TheWhackadoodleII
AndWeVille
Our summer of ferry rides ended yesterday at approximately 3:41 pm when we drove off the bottom deck of the Queen of New Westminster at the Tsawwassen terminal just behind the hordes of departing people with bikes and/or pets as well as a gaggle of folks pulling kayaks on tiny wheeled carts.
Why were we on the bottom deck of that old, but still serviceable, locally built boat despite the fact that we both had a reservation and were first in line?
Well, for the first time ever, we were told that the low slung Mazda 5 with the Thule box on top was overheight, despite the fact that we have always fit under the 7 foot bar at the bottom of the ramp since we first bought that car almost 10 years ago now.
C., who is normally the most agreeable of travellers, was miffed and said that if it hadn't been so busy and if she had been on her own, she would have forced the ticket booth lady to get out the measuring stick.
Why the fuss?
Because we don't like to leave the Whackadoodle II, pictured above, on her own down in the car for the entire trip.
Anyway.
I have to say that, despite all the troubles BC Ferries had this summer, we really had no complaints on the many trips we took.
But all that summer stuff is behind us now and, truth be told, I'm not quite sure how I got myself into this predicament but I've got a whole lot of teaching to do this term. Specifically, two full gradual school courses, one of which is brand new to me, as well as significant chunks of two undergraduate courses and an increased load in the professional school stuff I do.
On the bright side - it's only 92 days until the last class of the term.
But who's counting!
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I'm not really complaining about the teaching... I actually like it once things get rolling, and doing more of it is what old academics should be doing so that the young folks can focus on their research as much as possible while their still at the cutting edge of things...Speaking of the latter, I'm helping a young colleague with a grant at the moment for a really interesting applied science project where we're going to try and pluck single cells out of 3-D organoids so that they can be fully characterized 'omic'ally....The young guy's expertise is doing the cell plucking using an interesting technology called open microfluidics while our group is making the organoids...
Our summer of ferry rides ended yesterday at approximately 3:41 pm when we drove off the bottom deck of the Queen of New Westminster at the Tsawwassen terminal just behind the hordes of departing people with bikes and/or pets as well as a gaggle of folks pulling kayaks on tiny wheeled carts.
Why were we on the bottom deck of that old, but still serviceable, locally built boat despite the fact that we both had a reservation and were first in line?
Well, for the first time ever, we were told that the low slung Mazda 5 with the Thule box on top was overheight, despite the fact that we have always fit under the 7 foot bar at the bottom of the ramp since we first bought that car almost 10 years ago now.
C., who is normally the most agreeable of travellers, was miffed and said that if it hadn't been so busy and if she had been on her own, she would have forced the ticket booth lady to get out the measuring stick.
Why the fuss?
Because we don't like to leave the Whackadoodle II, pictured above, on her own down in the car for the entire trip.
Anyway.
I have to say that, despite all the troubles BC Ferries had this summer, we really had no complaints on the many trips we took.
****
But all that summer stuff is behind us now and, truth be told, I'm not quite sure how I got myself into this predicament but I've got a whole lot of teaching to do this term. Specifically, two full gradual school courses, one of which is brand new to me, as well as significant chunks of two undergraduate courses and an increased load in the professional school stuff I do.
On the bright side - it's only 92 days until the last class of the term.
But who's counting!
______
I'm not really complaining about the teaching... I actually like it once things get rolling, and doing more of it is what old academics should be doing so that the young folks can focus on their research as much as possible while their still at the cutting edge of things...Speaking of the latter, I'm helping a young colleague with a grant at the moment for a really interesting applied science project where we're going to try and pluck single cells out of 3-D organoids so that they can be fully characterized 'omic'ally....The young guy's expertise is doing the cell plucking using an interesting technology called open microfluidics while our group is making the organoids...
Image at the top of the post is the W-II from early August...She had been staying with friends over on the Island while C was away and I went over to pick her up as a foot passenger on one of those boomerang 'get-off-the-ferry/pick-up-the-dog-and-get-right-back-on-the-ferry' trips...Thus, this is her up at the front on the upper car deck, where both people and pets are allowed, on one of the KrautRock ferries (back when both were operating) gazing out at the Salish Sea...Yesterday it was e. who took her up to hang out on the upper deck...
Finally, make sure you head on over to Norm Farrell's place to read his latest titled, 'BC Hydro's Credibility Gap'...
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6 comments:
The person in the ticket booth needs to visit an optometrist. There is no way that car and box combination is even close to 7 feet.
Ken
Ken--
I think they were fussing because it was a Queen, which is a little lower up top - but we have fit up there on that very boat in the past according to C. (and she is never wrong about such things)...
That and I think they wanted to fill the bottom deck given how few trailers and/or truck trailers they had on the holiday.
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Measure the height and photograph the measurement. Send the photograph and your receipt to BC ferries to get a refund.
I was helping a friend move to Victoria in a U-Haul and was charged for being oversized for the return trip, even though the truck was not oversized. The invoice from U-Haul documented the size of the truck so I sent that along with my receipt to BC ferries and got a refund.
It might not be worth the effort but we shouldn't accept overcharging. Things are expensive enough as it is. Especially the ferries...they have made reservations almost a necessity, creating a de facto price increase.
Gordie--
Excellent suggestion for those who are overcharged.
In our case, the real proof of the under height pudding was in the sneering 'honouring' of our original reservation...We didn't have to pay extra...They just wanted to force us to the bottom deck...I would have been fine if they had just said that it was really busy, car wise so do you mind going downstairs.
When we had the "fast ferries" everyone was requiredd to leave the decks below. Yes, I had to leave my little angel in the vehicle, all 145 lbs of him. The seperation anxiety was too much, for me. Next trip, took some artifical fur fabric. Put seat in recline and placed the fake fur all over myself. Large dog also present. No one bothered me. Looked like even a larger animal.
I've had them measure my truck with canopy on. Its 6 ft 11 inches. One cashier explained she measures because the odd vehicle has become stuck and as she said, it was very difficult to get the vehicle out. To ensure your vehicle is under height, just add some weight to the back of it. It works.
e.a.f.--
Fur Man!
That is the greatest ferry story I've ever heard.
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