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Post by Mike on Aug 20, 2017 8:42:11 GMT -8
As part of my holidays last month, I photographed and rode both Kootenay Lake ferries, having never been on them before. Here is a sampling of shots from a very hot July 25, 2017. Great idea to shoot from the Proctor/Harrop side of the lake arm. But of course that makes sense, because that's where the railway is. Some Google Maps satellite imagery sleuthing revealed a recently built public dock beside a boat launch ramp that was pretty much opposite the Balfour terminal. No trains showed up while I was there, but having a general idea of how the operations are timed, I didn't expect to see any. Between Cranbrook and Nelson, almost all movements are nocturnal. Edit: forgot to post this photo of one of the banners on the lampposts at Balfour, there were several different images. DSC_5479edit2 by Michael, on Flickr
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Post by Mike C on Feb 6, 2018 20:54:03 GMT -8
The provincial government is preparing to head to the first stage of implementing their Balfour Terminal project. Since it was determined that the terminal would not move to Queens Bay, the project will entail the following: - Expansion and renovation of the existing terminal (specifics to be determined in upcoming rounds of consultation) - Dredging around the berth and within West Arm - Planning a replacement for the MV Balfour (design affected by the non-move to Queens Bay) More information: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018TRAN0016-000154
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Post by Ferryman on May 19, 2018 22:24:00 GMT -8
Last week I did a whirlwind trip through the Kootenay's, not only to revisit places I used to go to as a kid, but to of course do a bit of ferry spotting to finish off my vacation/road trip. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to do a round trip on the Osprey 2000. But I'm definitely hoping for a second trip out there this summer. Until then, a few angles from Balfour terminal. MV Osprey 2000 by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr MV Balfour by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr Last but not least, I found it interesting that the MV Anscomb's wheelhouse was salvaged and put on display beside the holding lanes at Balfour Terminal. Wonderful overview of history posted next to it. Wheelhouse from the original MV Anscomb by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr
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Post by WettCoast on May 20, 2018 8:13:01 GMT -8
Last but not least, I found it interesting that the MV Anscomb's wheelhouse was salvaged and put on display beside the holding lanes at Balfour Terminal. Wonderful overview of history posted next to it. Wheelhouse from the original MV Anscomb by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr I gather that this wheelhouse from the Anscomb is actually the original wheelhouse that was removed from the vessel (along with everything else above the car deck) in 1972. After 1972 the Anscomb looked as in the photo below, and that post 1972 wheelhouse is still sitting on the bottom of Kootenay Lake.
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Post by WettCoast on May 20, 2018 12:52:20 GMT -8
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on May 20, 2018 14:40:18 GMT -8
Didn't see this posted after doing a quick search. A dive to the Anscomb. (Feel free to delete this post if I missed this elsewhere.)
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jun 16, 2018 8:01:10 GMT -8
Tuesday I was on the Osprey 2000 for three round trips. I parked at Balfour which was no problem parking along the fence by the holding compound. I walked on the 11:30am sailing and a few other people were walking on too for a round trip. I returned to Balfour stayed on the boat for a second round trip which was the 1:10pm sailing which was awesome I love that it's free and you could just ride back and forth all day. I did the second round trip then disembarked after arriving back at 2:35pm. What I found interesting about these trips is that they let foot passengers on before the cars were even offloaded from the previous sailing. Very different than BC Ferries that's for sure. After that I headed down to the Harrop Ferry did 5 round trips on that boat. Yes I said 5 round trips I was on the boat for 1hr and that was really fun just going back and forth and no one seemed to care at all. After that I made my way back to Balfour and did one more early evening round trip. Did the 6:10pm round trip. Most sailings were not full. The Osprey I will still say is so much nicer than the Skeena Queen she even has that Coffee Shop which seems to be run by some young girls. It is only open certain hours so after 6:30pm it's closed. All in all some fun inland ferry trips this week. Now time to head home. There are photos on Facebook.
