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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 10, 2013 18:14:39 GMT -8
Arrow Park cable ferry, seen by me in the afternoon of September 10, 2013. - this is located an approximate 20 minute drive south of Nakusp, BC. Yes, this "Arrow Lake" really is the Columbia River. Touchdown on the highway side of the lake.  In the middle of the narrow part of Arrow Lakes.  --------- More photos and video of this vessel to be posted, in the weeks ahead. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 14, 2013 6:59:17 GMT -8
A new thread for photos, information and discussion on this Arrow Park cable ferry.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 14, 2013 20:18:05 GMT -8
Here are some shots from my September 2011 trip to the Arrow Lakes.: The Arrow Park Ferry  Her Builder's Plaque  It's a short 5 minute crossing.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 14, 2013 20:32:40 GMT -8
Here's a montage of photos from my Inland ferry trips this summer:    |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 15, 2013 13:58:50 GMT -8
A post on the history of the present Arrow Park cable ferry: Regarding the Harrop ferry, crossing the west arm of Kootenay Lake, between Balfour and Nelson BC.
When reading through my copy of "Ships of Steel", the story of Allied Shipbuilders Ltd., I noticed that Allied built a Harrop ferry, in 1961 (Hull #123). Page 122 of this book shows a photo of a ferry at Harrop, but it's a much older and smaller ferry than the one that I rode last month.
So, is the current Harrop ferry the one that was built by Allied in 1961? I didn't see a builder's-plaque on board. So I consulted my copy of Frank Clapp's booklet.
- Mr. Clapp says that a 1-lane steel barge ferry started service in 1947. Then in 1962 (built in 1961) a new 2-lane ferry with longer ramps was put into service. This would be the ship pictured on page 122 of "Ships of Steel" and on page #29 of Mr. Clapp's booklet.
- Ok, so the ship that I rode on must have been a newer ship, built sometime in the 1980s, I guess. I contacted Western Pacific Marine to ask about the current Harrop ferry, and here's the reply from them (many thanks for this) Ok, that was good to know: the current Harrop ferry is actually the old Nelson ferry, with some Castlegar/Robson service in between. - the current Harrop ferry is older than the previous Harrop ferry. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 17, 2013 5:05:18 GMT -8
My video of the Arrow Park cable ferry, seen by me in the afternoon of September 10, 2013.
This compilation shows views from shore and from on-board.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 2, 2013 16:49:46 GMT -8
Arrow Park cable ferry, seen by me on September 10, 2013. The essential item to photograph.  The map of the ship  Builder's plaque. - Where was the builder in Vancouver and what else did that shipyard do? This was a company that Arthur McLaren managed, located in False Creek area. The company had its hey-day during WWII doing mass production of wartime ships. The post-war transition to varied types of ships was tough on this company, and the owners' decision to fold the company was made in 1948. - This Arrow Park ferry's plaque says "1949" so obviously it took a bit of time to get the folding-plan completed and also this would be one of the last ships done by this old company. - After the West Coast Shipbuilds yard was shut, Arthur McLaren took the opportunity to lease a small portion of a property on False Creek and started a new shipyard that he named "Allied Builders." You might have heard of it.... - Page 120 of the book "Ships of Steel" mentions that during the late 1940s and early 1950s, many of the old wood inland ferries were replaced with new steel hull craft.  Simple control house (I don't know if I can call it a wheel house)  Looking to west-shore. - no "Quotation Marks" on the instruction signs on this ship (unlike the signs on the DEV Galena)  The south-side lane and the rescue boat. - most of the time, only 1 lane or less of traffic is carried on a sailing, just because of demand. The south-side lane is the one that's normally used, because the water line engine-cooling intakes are on the south side, and so they need to keep those intakes in the water (so not to put too much offsetting weight on the north side lane). And for a fake-lake that flows slowly southward, it's best to keep the weight on the down-stream side, for sea-keeping purposes.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 2, 2013 18:24:06 GMT -8
3 more action photos of the Arrow Park cable ferry, seen by me in the afternoon of September 10, 2013. - shot from the east shore. Arrival, with vehicles in the south-lane, of course.  -------------- Another arrival.  ---------- Heading over to east-shore to pick up the vehicle waiting there.  |
