Friday, March 6, 2009

Here's a link to my You Tube videos on the Northern Expedition

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos

A sure sign of spring in Vancouver - even though it was a sunny and cold day I got on the bike to head for Prospect Point to await the arrival of the newest BC ferry - the MV Northern Expedition which was built in Germany and then sailed through the Panama Canal and up the coast - it was paying a courtesy visit to Vancouver - sailed under the Lions Gate then into Canada Place where it picked up a pilot before turning around a heading for Nanaimo where it will spend the next couple of months on sea trials and staff training before heading north and into service on the Port Hardy - Prince Rupert run.

Here's a longer view taken with my video camera as she approaches the Lion's Gate bridge - due to construction the viewpoint at Prospect Point is closed to visitors but one of the construction crew allowed about 6 of us down to stairs to the viewpoint.

She slowed to a crawl to let the much large Hyundi ship to clear the bridge - then it was full speed ahead into the harbour.

She is right below us at Prospect Point - she looks comfortable in the water and you couldn't have asked for a better day to watch her sail into the friendly waters of English Bay and the inner Vancouver Harbour.

Preparing to sail under the Bridge - after she has sailed under the bridge I get on my bike and take the Avison trail down to the Seawall where others have also set up shop to record the visit.
The others guys at Prospect Point are part of a group that I think call themselves the Royal Ship Society or something like that - they spend quite a bit of time watching the various ships coming into and leaving the port - they had their scanners so we knew where the ship was etc.

She has now turned around and is heading back towards the bridge and then onto Nanaimo.

The MV Northern Expedition heading west under the Lions Gate bridge - by now I am cold and hungry so it was time to get on the bike and ride along the Seawall for a bite to eat and then home to warm up.

This last image is from my video camera and shows the ship near Canada Place - she picked up the pilot here and then did a long loop past Ballantyne Pier and then over towards Lonsdale Quay where she probably wonder why there were some ships in the same color that were sitting at berth.

I had hoped to upload some video of the ship but it seems to be taking forever to load so I will try again later or else put them on my You Tube account.

Cheers

D

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