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Post by Ferryman on Aug 1, 2018 8:05:57 GMT -8
I ended up traveling on the MV Balfour the other day from Crawford Bay to Balfour. It had been nearly 20 years since I had actually traveled on the run, and that was before the Osprey 2000 was even in existence. So I found it rather fitting to be traveling aboard the MV Balfour for this crossing. However, part of me wanted to be on the Osprey mostly to have a chance to compare it with the Skeena Queen. I learned something that I never knew up until this point. The Balfour has Right Angle Drives, two on either side near the stern and you can also see them while standing out on deck. As we made the turn around at Crawford Bay, noticed this as we started pushing ahead when water started flowing underneath an area on that's covered by grating, inboard of the rubbing strake. I had just assumed that she's twin screw like any other single ended ferry of that era would be. Anyways, a few shots from the voyage. BC Inland Ferry Travel by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr The one passenger (saddle) lounge that the Balfour has to offer, which exits on to a sundeck at the stern, Tenaka/Nimpkish style. The Saddle lounge on the port side is strictly crew only. BC Inland Ferry Travel by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr Passing the Osprey BC Inland Ferry Travel by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr BC Inland Ferry Travel by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr Making the final approach into Balfour on the Kootenay River BC Inland Ferry Travel by Deck-dog SSI, on Flickr
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Post by WettCoast on Aug 1, 2018 10:04:56 GMT -8
I learned something that I never knew up until this point. The Balfour has Right Angle Drives, two on either side near the stern and you can also see them while standing out on deck. As we made the turn around at Crawford Bay, noticed this as we started pushing ahead when water started flowing underneath an area on that's covered by grating, inboard of the rubbing strake. I had just assumed that she's twin screw like any other single ended ferry of that era would be. Almost certainly she was retrofitted with RADs in the not too distant past. The history is likely similar to that of the propulsion systems on the PRQ trio.
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 28, 2019 9:08:02 GMT -8
This should put pressure on the Kootenay Lake ferry crossing ...
Edit: The situation is made much worse as only the 28-car Balfour is in service. Highway 3 is down for 24 hours and only the small ferry is in service. I guess the Osprey 2000 is having a refit.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 28, 2019 17:43:05 GMT -8
According to Drive BC they are saying that it's like a 10 hour wait to cross Kootenay Lake and the Balfour is in shuttle mode. They do not mention if it is running 24 hours like they usually do when the highway is closed but I assume they would be. 28 vehicles is not a lot plus you have tractor trailers that would take up the whole ship pretty much. Not a good day to be taking that ferry. Where does the Osprey go when she goes out for maintenance?? Both sides look pretty congested. This would be a time they could use those old Shelter Bay boats if they were around!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 28, 2019 18:39:37 GMT -8
This would be a time they could use those old Shelter Bay boats if they were around! ...And if the boats could fly over a mountain range.
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Post by Mike C on Mar 28, 2019 19:08:38 GMT -8
This should put pressure on the Kootenay Lake ferry crossing ...
Edit: The situation is made much worse as only the 28-car Balfour is in service. Highway 3 is down for 24 hours and only the small ferry is in service. I guess the Osprey 2000 is having a refit.
The Osprey 2000 cannot physically operate due to low water levels in the West Arm - so even if she was not in refit, she would still be inoperable. Talk about bad timing...
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 28, 2019 20:52:51 GMT -8
The Osprey 2000 cannot physically operate due to low water levels in the West Arm - so even if she was not in refit, she would still be inoperable. Talk about bad timing... Maybe they should have moved that terminal, or at the very least do some dredging ...
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 28, 2019 20:54:26 GMT -8
This would be a time they could use those old Shelter Bay boats if they were around! ...And if the boats could fly over a mountain range. Did not the Lloyd Jones "fly over a mountain range" way back when? There are a few other boats that have "taken wing" also. The Kuper comes to mind.
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Post by Mike C on Mar 28, 2019 22:16:28 GMT -8
The Osprey 2000 cannot physically operate due to low water levels in the West Arm - so even if she was not in refit, she would still be inoperable. Talk about bad timing... Maybe they should have moved that terminal, or at the very least do some dredging ... Rewinding a couple years, the MoTI proposed moving the Balfour terminal to Queens Bay. My recollection is that the MoTI wanted this move to lower crossing times, such that it would eliminate the need for a second vessel in the summer months. This project was axed at the behest of nearby residents in Queens Bay and the west side of the lake. The compromise was to modify and expand the existing terminal at Balfour with dredging operations in West Arm, but that work has yet to take place.
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Post by WettCoast on Mar 29, 2019 10:59:41 GMT -8
It makes me scratch my head thinking about a run that is twice the length it needs to be, and that they can't run the big boat due to low water & lack of dredging. But its all okay, tax-payers pick up the tab for the entire operation. Quite the contrast from what happens in coastal BC.
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 29, 2019 16:46:40 GMT -8
Big news out this afternoon re a replacement vessel for the Balfour, and terminal upgrades on the Kootenay Lake crossing ...
