467 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

I thought about that too. But I also didn’t think winter would be much different.

[Mike K.]

Whoops.

Earlier this morning on Sunday, March 23, the Canadian flag was unintentionally raised upside down as part of our routine practice of raising the Canadian flag as we approach the Inner Harbour of Victoria. As soon as we became aware of our mistake, it was fixed immediately so that the flag flew correctly.

We sincerely apologize for any unintended disrespect or confusion this has caused. We deeply value our strong connections on both sides of the water, and we have the utmost respect for the communities we serve.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,
Your Black Ball Ferry Line Family

[lanforod]

Bad timing for that!

[Blair M.]

It seems quite odd how it's the first time that the Coho's courtesy flag has ever been raised upside down. That same flag has been raised and lowered on the Coho many, many thousands of times. 

A deckhand clips a courtesy flag onto a halyard top corner first, then bottom - then it is unfurled and raised directly in front of the riggers eyes!

Edited by Blair M., 24 March 2025 - 08:16 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

It seems quite odd how it's the first time that the Coho's courtesy flag has ever been raised upside down. That same flag has been raised and lowered on the Coho many, many thousands of times. 

A deckhand clips a courtesy flag onto a halyard top corner first, then bottom - then it is unfurled and raised directly in front of the riggers eyes!

 

There is a chance the rigger does not know which way the leaf on the flag is supposed to be. 

 

That has happened before, elsewhere. 

 

https://bluejayhunte...n-canadian.html

 

https://torontosun.c...to-welcome-sign

 

https://thestarphoen...-town-offensive

 

 

 

If one was absolutely, completely unfamiliar with the Canadian flag, you might well not know for certain which end is up.  A "falling" maple leaf is plausible.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 March 2025 - 08:52 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Black Ball Ferry Line says weakened cross-border travel demand has left the company no choice but to scale back the M.V. Coho’s June sailing schedule.

 

The company says it’s a “difficult decision” that comes amid the “current travel demand,” with the Coho vehicle and passenger ferry offering daily, year-round service between Victoria’s Inner Harbour and Port Angeles, Wash.

 

Instead of increasing to the usual four daily trips starting June 12, Black Ball announced Monday it will continue operating three sailings until June 25. 

 

The Coho’s four-sailing schedule will start later this year, on June 26, reads a statement.

 

This means the 9:30 p.m. sailings leaving Port Angeles from June 12-25 and the 6:10 a.m. departures from Victoria from June 13-26 have been cancelled.

 

Black Ball took to social media Monday saying impacted travellers were notified via phone and email and offered alternative sailings or a full refund.

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...k-ball-1253466/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 May 2025 - 02:10 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Clipper to cut in half number of summer sailings between Victoria and Seattle

Ferry company also laying off staff as worries about inflation and tensions about border crossing contribute to drop in passenger numbers.



https://www.timescol...eattle-10651027



Clipper Navigation is preparing to cut in half the number of sailings it will operate in the height of summer, lay off 20 staff at its Seattle office and reduce shifts for its Victoria staff as it attempts to staunch the financial bleeding in the wake of the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the U.S.

The company, which has operated a passenger ferry between Victoria and Seattle since 1986, said it has no choice but to find a way of cutting costs as passenger numbers on both sides of the border are down dramatically.

“The revenue will definitely be weak this year, far below expectation,” said Clipper chief executive Mark Collins. He said cutting back the number of sailings still doesn’t go far enough to right the ship. “That does not restore us to anything close to what our budget projections are. We’re having to take steps to ensure that we’re around next year, that we can be ready to be strong next year.”

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 May 2025 - 04:08 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

That sleek little electric, carbon fibre hydrofoil vessel zipping quietly back and forth off the breakwater Monday morning?

 

That could be the future.

 

Victoria Clipper teamed up with Victoria’s Greenline Ferries to bring one of Belfast-based Artemis Technologies electric hydrofoils into the Inner Harbour this week for a series of test drives.

 

It turned in an impressive performance, but there is a lot of work to do before it, or some variation on the concept, becomes a common sight in B.C. waters.

 

The Artemis EF-12 Escape model seats 12 in first class comfort and is designed for pilot boat and offshore wind farm or oil-gas well service, as well as small ferry runs.

 

A 150-seat model (EF 24) is currently under construction. That size of vessel or even larger would be a more likely candidate for the kind of runs that the visionaries at Greenline Ferries have in mind.

 

The Artemis cruised out of the harbor at the five to seven-knot speed limit then accelerated through a light chop at the breakwater. In a few seconds, it got up on the foil and lifted just barely above the wave tops. The rocking eased substantially. It was strikingly quiet even at 26 knots.

 

A nagging problem for lightweight, higher-speed ferries is the threat of deadheads — submerged logs that can do severe damage.

 

The Artemis has three separate collision avoidance systems — one of them designed in B.C. — that detect debris or other obstacles in time to evade it.

 

 

https://www.timescol...future-10822629

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 June 2025 - 05:01 AM.