D'Elete BC in NJ
Voyager 
Dispensing gallons of useless information daily...
Posts: 1,671
|
Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Apr 20, 2009 10:35:47 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by Esquimalt Queen on Apr 20, 2009 10:58:29 GMT -8
Senior Master Orval Bouchard just emailed me this photo, and asked me to share it with the forum.  The QPR looks like a little girl compared to the other two.  ...I just noticed that Markus posted it as well. Posting it again can't hurt? The above photo has been used in the BC Ferries bulletin "Queen of Prince Rupert Officially Retired From BC Ferries' Fleet" QUEEN OF PRINCE RUPERT OFFICIALLY RETIRED FROM BC FERRIES’ FLEETVICTORIA – After 43 years of valuable service, the Queen of Prince Rupert was officially retired today from BC Ferries’ fleet at a special ceremony in Prince Rupert attended by over 200 members of the public. The arrival of the brand new Northern Expedition, which will enter service on the Port Hardy – Prince Rupert route next month, allows for the retirement of the Queen of Prince Rupert. Dawn of a New EraBC Ferries’ Northern Expedition, Northern Adventure and the Queen of Prince Rupert in Prince Rupert Harbour on April 19, 2009. This is the only time that all three vessels were in the same location together. www.bcferries.com/bcferries/faces/attachments?id=97013 |
|
Quatchi
Voyager
Engineering Officer - CCG
Posts: 930
|
Post by Quatchi on Apr 20, 2009 11:36:56 GMT -8
Cool to the max. It looks like BCF gives a %&^*.
Cheers,
|
|
|
|
Post by Nickfro on Apr 20, 2009 11:47:04 GMT -8
It shocks me how the Northern Adventure looks closer to the Queen of Prince Rupert in size than compared to the Northern Expedition. When I have driven by Deas with the NorAd there, she looks quite big from the stern. I think I'm gonna get a big reality check when I see the NorEx up close and in person for the first time!
|
|
Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,887 
|
Post by Mill Bay on Apr 20, 2009 11:47:18 GMT -8
Cool to the max. It looks like BCF gives a %&^*. Yeah... weird. I'm surprised they didn't just do a really bad photo-editing work again. It's interesting to see the progression of shapes from one ship to the next but, of the three, I still think the QPR looks the most like an actual ship. It's cool that the Norad has the twin funnels like the QPR, but she just has such an awkward shape, she just doesn't really fit in at all. |
|
Quatchi
Voyager
Engineering Officer - CCG
Posts: 930
|
Post by Quatchi on Apr 20, 2009 11:58:21 GMT -8
I've been thinking. In the picture the NorEx looks quite good. The NorAd looks so stupid with her short bow, steep front wall, funnels so far to the stern and fat stern. The QPR looks old and tired, but still like more of a ship than the others. I must say though I'm pretty impressed with the NorEx, she is a big fat European ship that doesn't look like shes a big fat ugly block. Congrats FSG on designing a functional ship that doesn't look like feces.
Cheers,
|
|
FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,956
|
Post by FNS on Apr 20, 2009 13:22:09 GMT -8
By the looks of it, BCF's northern "in-service" tracker shows the QUEEN OF PRINCE RUPERT commencing her final voyage south. I've been watching this today. First movement came just after 1300. She went east a bit from the terminal to a point most likely off downtown Prince Rupert. Then, she proceeded out with a throttle set at or less than ten knots while passing the shorelines of her namesake city. She is now traveling at about her normal speed.  orca.bcferries.com:8080/cc/settings/includes/maps/route13.html |
|
|
|
Post by DENelson83 on Apr 20, 2009 13:24:47 GMT -8
Goodbye, Quipper... After over 40 years of service, Prince Rupert is gonna miss you.
|
|
|
|
Post by norex on Apr 20, 2009 14:36:42 GMT -8
More whitles today at 1:00 PM. After the decommissioning ceremony, the QPR did a "final" habour tour in Prince Rupert before heading south to Deas Dock. She came right up to the NOREX at the cruise ship terminal, water hoses on both side, water hoses on the NOREX, and a big harbour tug with very powerful water jets standing near by for the final tribute... Then she headed down the harbour slowly with water jets on both sides... Just a wonderful sight...  |
|
Doug
Voyager
Lurking within...the car deck.