Balfour terminal improvements link
Kootenay Bay terminal improvements link
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Post by Kahloke on Apr 29, 2019 17:49:15 GMT -8
Big news out this afternoon re a replacement vessel for the Balfour, and terminal upgrades on the Kootenay Lake crossing ...
Nice looking ferry, and I like the artist renditions of the improved shoreside facilities. Thanks for posting.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Apr 29, 2019 19:02:45 GMT -8
Big news out this afternoon re a replacement vessel for the Balfour, and terminal upgrades on the Kootenay Lake crossing ...
Image curtescy of the BC Government Flickr site
Balfour terminal improvements link
Kootenay Bay terminal improvements linkI have say that vessels looks ugly, hopefully they can refine the design. Hopefully the passenger lounge is accessible to ever one.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on Apr 29, 2019 20:25:07 GMT -8
Big news out this afternoon re a replacement vessel for the Balfour, and terminal upgrades on the Kootenay Lake crossing ...
Image curtescy of the BC Government Flickr site
Balfour terminal improvements link
Kootenay Bay terminal improvements linkI have say that vessels looks ugly, hopefully they can refine the design. Hopefully the passenger lounge is accessible to ever one. Great news... I wish they could take future needs into account as much on the coast, and not just design vessels that are about the same size as the ones they're replacing. It's pretty clear from the rendering that there is a passenger lounge on the car deck. In this day and age, I don't think there's any need to worry about accessibility. The Balfour is a funky old vessel, unique in design on the lakes, or the coast. Sad to see her go, but time marches on.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Apr 29, 2019 20:34:19 GMT -8
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 29, 2019 21:07:49 GMT -8
More information about this vessel, she will include a snack bar. She will be main vessel Balfour route instead of MV Osprey 2000. The MV Osprey 2000 will be shifted to Peak Season service only. What you have written is not quite true. The Osprey 2000 will remain as the number 1 vessel in summer & in spring/fall shoulder season. It is only during the low demand months (November through March) that she will be parked in favour of the new boat. The new boat will also (of course) provide the supplementary capacity in the summer time, as the Balfour does now, but with significantly more vehicle space available.
The new boat is designed to be converted over to pure battery-electric operation in about 10 years time.
Now, I have a money saving idea for the BC Government. Get the ship yard that is currently building the new 'Island class' vessels for the BC coast to prefab an additional one, but not to assemble it beyond 'chunks' that can be shipped by container via sea & rail/road for assembly on the shore of Kootenay Lake. The Island class vessels and this Kootenay Lake vessel seem to be fairly similar in form, function & capacity.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 30, 2019 9:19:09 GMT -8
More information about this vessel, she will include a snack bar. She will be main vessel Balfour route instead of MV Osprey 2000. The MV Osprey 2000 will be shifted to Peak Season service only. What you have written is not quite true. The Osprey 2000 will remain as the number 1 vessel in summer & in spring/fall shoulder season. It is only during the low demand months (November through March) that she will be parked in favour of the new boat. The new boat will also (of course) provide the supplementary capacity in the summer time, as the Balfour does now, but with significantly more vehicle space available.
The new boat is designed to be converted over to pure battery-electric operation in about 10 years time.
Now, I have a money saving idea for the BC Government. Get the ship yard that is currently building the new 'Island class' vessels for the BC coast to prefab an additional one, but not to assemble it beyond 'chunks' that can be shipped by container via sea & rail/road for assembly on the shore of Kootenay Lake. The Island class vessels and this Kootenay Lake vessel seem to be fairly similar in form, function & capacity. Given that these vessels aren't huge behemoths your idea of building them overseas and shipping the 'pieces' over here for final completion is a great idea. If the vessel builders or BCFS need a few pointers on how to get those large 'pieces' to a harbor, I'm sure the good folks at Airbus might be a valuable resource.
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Post by Mike on Apr 30, 2019 13:26:36 GMT -8
Now, I have a money saving idea for the BC Government. Get the ship yard that is currently building the new 'Island class' vessels for the BC coast to prefab an additional one, but not to assemble it beyond 'chunks' that can be shipped by container via sea & rail/road for assembly on the shore of Kootenay Lake. The Island class vessels and this Kootenay Lake vessel seem to be fairly similar in form, function & capacity. If the draft of the Island Class is too deep to be used on Kootenay Lake during low water level periods, then there won't be much to gain from any potential savings if the ferry isn't usable year-round, like the Osprey 2000. If it is to be a replacement for the Balfour, then it needs to have a similarly shallow draft.
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