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A Story of a Princess!
A Kvaerner Fjellstrand 40m "Flying Cat" was built in 1996 and retro-fitted in the Philippines where she was known as "Angel of Freedom". While operating in the Philippines she suffered engine damage and was laid up. After lying in the water for so long without use she suffered damage to the hull. She was then purchased by Harbour Link Corporation, which was a company based in Nanaimo, British Columbia that provided passenger-only high speed ferry service between the city centres of Nanaimo and Vancouver. She was renamed HarbourLynx and began its services on October 9, 2003
After several cancelled sailings due to mechanical issues, on February 2, the Harbourlynx vessel was pulled from service due to major engine problems. On Feb. 20, 2006, it was announced that Harbour Link Corporation had filed for bankruptcy. At midnight March 20, the deadline passed with no resolution.
As of October 23, 2006 the company's website indicated that the ferry service may be revived by December under new ownership. No word on who the new ownership is. This never came to fruition.
She was purchased by Fjellstrand, a Norwegian ship building company who will retrofit the vessel and make her seaworthy once again.
There was a lot of bad feeling over Harbour Link Corporation at this time and union president George Heyman said, "It is unconscionable that this employer failed to disclose its financial problems during the bargaining process, and continued to let members work knowing that there might be no money to pay them."
"This company and its managers have abandoned these employees who have families to support and bills to pay."
Heyman said, "In receivership situations such as this, wages owed to working people need to be given a higher priority for repayment under the law."
The 20 BCGEU members who were customer service and general purpose workers, and engineers and oilers for HarbourLynx are owed three weeks back pay, vacation pay, plus banked overtime in some cases.
Here is a statement which was issued at the start of the service. "We at HarbourLynx would like to formally introduce ourselves to you and your company. We are the new high speed passenger ferry service between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver. Our goal is to meet the business and leisure travel needs of the greater Mid - Island area by providing an unsurpassed level of quality and service through a unique and exciting mode of travel. Our ability to travel from harbour to harbour between Nanaimo and Vancouver not only saves time but also provides uncompromising convenience at a very affordable price."
It is said that for Harbourlynx to survive, the company would need to carry 900 passengers per day @ $26 due to the extremely heavy running costs and staffing levels required for this kind of service.
Tony Wanless said, "Chart a back up course or risk going under"
A good example is the HarbourLynx high-speed passenger ferry service between Nanaimo and Vancouver that went belly-up in March after the engine on its only vessel conked out. Awash in $4 million in debt and drifting without a revenue source, Harbour-Lynx had no choice but to go under. Read More
On the 10th January 2008 the Harbourlynx left Canada on her several week journey to the boatyard in Norway where she will undergo the work to make her seaworthy again.
Will the Angel of Freedom eventually turn into a Princess? We will have to wait and see!
Friends of Fr Ted Festival
The kettle is on and organisers are gearing up for Ted Fest II, which after the mammoth success of Ted Fest I is going to be a week long celebration, with events taking place country-wide.
It’s time to honour Dermot Morgan whose 10th anniversary falls on February 28th. And, as it’s also 10 years since Father Ted was filmed in Co Clare, writers Graham and Arthur will be guests for an evening of conversation and memories as part of Ted Fest Kilfenora in the heart of Ted country, to be held in The Community Hall (an actual location from the series.)
Due to phenomenal demand, would-be festival-goers were invited to enter a lottery for the few tickets for sale. These ‘Golden Tickets’, as they’ve come to be known, sold out within half and hour, but there will still be chances for a lucky, lucky few to get hold of one of these exclusive tickets – for example, by winning one of two Ted Fest related contests. For more details on these, please see below.
In the run up to the festival, Peter Phillips of Friends of Ted will be spending 40 Days and 40 Nights pushing a milk float all round Ireland to raise money for Down Syndrome Ireland. Paddy Power are hosting the website and taking bets on the push - see www.ted40.com
During the 40 Days, regional heats will be held for the 2008 Toilet D**k Award for New Irish Comedy in Galway, Belfast, Dublin and Cork. The Toilet D**k finals will be held in Galway on Wednesday Feb 27th. As well as getting the golden duck and a cash prize, the winner will perform at Ted Fest Inis Mor.
Regional heats will take place in Galway, Belfast, Dublin and Cork for the 2008 Lovely Girls Competition. Heat winners will get to compete in The Lovely Girls Competition final during Ted Fest Inis Mor on Saturday March 1st.
For others with a competitive streak, the Song For Europe contest will be running once again. The winner will be invited to perform at Ted Fest Inis Mor.
Other highlights will include a Black & White Ball in Galway on the 28th February, the World’s Biggest Cup of Tea Record Attempt, the First All-Ireland Blondes-Only Snakes and Ladders Tournament, and The Dermot Morgan Memorial Priests and Nuns 5-a-side - all washed down with lashings of milky tea.
For more information and Golden Ticket opportunities visit www.friendsofted.org
New Routes: Cheap Flights to Craggy Island
19/02/2008
Followers of Father Ted will be making a pilgrimage to the hallowed Craggy Island later this month to pay homage to their hero at the official Ted Fest.
They will be winging their way with regional airline Aer Arann, an official Ted Fest Travel Partner, on new flights to Inis Mor from Luton, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
“The bishop doesn’t know yet, but we will be transporting priests, nuns and lovely girls to the Aran Islands,” says Colin Lewis, head of sales and marketing at Aer Arann.
The festival takes place in two locations, inland Ireland at the town of Kilfenora (25th – 27th February), and on the Aran Island of Inis Mor (29th February – 2nd March). Celebrations on Inis Mor will celebrate the island’s alias of ‘Craggy Island’, starting with a cabaret night, and leading onto ‘Sporting’ Saturday and ‘Spiritual’ Sunday.
There will be plenty of goings on (go on, go on, go on) including Dermot Morgan Memorial Priests and Nuns 5-a-side, the ‘Lovely Girls Competition’, and every punter’s favourite – ‘Dunk the Monk in the World’s Biggest Cup of Tea.’
“It has been ten years since Father Ted had its last hurrah with the filming of the final episode, we are glad to be blessed with the prestige of being an official carrier a decade later,” says Lewis.
Contact us today to arrange your sailing. Go on, go on, go on,
We always strive for Excellence!
Till we meet,
Slan agus beannacht! |
