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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 19, 2006 10:45:44 GMT -8
Here's some photos from August 7, 2006, on my vacation: Photo taken from West Bank of the river....the ferry takes say 2 vehicles. As it crosses, it is "skewed", meaning the car-deck is not straight. This ferry site is located behind the Husky gas station & store on Hwy 5, right at the junction with Hwy24 at Little Fort.  The notice sign. Beside this sign (outside the photo) is the operator's shack....an Atco trailer.  The ferry nearing the West-bank. See what I mean about it riding askew / diagonal / 45-degree-sideways. It's primary power is the river current, as harnessed by a long rudder board, which just looks like a bit 2x6 plank. It also has a small outboard engine to offer extra power for when the river is running slowly.  This is the apprentice operator at the wheelhouse. We rode accross in "Karl style", ie. no vehicle, just walk on & back again.  This is the rudder which harnesses the power of the river current.  --------------------------- The operators were really nice to talk to, and this was a fun break from my day of driving 600km that day. We had lunch at the landing, and saw the ferry go back/forth maybe 4 times. We also saw the train "Rocky Mountaineer" go by, on the CN track on the East side of the river. |
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Post by Curtis on Aug 19, 2006 11:07:51 GMT -8
Intresting little ferry. Thanks for sharing that
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 12, 2008 20:17:06 GMT -8
from July-August 2008: Little Fort reaction ferry, on North Thompson River: (notice the local kid, who's going to use the ferry as a diving board, for a swim)   Lytton reaction ferry, on Fraser River:  |
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Post by fargowolf on May 28, 2010 17:29:48 GMT -8
I have been on a few reaction ferries! Well actually I think only one! The ferry north of Kamloops I forget the name of it right now! That'll be the McLure Ferry. It was also the ferry I had my first EVER ferry ride on. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 9, 2013 20:32:11 GMT -8
North Thompson River reaction ferries, both operated by Argo Road Maintenance. - both seen by me on September 8, 2013 --------------- Little Fort ferry, north of Barriere. - seen from the east bank of the river  ----------------- McLure ferry, south of Barriere: - seen from the west bank of the river   =================== More to come, including videos, in the weeks ahead. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 14, 2013 7:06:41 GMT -8
A new thread for photos, information and discussion on the ferries of the North Thompson River in BC.
- Little Fort reaction ferry
- McLure reaction ferry
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 14, 2013 12:59:41 GMT -8
Little Fort reaction ferry, seen by me on September 8, 2013. Here is my video compilation, which includes: - driving on and off the ferry - view of the ferry crossing, from up on a hill on the east side - on board views - Coastal Café Express --------------------------- Still photos, from same day: The dock on the east side  The dock on the west side - the oar is what harnesses the current to propel the ship. However the current is currently  not strong enough for this, so they need to use outboard motor assist.  Close-up of the west side dock. - the soft sand at the dock (combined with heavy farm vehicles) is a constant challenge, and resulted in Argo (the operator) shutting down the ferry on Sept.9th. It wasn't safe for those heavy vehicles to load or unload.  ================== View from the east side hill - a 2 minute drive up the only road.  The Atco trailer on the west side is the ferry office and crew room.  The ferry arrives on the east side. - that's the CN track (formerly Canadian Northern Pacific).  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 15, 2013 18:52:26 GMT -8
McLure reaction ferry, on the North Thompson River. - seen by me in the afternoon of September 8, 2013. I'm on the west bank of the river, on a trail that follows a gas-pipeline.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 20, 2013 17:31:49 GMT -8
The first of a few posts this evening regarding the McLure ferry. - seen by me on September 8, 2013. These posts are some distance photos, from a trail above the west-bank dock. The scene, looking east. - on the left side of the near shore, you can see the concrete block which anchors the chain that is used both as a security line holding the ferry on its course and also for the passenger tramway car.  A bit of a zoom.  Looking across to the east-side dock. - the operator's house is on the east-side, just south of the dock.  My favourite photo of the day. - oar is in the water. - This is a reaction-ferry, where the craft is propelled by the river's current, which is why the ferry crosses askew on an angle, held there by the oar in the water. However, because the current was a bit weak, there was power-assist used by an outboard motor somewhere on the craft.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 20, 2013 17:59:42 GMT -8
Some detail items on the McLure ferry, - seen by me on Sept.8, 2013. ----------------- The ship's wheel runs free, when the river current or oars change the angle of the craft  Close-to-the-ground view of the west dock. - very simple structure.  You can see the ship name "McLure" written on the wheelhouse roof. - if this craft and others from Little Fort and Lytton all break free and end up in the Strait of Georgia, a helicopter will be able to easily identify each from the air. - of course us astute ferry fans know that the Fraser River reaction ferries have the red paint-jobs, different from North Thompson orange.  The name on one of the pontoons. - I think the outboard motor is somewhere in the centre of the left side of the craft, between the pontoons. But I'm not sure.  The name on both the pontoon and the life-ring, seen on the craft's south-side.  The metal cable-car is for passenger use, when the ferry is out-of-service because of high water or frozen water. - the metal car is next to the platform steps.  The same cable for the passenger cage is also used to hold the ferry craft on its course, to prevent it from foating downstream to Kamloops and Hell's Gate. - the pully on the cable attaching to the ferry is shown on the left. - the orange patio-lantern shaped item on the top-right-side of the photo is just the warning signal for any aircraft re the other cable that runs across in the air.  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 20, 2013 19:36:37 GMT -8
My final set of McLure ferry photos from September 8, 2013. These are some nice up-close shots taken from the beach beside the west dock. - showing the east-side dock  --------------- The west dock approach sequence, with the tripod set low to the ground:   Touchdown  |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 20, 2013 20:01:19 GMT -8
...and here's my YouTube video of my visit with the McLure ferry.
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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 Sept 20, 2013 20:21:49 GMT -8
How are you filming from passenger seat??? You have your camera mounted somewhere? lol!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 20, 2013 20:29:17 GMT -8
How are you filming from passenger seat??? You have your camera mounted somewhere? lol! The camera is on my tripod, which is on the passenger seat, secured by a makeshift harness to keep it from moving. The camera is on my tripod, which is on the passenger seat, secured by a makeshift harness to keep it from moving. The camera is on my tripod, which is on the passenger seat, secured by a makeshift harness to keep it from moving. (3 question marks deserve 3 answers. lol!) |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 30, 2014 6:40:13 GMT -8
I revisited my video files of McLure ferry from September 2013. Here's a video compilation of 3 crossings from different vantage points, all in real-time.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 8, 2014 19:33:17 GMT -8
I rode the Little Fort reaction ferry on Sept 8, 2014 - also same day on 2013....but that's just weird I guess I need to ride it again on September 8, 2015. ------------------- Here is today's view, looking East.   |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 23, 2014 20:51:20 GMT -8
A couple more pics from September 8, 2014 on the Little Fort ferry. - North Thompson River. A simple ro-ro operation, where there is little risk of getting an incorrect passenger-count on a given sailing.  A look inside the engine room... - Contrary to what you might conclude from this photo, this vessel is actually DF - dual fuel: the harnessed current shown here, plus a small outboard marine engine.  |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,172
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Post by Neil on Sept 23, 2014 22:01:57 GMT -8
A simple ro-ro operation, where there is little risk of getting an incorrect passenger-count on a given sailing. I dunno... a bargain basement operation like that, their passenger clicker thingy might be pretty old... |
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not strong enough for this, so they need to use outboard motor assist.