BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down

Subject: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:21 AM

The Graveyard of the Pacific claims another. Guess the Queen of the North won't rise again either, but maybe when they are down their looking at her, along with the ferry they might find the remains of the fishing boat Gustav too and my old friends.......my heart goes out to the family of two of the passengers that are still missing.

Interesting that she was so far off course after just being retrofitted and having her new state of the art navigation system and automatic piloting system checked and approved last month. Also very lucky that this didn't happen amid tourist season when the ship would have had way more on board.

I was on deck into Swartz Bay on Wednesday aboard the Queen of Saanich while a lone piper beside me played Amazing Grace in the sunken ship's honour........very moving.
   
Further story here.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:37 AM

That is really sad. I hope they find them.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:51 AM

I sailed the Inside Passage from Victoria to Prince Rupert and back on the Queen of the North about 25 years ago. It's a wonderful and vivid memory, and my sorrow is great that she is lost.

It's some solace, though, that at least almost all of the passengers were offloaded safely and gotten to shore, and I pray that the missing couple have simply found another way home.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 12:24 PM

Kudo's to the crew that managed to get the 99 passengers off safely and the people of Hartley Bay for their quick response. It was not a particularly nice night weather wise.

These ferries are part of our highway system and consequently locals rarely think more of going onboard than they do of jumping in their car.

The weather was rough on the Queen of Saanich too and she is even older than the Queen of the North, but most of us onboard figured that the crew would be really on their toes in light of what had just occured earlier.

First ride I'd had in ages where everybody on board was talking with each other. Mostly the only ones who engage in conversation are the smokers outside on deck. Trying to light a cigarette in a gale can be an icebreaker too.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 12:45 PM

Hope so too ClaireBear, but it's possible that the two might have, in contradiction to regulations, decided to sleep in their vehicle on the car deck. Probably would have been the worst place to be.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST,dianavan
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 12:57 PM

Another sad chapter in B.C. history. From all accounts, the crew was fantastic and the people of Hartley Bay responded in a way that makes us all proud.

I hope this will make the oil industry think seriously about any plans to transport oil through this passage. If this can happen to the Queen of the North, it can happen to any vessel. I can't imagine a large vessel going that up the inside passage with little or no experience. It would be asking for disaster.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: gnu
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 01:10 PM

The people of Hartley Bay who dashed out there in the dark choppy waters and 70+kph winds are heroes.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 01:13 PM

This touches all of us who live in the Pacific Northwest. I've sailed the Inside Passage (on the Blue Canoes) and we should never forget that it can be dangerous. My heart goes out to all involved.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 01:16 PM

yup, they are. I doubt they would consider themselves heroes though. Its just something they would do without thinking of the possible consequences to themselves.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST,dianavan
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 01:31 PM

I heard one of the women of Hartley Bay describe the action as "heart". In other words, when a disaster occurs, all people become one heart. I think that is a beautiful sentiment and a good lesson for all non-natives. We have so much to learn.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 08:54 PM

The first guy out to the rescue in the dark was in an 18 foot boat in 2-3 meter waves with the wind gnu mentioned. Its not surprising to me who moved first when the chips were down.

One of the crew members who was aboard wants the replacement ship on the run to be called The Spirit of Hartley Bay.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 09:24 PM

It took the sinking to move the ferry administration today, to finally agree to the union's ongoing request that would allow the crew to sleep above the water line the same as the passengers. Sad that it took this disaster to finally remove that bit of archaic crap.

I'm sure he fellow who suggested the ship's name in my previous post is particularly happy about that. He was trapped in his cabin by a fallen locker for awhile, while the water broke through his cabin's bulkhead. It was chest deep before he managed to get to the deck above.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 10:55 PM

For a couple of days I read just minimal information on this wreck. If you see more detailed posts (in addition to the one above) please post a link.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:19 PM

Here's more info SRS

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:22 PM

Apparently it wasn't a good week for ships with "North" in their names this week on this coast.. The Empress of the North ran aground in the Columbia too.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 12:03 AM

Not meaning to be too pedantic, but if a ship is sinking, there's not much left above the waterline... however, it would give more time to escape, I agree.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 01:13 PM

Foolestroupe, these are roll on roll off ferries. On the longer runs passengers are not allowed to remain in their cars on the car deck, let alone sleep in them on 15 hour trips, as it is considered too dangerous.

