaked in that proverbial fog bank of secresy.

Good digging Nick that is great information.

[Ferryman]

Just to give everyone an update. I drove past Deas on Hwy 99 this afternoon, and caught a glimpse of the Tsawwassen, with no name, and no logo. All that remains is the Blue Stripe, and a blue funnel.

[sunshinecoastkid]

That's crazy!, did you happen to get any pictures?

[Nick]

So, apparently Miss Tsawwassen has made a comeback.