Tag Archives: ferry

Photographing Ferries – Is It the Pandemic Again??

During the pandemic, I did spend a bit of time checking out the various ferry services in Washington. Now I am back in the UK and taking a trip to the Isle of Wight, I did get some sunny conditions on one of the Wightlink ferries, Victoria of Wight. We took this ferry across to the Island but came back on a different boat. We were on an earlier ferry than planned so this would have been our ride if we had stuck to our schedule. Anyway, some nice sun on this ferry as it made its regular crossing from Portsmouth to Fishbourne.

Why Not Have More from BC Ferries?

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Since we have left the Pacific Northwest, there won’t be too many encounters with the BC Ferries fleet for a while. I have taken a couple of ferry rides up there in the recent past and got a few shots of the boats as we went along. Some were the passenger ferries, but I also got one of the other operators that only does freight movements. I’ll stick them in anyway, even if they aren’t BC Ferries. I shall now get to see a whole new selection of ferries in the UK so stay tuned for more ferry action before too long.

Watching the Ferries While I Work

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I was getting my car serviced up in Everett and was working from the dealership’s lounge while they were busy with it. When they finished, I didn’t have much time before my next call so, since I couldn’t get back to the office in time, I parked down on the waterfront to take my calls. I ended up spending the rest of the day working there (and having my lunch). It was a lovely day, and the ferries were coming in and out of the Mukilteo terminal. I did take a moment every once in a while, to grab some photos of the two ferries as they went back and forth.

On and Off the Ferries

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While mum was visiting, we took a trip across to Bainbridge Island. We went across from Seattle to Bainbridge and then returned via Kingston to Edmonds. For now obvious reason, I decided it might be interesting to video the boarding and unloading process from the ferries as we drove the car on and off. I thought the Insta360 would be a good idea for this since it would record a full sphere and I could decide on the editing afterwards without having to worry about which direction the camera was facing while I drove the car. I opened the sunroof of the car and had mum hold it out of the roof.

A little editing back at home to pan and zoom around and the video below was the result. Not exactly a thrill a minute video but more something to have to remember the ferries by should we move away at some time. I have taken more than my fair share of photos of the ferries along with the occasional video so this can go with the larger collection.

Smaller BC Ferries

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The approach to Swartz Bay ferry terminal on Vancouver Island brought us close to some other ferries in the BC Ferries fleet. Two of the Salish Class vessels were there, one heading out and another heading in alongside us. I only had my phone with me at that point, but I was able to catch both of them at different times and distances. They are a relatively recent build of ferry having been constructed in Poland. I haven’t made any of the shorter trips that would give me a chance to ride one yet.

Spirit of Vancouver Island

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I posted about the Salish Class of ferries that BC Ferries operates previously but, as we were arriving in Swartz Bay, one of the larger ferries in the fleet headed out. Spirit of Vancouver Island runs the main service between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay carrying the heavy traffic loads. She pulled out just as we were coming alongside so I got a brief view of her heading away.

Kitsap Fast Ferry

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This Kitsap ferry left Seattle shortly after we had departed on the ferry to Bainbridge Island. We did see the same ferry later as part of our return journey. What caught my eye was its name. It is called Solano which was a location in Northern California. Turns out this boat used to provide services across San Francisco Bay and, when Kitsap County bought it, they didn’t decide to change its name. Consequently, it is quite different to the other ferries in the region that have local names.

The Ferry to Gabriola

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Take me to a place by the sea and I will be checking out the ferries. BC Ferries provides the services in British Columbia and there is a short crossing between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island that has a pretty frequent service. I understand the Island Class ferries are the ones that operate this service and they come into Nanaimo alongside the waterfront where we were walking after arriving.

During the peak times, there were two ferries running back and forth but, in the evening, I assume the demand is lower and one of the ferries was moored up. We got a good look at it as we came back from our dinner on a little ferry. I think these ferries have been designed for incorporation of electrical propulsion in due course.

Cormorants Aplenty on a Ferry Trip

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Time for another cormorant related post today. When taking the ferries on the various routes around Puget Sound, the infrastructure at the terminals is often popular with the cormorants. This can mean that you can get quite close to them while on the ferry without them getting spooked. They are also coming and going with some frequency so takeoffs and landings are common, and they will often fly quite close to the ferry.

On this trip, the angle of the light to the terminal was in my favor and I was able to get a few close-up views of the birds. There was still some ironwork in the way of a totally clean shot, but not enough to ruin the images. They also obliged by flying around at convenient times when I was ready to get an image and I got some of the better shots that I have taken of cormorants in recent years.

Elwha Looks Rough in Storage

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After a trip out one weekend, we were heading home and waiting for the ferry at Kingston. We had a bit of time before our ferry was due in, so I was stretching my legs around the terminal. To one side of the main loading ramps, an old ferry was in storage. This is the Elwha. Apparently, after a large amount of corrosion issues were identified, it was decided to retire the ferry rather than repair it. It was laid up in Kingston and I don’t know what the future holds for it.

I think it must have been sitting there for a while now. The name has been painted over but far more conspicuously, the sides of the ship are looking really scruffy. One end of the upper superstructure must be in the shade most of the time as it has developed a lot of lichen growth. It looks like it could have quite an ecosystem developing there. I imagine there will be a plan for disposal at some point but, until that time, I wonder just how it will end up looking.