6451 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

The 8:15 Duke Point-Tsaw sailing returned to port in Nanaimo last night due to a medical emergency. The sailing was delayed by two hours.

[Victoria Watcher]

B.C. Ferries is eyeing the ­Canada Infrastructure Bank as a potential lender to help finance an upcoming ­billion-dollar-plus major-vessel-replacement ­program and new terminal ­infrastructure.

 

The bank, a Crown corporation, has just loaned B.C. Ferries $75 million toward the cost of its electrification program for four new Island-class ferries and for on-shore charging infrastructure. The loan amount covers less than 50 per cent of the cost of the overall project.

 

It’s the first time B.C. Ferries has partnered with the bank, said B.C. Ferries president ­Nicolas Jimenez.

 

“That’s important to us because it is an institution whose mandate really aligns with ours, which is to find opportunities to invest in public infrastructure that does really important things. In this case, it helps us green our fleet.”

 

The new electric Island-class vessels will be built in Romania by Damen Shipyard Group. The first vessel is expected in B.C. in 2027.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...acement-8818401

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 May 2024 - 05:23 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Two vessels that travel along the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route have been added to BC Ferries’ pet pilot program, allowing owners to bring their furry friends on the upper decks.

 

The Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver Island have now been added to the corporation’s list of vessels that are part of their pet pilot program — which expands the current pet area to the upper area of the passenger deck.

 

“It’s no secret that people want their dogs and cats to be comfortable as they are when they’re travelling,” said Colin Zak, BC Ferries spokesperson.

 

The ferries primarily travel on the busiest route between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland and now join the several vessels already in the program.

 

“That’s amazing,” said Kevin O’Riordan.

 

 

 

 

https://www.cheknews...-route-1210072/

[AllseeingEye]

Nice. We're going to do a couple of road trips to the interior and Okanagan this summer and Mrs ASE especially will be happy that we can comfortably onboard our furry 155 lb "child".....

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[Nparker]

Road trips? You must really hate the planet.

[AllseeingEye]

We were in Vancouver yesterday for a wedding and I must say - its been about 18 months since I took the ferry to the mainland - that on a summer weekend if you absolutely need to get to the other side without waiting for a few hours, its seems reservations are almost a must.

 

We reserved both ways although initially I didn't think it necessary for the 8pm Saturday night return sailing. Wrong. It was jam packed somewhat to my surprise. Thanks to Mrs ASE for not listening to my "anti" rez ramblings the day before.

 

A couple of random obersavations, the first being my rather pleasant surprise to see the the Queen of New Westminster still sailing and plugging away. I thought all the old "Queens" were done. There was something rather reassuring seeing the old girl still contributing and on the main Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay run no less. Second, the Swartz Bay terminal is looking really run down and ramshackle. My garden shed looks better and is bigger than that old barn. Needs to be replaced, and sooner rather than later.....

[Victoria Watcher]

The QoNW has served us so very, very well.

[Victoria Watcher]

Her two former sister ships are the Burnaby class vessels Queen of Nanaimo and Queen of Burnaby, which are also not considered Victoria class vessels because they did not receive the additional car deck which created the final Victoria class ferries.

Though her four Victoria class sister ships were all scrapped by 2012, she had a major refit of her passenger areas between late 2007 and early 2009 to prepare her for another ten to fifteen years of service.


https://en.m.wikiped...New_Westminster

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 July 2024 - 10:00 AM.

[AllseeingEye]

As the last of her class when her active service ends I think it would be great if she could somehow be preserved perhaps as a hybrid training platform for future at-sea crews and/or as a museum displaying the history of BCF and even their predecessor BC Steamships.

 

If not practical for training purposes turn it into a full on museum platform perhaps even - thinking out of the box - as THE home of a proper Victoria Maritime Museum maybe moored permanently somewhere within the harbour. 

 

It would  'cost' but recall this government was prepared to drop a billion dollars into a new Royal BC Museum that absolutely no one wanted or asked for. A real MM - currently crammed into a tiny and wholly imadeqate space in the conference center of all places - would certainly cost far less than that and would preserve and memorialize our martime heritage "properly" and in a very unique way.

[Sparky]

That’s a great idea.

[AllseeingEye]

^ Thanks Sparky occasionally I come up with something worthwhile now and again. Can't claim to the the originator of the "floating" MM option however dad used to talk about that 20 and many more years ago.

 

As a young lad BC Steamships was actually his first real job, being the Purser on the old "Joan" as well as the "Elizabeth". During his lifetime he accumulated a massive trove of information, books, manuals and above all images and pictures of the BCSS fleet which I now own. It would be nice one day if I could donate the lot to a "real" maritime museum which could display all of it properly.

[Sparky]

I am sure you can imagine what a wonderful tourist and locals venue that would be moored at Ship(s) Point. I am sure that the attendance would be much higher than the BCM. 

 

Who doesn't like old boats and stories about our coast's maritime past?

[Nparker]

...Who doesn't like old boats and stories about our coast's maritime past?

The woke. 🙄

[Victoria Watcher]

As the last of her class when her active service ends I think it would be great if she could somehow be preserved perhaps as a hybrid training platform for future at-sea crews and/or as a museum displaying the history of BCF and even their predecessor BC Steamships.

 

If not practical for training purposes turn it into a full on museum platform perhaps even - thinking out of the box - as THE home of a proper Victoria Maritime Museum maybe moored permanently somewhere within the harbour. 

 

It would  'cost' but recall this government was prepared to drop a billion dollars into a new Royal BC Museum that absolutely no one wanted or asked for. A real MM - currently crammed into a tiny and wholly imadeqate space in the conference center of all places - would certainly cost far less than that and would preserve and memorialize our martime heritage "properly" and in a very unique way.

 

 

This is a good idea, and this ship is a good candidate.  

[AllseeingEye]

I am sure you can imagine what a wonderful tourist and locals venue that would be moored at Ship(s) Point. I am sure that the attendance would be much higher than the BCM. 

 

Who doesn't like old boats and stories about our coast's maritime past?

 

Or at that floating petri dish of a hot tub-barge thingy currently moored down there: has anyone here actually been on that thing? Or know anyone who has? I don't and I never hear anyone talking about it either.

 

How or why anyone at the CoV thought that rub-a-dub-dub-hot-tub-on-a-stub quasi Noah's Ark lookalike would be a huge benefit is anyone's guess.

 

It seems to me a floating and truly world class MM OTOH, showcasing our facinating and very long maritime history is a no-brainer. The Halifax MM is a crown jewel in their waterfront - why can't we be creative and innovative insofar as the "floating" component is concerned, and just do it?

[AllseeingEye]

The Queen of New West as seen Saturday evening heading toward Active Pass. Last of her kind.....

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[Nparker]

This gives me all the feels.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

[Mike K.]

Holy.

I’ve found Ferries staff to be over the top polite and accommodating. What happened to Tristan? Is there more to the story?

I mean they did everything they could in both directions to fit me in when I sailed in June, and on board everyone was polite and professional. Those workers deal with a lot, and there are always passengers that are argumentative with staff over things they cannot control.

[lanforod]

I agree. BCF staff have generally been fine for me. Why do we need someone getting everyone to park 6” from the next vehicle? It’s time consuming. Better to focus on being on time and have a couple less vehicles on board.