Rolling along with the Northern Adventure

It's been a bit of a rough debut for the latest vessel in the BC Ferry fleet, the Northern Adventure which is sailing our waters on a regular schedule now, has had a few operational problems highlighted in the media lately.

Most of which seem to be more prevalent on the Rupert to Queen Charlotte run rather than the southbound journey which ends at Port Hardy.

The latest reports come from the Queen Charlotte Islands Observer, which recounts some of the rolling action on the seas that has made a few of the passengers a little uncomfortable.

It makes for a situation that is giving Islanders cause to suggest that once the new line of Ferries arrive on the north coast, the Northern Adventure should become a dedicated vessel for the Port hardy run, leaving the Charlottes to a new ferry which it is no doubt their hope will handle the open waters a little more comfortably.

New ferry making passengers queasy
The Queen Charlotte Islands Observer
April 23, 2007

A couple of islanders who travelled on the Northern Adventure this past weekend say the ship has a particular rolling motion which seems to cause more queasiness and nausea than the Queen of Prince Rupert.

Masset mayor Barry Pages said he returned on the weather-delayed run Monday morning (April 16) and found that the new ship rolled a lot from side-to-side. He also said the cabins were comfortable and the trip was a bit faster than before.

Port Clements councillor Urs Thomas agreed, saying that the Northern Adventure doesn’t seem to handle the waves in Hecate Strait as well as the QPR. He also described a side-to-side wallowing motion rather than the up-and-down forward motion passengers are used to.

The Northern Adventure is supposed to be dedicated to the Rupert-Skidegate route starting in 2009, when a brand-new vessel comes on board to serve the Inside Passage route (the Northern Expedition).

But Mr. Thomas said it might make more sense, given the Northern Adventure’s handling of Hecate Strait, to put that ship on the Inside Passage run and put the new ship on our route.