The crew's sleeping quaters are below the car deck level. If the ship runs aground or gets holed, more likely with these ships travelling inland water routes, rather than the open sea, the car deck level and anything below will be affected first.

If these areas are considered too dangerous for passengers and when you need all available crew to assist with offloading passengers, why have the crew sleep below the car deck where they are least likely to survive? Far better all round for them to be accommodated near the level of the lifeboats.   

The previous captain of the ship believes she struck Gil Island and was first hung up on rocks, which allowed enough time for the evacuation of the ship. He speculated that she'd probably have gone down much more quickly, with more tragic consequences, if not for that.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: gnu
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 01:57 PM

I made that same arguement to the executive of Marine Atlantic Inc., the Atlantic Canada ferry services company, years ago, when I worked for Marine. Also, I asked that some accomodation be made for pets above the vehicle deck because some people will NOT leave their pets alone. I witnessed people getting into their trunks with their pets rather than leaving them alone, amongst other ruses.

Common sense? Yes. In the budget? No. Feckin accountants. Pencil pushin, penny pinchin, twits.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 02:11 PM

Here's more info regarding the history of The Queen of the North. She was similar in design to the Estonia another Stena ship that sank in the Baltic with a loss of over 800 lives.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 02:36 PM

Gnu, glad to see someone else thought of the dogs too. I've often thought, when I was onboard, what I would do with ours in case of an emergency and have like others gone down to check on them, even on the short one hour and forty minute run to Vancouver.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 03:09 PM

I'm told by people in Juneau who know the boat that the Queen of the North was a beautiful boat, similar to our long-gone Wickersham. It is too sad. It would be a wondrous thing if that couple reported in from being on the road somewhere but it doesn't appear to be in the cards.

One's heart bleeds when disasters hit and pets must be left behind.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: gnu
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 03:43 PM

I have sent emails to my MP regarding these issues. Got a "could not deliver" back from my first email. Tried to resend my "sent".... it was gone... never sent it... how can a sent be not sent? How could my own "sent" disappear from my "sent" box? HUH?

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST,dianavan
Date: 25 Mar 06 - 10:52 PM

It looks like the ferry corp. has agreed to let the crew sleep above the waterline. Too bad it took a tragedy to shake them up.

I'm thinking the couple that has not been found probably were sleeping in their vehicle. That, too, will make more people aware of the danger. I know I've slept in the car before. I won't ever do it again.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Ebbie
Date: 26 Mar 06 - 12:33 AM

I can't imagine how anyone could sleep in their car on US ferries. The only time one is allowed on the car deck is when the boat is docked and activity on that deck is closely monitored.

It may be different on BC ferries.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 06 - 02:05 PM

Ebbie - I used to live on Vashon Island in the States. I slept on the ferry many times. I guess they must have changed the rules.

In B.C., you're not supposed to stay on the car deck, but some people do it anyway. Its probably the same in the States. There are always those who think the rules don't apply to them. In fact, I never realized the safety implications until the Queen of the North went down.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: heric
Date: 26 Mar 06 - 02:32 PM

I never grasped the significance of it either. I thought it was about cars shifting upon impact.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST,suetsaw
Date: 27 Mar 06 - 10:41 AM

The two missing passengers did not have a vehicle onboard. They were footpassengers

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: GUEST,dianavan
Date: 27 Mar 06 - 08:12 PM

Yikes!

What happened?

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Mar 06 - 08:16 PM

I've been following this story. Thanks for all the information and the links.

This is mysterious.

Best wishes to the greater Victoria gang.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Mar 06 - 10:58 PM

Hi Charley, it is mysterious. Maybe they were both out on deck when the the thing first tilted and were pitched overboard.

Subject: RE: BS: The Queen of the North Goes Down
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Mar 06 - 02:47 AM

A friend told me that the first time he and his wife took a stateroom on the ferry they were unable to sleep because of the incessant messages that came across the intercom in their room.

He said he got up and dismantled it. (In the morning he put it back together) They never heard another sound all night. And in recent years I've been surprised at how many people I know insert ear plugs when they go to bed.

Could be a combination of factors.