MV Queen of Prince Rupert facts for kids
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|} The MV Queen of Prince Rupert was a special type of ferry called a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ship. It was run by BC Ferries. This ship was super important because it connected the Queen Charlotte Islands to mainland British Columbia. It sailed between Skidegate and Prince Rupert across the Hecate Strait. This trip linked two parts of Highway 16.
The Queen of Prince Rupert was built in 1965. It stopped working on April 20, 2009. This happened after a newer ship, the Northern Expedition, was launched. The Queen of Prince Rupert was replaced by the Northern Adventure on the Prince Rupert-Skidegate route.
On May 4, 2011, the ship was officially taken off the registry. It was sold to Goundar Shipping Company in Fiji. There, it got a new name: MV Lomaiviti Princess. The ship left British Columbia on August 5, 2011, heading for Fiji.
Contents
- Building the Queen of Prince Rupert
- An Unexpected Launch Day
- Early Routes and Passenger Comforts
- Changes to the Route and a New Name
- Helping After a Sister Ship's Accident
- Retirement of a Beloved Ferry
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Queen of Prince Rupert |
| Owner | British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. |
| Operator | British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. |
| Port of registry |  Victoria, Canada |
| Route | Prince Rupert–Skidegate, Prince Rupert-Port Hardy |
| Builder | Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd |
| Cost | $6–7 million |
| Laid down | November 30, 1964 |
| Launched | October 15, 1965 |
| Christened | October 15, 1965 |
| Completed | 1966 |
| Out of service | April 20, 2009 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sold to Goundar Shipping Company, Fiji, 2011 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 5,864 ton |
| Length | 101.15 m (332 ft) |
| Installed power | 7,680 hp (5.73 MW) |
| Propulsion | Four Mirrlees KLSSMR8 |
| Speed | 18.0 kn (33.3 km/h) |
| Capacity |
|
The Ship's Journey: A Look at its History
Building the Queen of Prince Rupert
The Queen of Prince Rupert was built by Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd (VMD) in Victoria, British Columbia. It was finished in 1966. This ship was the very first BC Ferries vessel to travel the Inside Passage. This route went from northern Vancouver Island all the way to Prince Rupert. For many years, it was the most important ship in the fleet. That changed when the Queen of the North joined the route in 1980.
A Danish company, Knud E. Hansen, designed the ship. The first part of the ship's bottom, called the keel, was put in place on November 30, 1964. The ship was then launched into the water on October 15, 1965.
An Unexpected Launch Day
The ship's launch day was quite memorable. Usually, a bottle of champagne is broken against the hull for good luck. Mrs. W. H. Murray, whose husband was the Speaker of the Legislature, was supposed to do this. But just before she could, a young boy accidentally tripped over a rope. This rope was holding the ship in place.
Because of this, the Queen of Prince Rupert slid into the water too early! Mrs. Murray still pulled a lever to send the champagne bottle flying. But it missed the ship. The president of VMD, Harold Husband, grabbed the bottle as it swung back. He tried to smash it against the ship, but it just bounced off.
Then, the wind started pushing the ship towards a grain dock. Luckily, nearby tugboats quickly moved in. They kept the Queen of Prince Rupert safe from danger. To make sure the ship wouldn't have bad luck, Mrs. Murray later threw another bottle of champagne at it. This time, the ship was safely tied to a pier.
Early Routes and Passenger Comforts
From 1966 to 1979, the ship's main route started from Kelsey Bay. At that time, Kelsey Bay was as far north as the highway went on Vancouver Island. In its first year, the Queen of Prince Rupert took 20 hours to complete the journey. It left Prince Rupert and Kelsey Bay on different days.
A one-way ticket cost $30. If you brought a car and driver, it was $60. The ship had many rooms for passengers. There were 16 fancy rooms with two beds, a shower, and a bathroom. There were also many other rooms with bathrooms or shared showers.
In 1977–1978, the passenger prices were still $30. Cars cost $40. During the cooler months, the route changed. The ship started sailing from Tsawwassen. This meant people from Prince Rupert could travel directly to Vancouver by sea. The ship would stop at Kelsey Bay and Bella Bella on its way.
Changes to the Route and a New Name
In 1979, the North Island Highway was finished. It now reached Port Hardy. A new ferry terminal was built nearby at Bear Cove. In 1980, the Queen of the North began service on the Inside Passage route. The government decided to use the Queen of Prince Rupert for a tourist trip. This new route went from Victoria to Seattle. It replaced an older ship called the Princess Marguerite.
For a short time, the Queen of Prince Rupert was leased to another company. It was renamed Victoria Princess. A special side-loading door was added so it could load cars in Victoria's Inner Harbour. But the Victoria Princess only ran on this route for one summer. In November 1980, it returned to BC Ferries. It became the Queen of Prince Rupert again. It then started its service between Prince Rupert and Skidegate.
Helping After a Sister Ship's Accident
On March 22, 2006, the Queen of the North had an accident. At that time, the Queen of Prince Rupert was being repaired. It was quickly put back into service. Less than a month later, it made its first trip of the season. On April 20, 2006, the ship sailed through Wright Sound. This was the same place where its sister ship had been in the accident.
The Queen of Prince Rupert stopped at that spot. Passengers threw 99 white roses into the water. This was for the 99 people who were rescued. They also threw two red roses for the two people who were missing. The Queen of Prince Rupert continued to cover both the Inside Passage and Queen Charlotte Islands routes. It did this until the new Northern Adventure was ready in March 2007.
After the Queen of the North accident, changes were made to where the crew slept. On both ships, the crew's rooms were below the car deck. To keep the crew safer, their rooms were moved. They started using passenger cabins on the Promenade deck. This meant fewer rooms for travelers, but it made sure the crew was safe.
Retirement of a Beloved Ferry
The Queen of Prince Rupert was officially retired on April 20, 2009. A special ceremony was held in Prince Rupert. The new Northern Expedition and the Northern Adventure were also there. The Northern Adventure was the ship that replaced the Queen of Prince Rupert on the Prince Rupert – Skidegate route.
On April 19, 2009, all three ships were in Prince Rupert Harbour together. This was the only time these three vessels were ever in the same place. It was a special moment to mark the end of the Queen of Prince Rupert's long service.