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 6, 2014 19:17:06 GMT -8
Today I travelled (with my wife) from Vernon to New Denver via the Needles ferry. Along the way we did a side trip down to see the Arrow Park ferry, & we had dinner & a walk-about in beautiful Nakusp. I did not ride the APF, but I did take a few photos, much the same as those taken by others, but with a bit of fall colours in the background.  Arrow Park Ferry - crosses the Arrow Lakes @ 'Arrow Park', south of Nakusp, BC
 Arrow Park Ferry, Arrow Lakes, south of Nakusp, BC - 6 October 2014
Both photos © WCK-JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
This ferry has a listed capacity of 24 vehicles & 75 passengers. I am guessing that it seldom carries more than a few cars, or a logging truck or two, & seldom more than a dozen passengers. Its 'percentage of capacity utilization', I would guess, is very low, probably the lowest of any ferry operating anywhere in BC. If this were a BC coastal ferry would it get 'Todd Stoned' (shut down). |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 6, 2014 20:26:00 GMT -8
This ferry has a listed capacity of 24 vehicles & 75 passengers. I am guessing that it seldom carries more than a few cars, or a logging truck or two, & seldom more than a dozen passengers. Its 'percentage of capacity utilization', I would guess, is very low, probably the lowest of any ferry operating anywhere in BC. If this were a BC coastal ferry would it get 'Todd Stoned' (shut down). Thanks for the Autumn view of this route and ship. The fallacy of Stonenomics aside, I remember from my visit last year to Arrow Park that this ferry was previously at Castlegar or Robson (before bridges were built). So perhaps at Castlegar or Robson both sides of this vessel were required for that area's traffic. I can't imagine that the up-lake lanes of this ship are ever used for traffic. They use the down-lake side for traffic because that helps keep the vessel stable with the lake's current. Both lanes aren't needed, because it's a very small population that is served by this ship. The west side of the lake is just too sparsely populated, and DCT Chambers trucks don't work the west side of this area. So this is an example of a surplus vessel from one area being made available to another area. The capacity for the new assignment was/is a bit excessive, but that's no reason to scrap a vessel only to build a slightly smaller one. All this shows that it is fallacy to only look at an empty side of a ship as reason to curtail sailings. There is usually more to the picture... |
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Post by WettCoast on Oct 6, 2014 20:46:13 GMT -8
I suspect that the average percentage of capacity utilized is something in the order of 5%. I gather that the boat just sits there on one side waiting for a customer. What is needed is something more similar to a reaction ferry that can carry say 4 cars, or one logging truck. It would have to be powered, though, as a reaction ferry needs more of a current then one would find at this place.
I don 't know what the crew complement is for this vessel. Hopefully its not more than two...
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 6, 2014 21:22:07 GMT -8
I suspect that the average percentage of capacity utilized is something in the order of 5%. I gather that the boat just sits there on one side waiting for a customer. What is needed is something more similar to a reaction ferry that can carry say 4 cars, or one logging truck. It would have to be powered, though, as a reaction ferry needs more of a current then one would find at this place. I don 't know what the crew complement is for this vessel. Hopefully its not more than two... From my visit there last year, I think the crew size is "One." Regarding the ship, something similar in size to the Adams Lake cable ferry or the Glade ferry would be more appropriate, and these are similar to the capacity that you've suggested. ...Adams Lake, Glade and Arrow Park ferries are all antiques. But they will eventually require replacement. |
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Post by Mike on Aug 21, 2019 17:13:18 GMT -8
Arrow Park II, as seen on August 9, 2019. I thought I was going to get lucky, and see a rare occurrence of a car being left behind, but the lone crew member had everyone move up a bit to make room for the last car to fit.  M/V Arrow Park II by Michael, on Flickr Obligatory shot of the builders plaque.  M/V Arrow Park II - Builders Plaque by Michael, on Flickr
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Post by Mike C on Mar 31, 2020 15:38:10 GMT -8
A note regarding the Arrow Park III on the MOTI Facebook page this afternoon:
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Post by Mike on Sept 30, 2020 11:51:18 GMT -8
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