Posts: 2,213
|
Post by Doug on Apr 20, 2009 14:37:09 GMT -8
Wow...stunning is an understatement. I'd have never imagined they perform such a formation for "tribute" purposes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Apr 20, 2009 15:06:29 GMT -8
After the decommissioning ceremony, the Queen of Prince Rupert did a final sail past of Prince Rupert Harbour, now is heading South to Tsawwassen to unload some crew vehicles and then its off to Deas Marine Pacific for final tie-up.
|
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Apr 20, 2009 15:15:39 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by Curtis on Apr 20, 2009 15:18:37 GMT -8
I'm really kind of surprised they decided to give her such a stellar send-off. Probably hasn't had something like that occur since her maiden voyage. It also makes me wonder what kind of send-off the QotN would have had.
|
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Apr 20, 2009 15:29:56 GMT -8
Captain Stephen Poole, Marine Superintendent, North Coast Operations, got the message through, load and clear to the 'suits' in Victoria as to how deeply the residents of the BC North Coast love and respect the Queen of Prince Rupert and are very grateful for the invaluable and for the most part reliable service to those Northern communities over her 43 years of operation.
The list of dignitaries attending the Decommissioning Ceremony does not seem to include the President & CEO of BC Ferry Services Inc, Mr. David Hahn, please correct me if I'm in error on this, but if he was available to attend and did not, I believe strongly that he should have.
|
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Apr 20, 2009 15:43:52 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Apr 20, 2009 16:07:18 GMT -8
I`m no doubt doing something wrong but I can`t seem do post single pictures on a thread without using the entire hyperlink. Can any seasoned members help me out with this please?
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,305
|
Post by Neil on Apr 20, 2009 16:43:13 GMT -8
I'm really kind of surprised they decided to give her such a stellar send-off. Probably hasn't had something like that occur since her maiden voyage. It also makes me wonder what kind of send-off the QotN would have had. It would have been surprising, and disappointing, if they hadn't made something of a fuss over her retirement. Letting the general public on to say goodbye was essential. The retirement of the Vs elicited very little public interest because most people never formed an attachment to them. I think the public essentially saw them as marine buses, plain and unadorned, sailing back and forth every hour to Vancouver Island. The Queen of Prince Rupert was more of a throwback to the coastal steamer days, when a trip out was an event, not something you did every day, and when one particular ship was the connection to the outside world. In '66 the ' Rupert made going south a lot easier for people on the north coast, and she was there for most of the next forty something years, pioneering ferry service to Haida Gwaii along the way, and helping establish service to the central coast as well. She wasn't 'just another ferry' as the Vs were- she was the ferry to a lot of people. Her excellent service deserved to be noted, and while two fine vessels have marked the transition to a new era, I think the ' Rupert will join the respected ranks of the coastal steamers who went before her. |
|
|
|
Post by Mac Write on Apr 20, 2009 17:42:20 GMT -8
Anyone get any video? That would have been worth attending in person and filming. I wish the V's and QoT had had this kind of send off.
|
|
FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,956
|
Post by FNS on Apr 20, 2009 17:58:31 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by crazyferrydude on Apr 20, 2009 18:25:22 GMT -8
What a marvelous send off for the QPR. It is certainly and end of an era.
|
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 20, 2009 19:06:45 GMT -8
Regarding the fabulous Prince Rupert trio photo:
Someone needs to photo-shop the Queen of the North into that photo, as close to scale as possible. That would be a neat comparison to see.
|
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Apr 20, 2009 19:14:43 GMT -8
I am back from Rupert. I met Graham (Retro) there. He was on board for the last sailing. He also got water level shots of the three boat line up. I will be posting some photos & videos shortly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Canucks on Apr 20, 2009 19:43:32 GMT -8
That is an amazing picture of the three boats lined up. Despite my dislike for the Norad I must say that her bow looks pretty spiffy between all of them. I am looking forward to any photos to come.
|
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Apr 20, 2009 19:49:50 GMT -8
This message is for anyone in the neighbourhood (Campbell River - Comox Valley) wishing to get last pics...
Captain Lomax told me that she would likely be passing through Seymour Narrows tomorrow at about 14:00 PDT.
|
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Apr 20, 2009 20:01:30 GMT -8
I had a late lunch with Graham (Retro) at Smiles in Prince Rupert following the ceremony. We looked through some of Graham's pics on my laptop. He has many excellent photos of the three boat display, including the one below.  3 Northern BC Ferries - ~5:30 pm, 19 Apr 2009 ( photo © G A Johnson) Other pics & videos that follow are mine. Video 1 from the ceremony...  The Captain & Mrs Murray with what is left of the Champayne Bottle  Mrs Murray christened the QPR in 1965. The bottle presented to Capt Lomax is what is left of that original bottle of champagne. Water Works Rupert Harbour - QPR & NorEx - 20 Apr 2009  QPR Water Works in Rupert Harbour  Larger size here. Whistle in the Harbour  QPR sailing off into history off of Ridley Coal Terminal - 20 Apr 2009  |
|
