Ferries, Ferries, and still more Ferries

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En réalité, on considère les deux comme Départements d'Outre-Mer. Moi aussi, je voudrais y faire une visite un de ces jours!

http://www.domtom.fr/saint-pierre-et-miquelon.php

Being a French major, I couldn't resist tossing in a little sentence from "la belle langue". Rough translation : Actually, the two are considered to be Overseas Departments. I really would like to visit there one of these day!
 
Northumberland Ferries are back in service again for another season......May 1 to Dec 20, 2016. Heres some shots at Caribou NS, last Sunday afternoon May 1.

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And it should be a busy season for NFL-Bay. Besides the PEI Ferry they also operate between Saint John & Digby.....and now the new CAT between Yarmouth & Portland.
 
Thanks for the pics and the update! Always great to get travel info from our cousins in the Great White North!

It's on my bucket list to take the Downeaster to Maine, Ferry to Nova Scotia and the Ocean from Halifax back to Montreal! Looking forward to a trip report from someone who takes it this Summer!
 
I grew up commuting on the Jamestown-Scotland ferry in Virginia. Quite a varied fleet, until 1979 all of the boats were second-hand, bought from other shuttered ferry services. Two were converted rail barges. In '79 they got their first custom-built boat, the M/V Surry, replacing a 1930s-era boat. Now they have three such "modern" boats (the "Williamsburg" in 1984, the "Pocahontas" in 1995). But they still run a 1936-build boat, the "Virginia". Its replacement is currently under construction in Mississippi.

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Went to Prince Edward Island on the weekend: Ferry going over was NFL's Holiday Island a former CN (Canadian National Railways) ferry built in 1969. Capacity is 155 cars.

1-Pulling away from the now empty marshaling area at Caribou, Nova Scotia

2-Arriving in Wood Islands, PEI

3-Holiday Island docked at Wood Islands.

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Returning to Nova Scotia..we were on the Confederation with a capacity of 220 cars. Its 14 miles across and takes 75 minutes.

1-Confederation arriving in Wood Islands PEI

2-Waiting to board

3-Meeting the Holiday Island midway across.

4-Approaching Caribou, NS

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I also got to see the CTMA 'Traveriser' ('Ferry'...en francais) arriving in PEI after a 5 hr crossing from the Magdalene Islands

1-Sailing just off the eastern shore of PEI

2-Approaching Souris PEI

3-Docking in Souris

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NS VIA Fan said:
Went to Prince Edward Island on the weekend: Ferry going over was NFL's Holiday Island a former CN (Canadian National Railways) ferry built in 1969. Capacity is 155 cars.

1-Pulling away from the now empty marshaling area at Caribou, Nova Scotia

2-Arriving in Wood Islands, PEI

3-Holiday Island docked at Wood Islands.
Click to expand...
 
I just booked my passage on the 1967-built MV Hyak from Orcas Island to Anacortes to attend the 2017 AU Gathering. The ferries do not connect with the train to Portland in the morning, so I have to go to the mainland the night before.

It has been a rough summer for ferries in the San Juan Islands. One of our 50-year-old ferries went down right at the same time that the fleet's spare vessel was also out of commission. This resulted in several cancellations, including one of two daily international sailings from Anacortes to Sidney, BC. And at another time this summer, our brand-new MV Samish experienced engine problems and was out of commission for a week.

For those not familiar with Washington State Ferries, "Washington State Ferries operates the largest ferry fleet in the United States. 23 ferries cross Puget Sound and its inland waterways, carrying over 23 million passengers. From Tacoma, Washington, to Sidney, British Columbia, we travel up and down the Sound, acting as a marine highway for commercial users, tourists and daily commuters alike."

Post edited to add picture of MV Yakima as seen from MV Hyak.

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Fabulous shots, and especially appreciated the history....

I still have to wonder why they couldn't have widened that tunnel to allow vehicular use? I suppose they would have had a huge expense, and probably had to lengthen it as well for a manageable grade...it probably was simply not cost-effective for the amount of traffic that would use it....probably would have eliminated the Center Island and Ward's Island ferries, as well....
 
Due to the depth of the tunnel there would be no room for the sloped grade required for approach roads. Even on the mainland side you have to go straight down to the tunnel entrance by elevator. There is no room for an sloped escalator bank like that in photo #2 on the Island side.
 
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That's what I thought...perhaps they could have built a vehicular crossing at the Ward's Island end?

But again probably not cost-effective, and I suppose some residing on the islands would not have wanted it, anyway....
 
France to Canada is an hour!

The new passenger & vehicles ferries have arrived and will enter service next spring between Saint-Pierre & Miquelon and Fortune, Newfoundland.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/new-ferries-arrive-st-pierre-miquelon-1.4425096

Previously they used a passenger only fast ferry and cars were barged across. Look at some of these European models with their SPM plates on the wharf at Fortune.

https://goo.gl/maps/H8TJMuwFx362

https://goo.gl/maps/NwbF32FKzUG2

Saint-Pierre & Miquelon is a Territory "Collectivité" of France located about 20 miles off the south coast of Newfoundland. The islands might be in North America but the local currency in the Euro and the food and wine.....excellent!

NS VIA Fan said:
Next year you will be able to 'drive to France' in an hour with a new ferry connection between Fortune, Newfoundland and Saint Pierre.

http://products.damen.com/en/ranges/fast-ropax-ferry/fast-ropax-ferry-5510

http://www.damen.com/en/news/2016/04/la_collectivite_territoriale_de_st_pierre_et_miquelon_selects_damen_for_two_fast_ferries

Until now....the ferry has been passenger only, no vehicles:

http://www.saintpierreferry.ca/St._Pierre_Ferry_Office/index.html.html
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