How did you get your Nimpkish ?

[Low Light Mike]

With all the attention being showered upon the mighty ship NIMPKISH this week, the question to be asked is for those who have ridden this fine & tiny ship:

- How did you get your Nimpkish?

ie. What were the circumstances of the trip? What special efforts were required? Do you remember the on-board experience and what was memorable about it?


For those who haven't gone Nimpkish yet, but have seen her live and in-person, what was the circumstance for that sighting?

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We've said before that it's the Kwuna that's the furthest-away BCF ferry to get to, for those of us who live in the south-west corner of BC. But I'd say that it's the Nimpkish that is the hardest ship to get to, re riding her in revenue service.

She's only a part-year ship, in the absolute most remote part of BCF's territory. To ride her route, you need to go in offseason, and deliberately break-off a trip on Route-10 part-way at Bella Bella. Or you could drive to her home-port in Bella Coola, but that would also result in the word "remote" being used.

[Neil]

Not very exotic or difficult to get to, but I believe the Nimpkish subbed in for the Albert J Savoie here at Hornby back in the '80s. I  also remember a wild ride to Cortes in the winter- barely being able to walk without holding on-  many years back.

[WettCoast]

I can see myself arranging a Nimpkish trip.  I would drive to Williams Lake, & possibly meet up with others there.  We would then drive out to BC, BC, where we would board the mighty Nimpkish for its connecting trip to BB, BC.  There we would connect with the south bound NorEx.  October anyone?

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BTW, we need to have an annual 'awards night' on the WCFF.  I'd suggest we name these awards the 'Nimpkishes', and that they be given out for really positive developments.  I can't think of an example off-hand.  There would also be 'negative' awards, the 'Wacks'.  Recipients could include Swartz Bay based crews who have yet to figure out how to use the Coastal class horns.

[Low Light Mike]

I got my Nimpkish back in February 2007, when she was subbing on the Cortes route.

It was a group trip, and I know Scott and Ferryman were there, and "Ferry Freak Shane" was also there. A quick over and back, with no bridge-tour (we asked, but were turned down).

- A few weeks earlier, myself and Mrs. Horn, along with John & Jenn, and a young 'tween MileagePhoto with father tried for the Nimpkish on the Cortes route. However, this was in the pre-SiiTech days, and we got to Heriot Bay expecting to ride the Nimpkish but the Tenaka was still there instead.

[Ferryman]

Jun 5, 2013 20:30:04 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

I got my Nimpkish back in February 2007, when she was subbing on the Cortes route.

It was a group trip, and I know Scott and Ferryman were there, and "Ferry Freak Shane" was also there. A quick over and back, with no bridge-tour (we asked, but were turned down).

- A few weeks earlier, myself and Mrs. Horn, along with John & Jenn, and a young 'tween MileagePhoto with father tried for the Nimpkish on the Cortes route. However, this was in the pre-SiiTech days, and we got to Heriot Bay expecting to ride the Nimpkish but the Tenaka was still there instead.

I was there for that trip, and remember it fairly well. I think that was the time you and I drove up to Campbell River together and met the rest of the gang.

I managed to dig into the archives of photos that I managed to salvage from my old Fotopic account, which had a window of opportunity for everyone to go in and download all of their photos and before they finally shut it down fairly recently.


Nimpkish at Heriot Bay, Quadra Island by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr


MV Nimpkish Car Deck by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr


MV Nimpkish Starboard Passenger Lounge by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr


MV Nimpkish at Cortes Island by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr

Some tourists who were thrilled to be traveling on the mighty Nimpkish at the time.


Some of the traveling Public by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr


Cars boarding the MV Nimpkish by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr

[Deleted]

I was lucky enough to get my Nimpkish (As well as Albert J Savoie & Nicola) when we were loaned them as relief vessels for the Garibaldi II. As I recall, they were spare boats and in less than great shape. The current edition of Nimpkish looks to be in pretty good shape! Sometimes they were delivered to and from Allied Shipyard by BC Ferries crews and other times we picked them up with our crews. I delivered one of them to Deas Dock from Allied Shipyard but I don't remember which one. They were fun boats to operate and seemed smaller than the Garibaldi II due to the smaller upper housework. Being licensed for only 154 passengers and crew and the GII 400 made for some interesting changes. During pulp mill maintenance shut downs we would actually carry 400 passengers and sometimes have to turn extras away until the next sailing. The main car deck both port and starboard were enclosed in plastic sheeting and plywood with folding chairs for seating. We had a bunch of extra rafts and totes of life jackets on the car deck aft. We also had a steel wedge welded to the main deck at the stern for the Woodfibre ramp to rest against and to keep us from backing into the pontoon. At the bow we removed the planks from the notch to allow the Darrell Bay ramp to fit into it. They were nicely equipped with modern fire and life boat equipment and I quite enjoyed running them.

[Curtis]

It's been almost 10 years since I got my Nimpkish. It was kind of a fluke I managed to get aboard her.

I remember it being around the same time the third Matrix movie was released so that was Fall 2003. I was with my Dad, Uncle, and Cousin after a day of Prawning on Texada. We had rode over on the NIP that morning, but when we arrived at Blubber Bay in the late afternoon, we found her parked at the wharf next to the Blubber Bay Berth and broken down. Fortunately, the Tachek and Nimpkish were tied up in Blubber Bay at this time so there was no problem finding another vessel.

Now it's a no-brainer the Tachek would have replaced the NIP in any other situation, however, she was sandwiched between the dolphin and the Nimpkish, so guess which vessel ended up in service... yup, the vessel with a third the vehicle capacity of the NIP. Sure enough we didn't make the sailing we intended to be on, I got aboard the Nimpkish though so I'm not complaining. I believe a day or two after this was the first time the Bowen Queen relieved on Route 18, something she hasn't done since 2004.

It's a shame to think she is the most difficult vessel to get to now. I'd be game for taking the Route 10 detour to get there though. Out of all the vessels I've been aboard the last 10 Years excluding the QotN and QPR she's the only one I've yet to photograph aboard.

[Nick]

My Nimpkish technically has an asterisk next to it as she wasn't in revenue service at the time. I was on as a guest of a BCF employee during a relocation trip in 2007.

[Deleted]

I've never been aboard the Nimpkish, and she will likely be one of the last vessels checked off my list. I'm thinking she will make an appearance on route 24 again at some point in the next 4 years or so. With the Cable Ferry entering service, I doubt the Kahloke will replace the Tachek on an open water route. The Tachek will need a refit eventually, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Nimpkish returns to the route during the quiet season.