Uploads from AaverageJoe, tagged britishcolumbia, with geodata

Floating Chevron

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:32:52 -0700

This floating service station between Coal Harbour and Stanley Park in Vancouver services tugboats, yachts, military and government boats and other craft in Vancouver Harbour. Here is the Chevron station on a typical grey day in Vancouver, looking toward the North Shore Mountains.

There used to be several gas stations (I remember Esso and Petro Canada in the 1990s, and Gulf in the 1980s) but Chevron is the only one remaining.

Lonsdale Quay B&W

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:23:06 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

MV Development Way

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:48:18 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

The heavy lift ship Development Way (IMO: 8124785) with a load of vessels destined for scrap. On the deck of the Development Way are many vessels: two large vessels plus nine tugboats on top of one of the large vessels.

This resulting effect is a very mutant-looking H.R. Giger-esque floating fortress.

MV Development Way (Details)

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:06:09 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Sorry for the poor quality. This picture was taken during a downpour in the middle of Vancouver Harbour while I was in a little boat.

Quote from ruthlesscrab: www.flickr.com/photos/27357821@N00/

"Look closely at the blue vessel -- her bow over on the left, and her stern and wheelhouse waay over on the right. What's in between is underwater, and two vessels are being coaxed onto her. After floating the cargo into position, the deck rises out of the water again, and the cargo is fastened in place.

The vessels are the Straits Logger (a self loading/unloading barge commissioned in 1964), and the Haida Brave (self loading/unloading cargo ship commissioned in 1978). At least three other smaller vessels are on top of the Straits Logger -- you can see them better in this detail shot.

Here's a beautiful photo of the Haida Brave taken by Flickr member Colin Sands, and here is a fabulous look at the Straits Logger in action, full to bursting with logs in 2005, by Flickr member Aqua Green.

Wish I had taken a photo of the Development Way before loading -- it looked so strange to see the bow and stern...and just a long blank space in between. Fortunately, my new contact Roger was in the right place at the right time, and you can see his image of the vessel without cargo right here.

Following is a little research:
The Development Way is a 25,000 DWT semi-submersible ship. She is the first self-propelled semi-submerged ship remoulded from liquid petroleum gas/chemical tanker.

She has 44 water ballast tankers and four main pumps as ballasting systems.The maximum submerging draft reaches 18 meters. It takes four hours from the maximum draft of 18 meters to designed draft of 9.3 meters and it takes less than four hours for the reverse.

To position the floating items, the ship deck is equipped with four sets of winches separately along port and starboard sides in bow and stern sides. In order to assist loading/unloading, the ship is also equipped with one forklift, two cranes and a number of fastening, welding and cutting device."

Juan de Fuca Strait

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:56:25 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A container ship sailing through the Juan de Fuca Strait seen from Esquimalt, BC. In the far distance, behind the layers of clouds, are the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.

Coal Train in White Rock

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:27:27 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A BNSF coal train with a GE and EMD locomotive leading the way through White Rock, BC. The lead unit is BNSF 6235, an ES44AC built by General Electric, with BNSF 9218, an SD70ACe built by Electro-Motive.

This 129-car train is carrying a load of coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming toward the Westshore Terminal in Roberts Bank, BC, for export to Asia. 3 to 4 loaded coal trains pass through White Rock daily.

Varyag Entering Vancouver

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:31:08 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

The Russian Slava-class guided missile cruiser Варяг (Varyag) entering Vancouver Harbour under the Lions Gate Bridge. The Varyag and its tender Irkut were escorted into Canadian waters by the destroyer HMCS Algonquin.

Russia has three of these warships. The threatening looking tubes on the side are launch tubes for P-500 Bazalt (SS-N-12 Sandbox) anti-ship missiles, which have nuclear capability, making the cruiser a formidable "carrier killer."

MV Development Way

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:28:21 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Side view of the heavy lift ship Development Way (IMO: 8124785) with a load of vessels destined for scrap. On the deck of the Development Way are many vessels: two large vessels plus nine tugboats on top of one of the large vessels.

This resulting effect is a very mutant-looking H.R. Giger-esque floating fortress.

MV Development Way

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:06:09 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Stern view of the heavy lift ship Development Way with a load of vessels destined for scrap. On the deck of the Development Way are many vessels: two large vessels plus nine tugboats on top of one of the large vessels.

This resulting effect is a very mutant-looking H.R. Giger-esque floating fortress.

Great Blue Heron

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:10:23 -0700

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A pacific great blue heron standing against the setting sun at Spanish Banks in Vancouver.

Pushers at Work

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:34:21 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Two GE locomotives at the end of a coal unit train groaning as they push forward the 129-car train along the beach in White Rock, BC, on the BNSF mainline. The end unit is BNSF 5831, an ES44AC built by General Electric.

The train is carrying coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming toward the Westshore Terminal in Roberts Bank, BC, for export to Asia. Every day about 3-4 loaded coal trains pass through White Rock.

Eagle Takes Flight

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:59:52 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A bald eagle takes flight from a tower in the sea just off Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver.

Monitoring the Seas

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:09:58 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A bald eagle, perched atop an old lighthouse, watching the sea.

Skytrain Approaching

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:37:04 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A Mark IIa Skytrain approaching 22nd Street Station in New Westminster.

Deadman's Island at Night

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:16:52 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A view of the main building of the naval reserve unit HMCS Discovery from Stanley Park. HMCS Discovery is on its own little island called Deadman's Island accessible only by a bridge. It was built in 1944.

Deadman's Island is so named as it has numerous burial sites, from First Nations and Great Vancouver Fire victims to those killed in capital punishment. Even the base's helicopter pad is raised above ground level so as not to disrupt the First Nations burial sites. There are stories that the building is haunted for these reasons.

Gale-Force Winds

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 21:24:24 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

A very windy Christmas Day along White Rock Beach. Waves in Semiahmoo Bay are crashing against the pier and breakwater.

Silhouettes

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:00:25 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Magnificent clouds over Downtown Vancouver in an early November evening. This was taken across Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver.

HMCS Algonquin vs Seabuses

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:10:19 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Who shall stand... and who shall sink?

HMCS Algonquin in Vancouver Harbour

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:27:28 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Algonquin, an area air defence destroyer, sailing into Vancouver Harbour as an escort to the Russian vessels Irkut and Varyag, which are visiting Vancouver following naval exercises with the US Navy off the Mariana Islands.

Irkut in Vancouver Harbour

nobody@flickr.com (AaverageJoe) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:16:34 -0800

AaverageJoe posted a photo:

The Russian Navy's auxiliary oiler vessel Иркут (Irkut) in Vancouver Harbour. This ship sailed into Vancouver with the Russian cruiser Varyag and the Canadian destroyer HMCS Algonquin.