Thread: Cook Strait Ferry

If the nimbys in Queen Charlotte Sound weren't so precious about speed limits on the water (and noone cared about erosion) Bluebridge could fill the gap with more ships. The real issue is the speed limits limit the number of sailings a day that can go through the Sounds. That's partly why Kiwirail ordered such big ships (The other part is so they could get more rail business to prop up the rest of their business) - so they could move more people within the limits of their low number of sailings per day.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

To fly Tga to CHCH return for the family of four (two big two small tickets) it's almost $2000 - but total time five hours. Need to sort transport when we get there too, didn't get any further on that cost. Driving down return circa $12-1300 depending on the actual amount of driving we do. Takes about 16 hours to get down to CHCH though, broken up with a night in Wellington somewhere (usually a friend's place).

The ferry is a better option for the kids, flying is a pain in the arse.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Its fine. People talk it down. It's a dodgy bit of water. Nothing 3rd world about it.

What NZ or Cook Straight

given the exorbitant fees they charged and the bad maintenance of the ships where did all the money go for buying replacements?

Pity they gave up on the Clifford Bay terminal.
Shorter trip, any size ship, no sounds speed limit and an hours less driving to Chritschurch.

Originally Posted by gonetropo

given the exorbitant fees they charged and the bad maintenance of the ships where did all the money go for buying replacements?

I think they call that running costs.....

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once upon a time the ferry didnt stop in picton...it went right down to littleton,or so Im told...bit before my time.... so there is options to bypass picton....sure its further and will cost more...but its an option....even Grant R said on the "idiot lantern" last night..he had given kiwi rail the word and suggested a cheaper option..so it was time bomb waiting to explode and the previous lot knew about it...
the amount of freight that crosses every day is huge....think 15-20 truck n trailer units

As a country we are broke, way, way more broke than we were, the previous people in charge of the place did an appalling job economically running this place

This is one of many things we just can't afford, they were spending money we just didn't have, had no sensible way of acquiring & appeared to think it was perfectly ok

The chickens are coming home to roost & we just can't keep doing what we have been, the lack of fiscal responsibility is ridiculous , unfortunately there will be a fair bit of pain trying to get things back on track

I did the trip to Lyttleton on my first SI hunt to the Havelock. I was in my teens.
I always get sea sick and once we headed away from the Welle wharf I thought, nah, this is a piece of wee wee, big ship etc etc. Then we hit the heads and I had to immediately retire to my bunk straight away. It was an overnight voyage. My mates came to bed late after pissing up and tried to rark me up. Bastards, no sympathy from them.
They said it was the roughest crossing since the Wahine went down.

On the trip back it was exactly 1 year since the Wahine disaster. The harbour was very calm as we sailed past her. Everyone lined the handrails on the port side. There was not much conversation.
The ship (cannot remember her name, woops pronoun) sounded the ship's horn. Poignant moment in my life.

I think the ferry was the Maori.

When e went to Lyttleton for national service one bloke was so worried about getting sea sick he was crook before we left the wharf.

Reinstating a Wellington - Lyttleton service ( especially for freight & non tourist's ) would be awesome, it makes so much sense that's probably why in the true modern Kiwi sprit it hasn't made a come back.

Prime example was during the Kaikoura earthquake & SH1 was completely buggered, thousands of tons of road freight a day were diverted hundreds of K's instead of sailing direct.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

once upon a time the ferry didnt stop in picton...it went right down to littleton,or so Im told...bit before my time.... so there is options to bypass picton....sure its further and will cost more...but its an option....even Grant R said on the "idiot lantern" last night..he had given kiwi rail the word and suggested a cheaper option..so it was time bomb waiting to explode and the previous lot knew about it...
the amount of freight that crosses every day is huge....think 15-20 truck n trailer units

My first ferry trip was on the maiden voyage of the Rangatira (might not be spelt right) to Lyttleton. A civilised way to travel. Woke up in the morning to a cup of tea and a biscuit and on the dock bright and early for my drive down to Dunedin.
GPM.

Originally Posted by XR500

Kiwirail's replacement ships were a gold plated solution.

The world is awash with underutilised ships and RORO's.

They will just have to work within a tighter fiscal envelope, and go and lease.

Money no longer grows on trees. These CEO's on mega salaries should already know that.

lots of good ferries in the Baltic sea area that are also designed for really rough weather.....

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

More to the point why would you want to go to the North Island?

Sika deer!!

A fast cat from Lyttleton-Wellington would be awesome. Freight and rail etc could still go on the Picton route but let's face it most the people crossing with a vehicle are headed somewhere south of chch anyhow. Been on the Buquebus HSC Francisco from Buenos Aires to Montevideo and back a few times and it's a great service smashes out 270kms between BA and MV in less time than it takes the interislander to go from Wellington to Picton, its also pretty impressive stepping outside and nearly getting blown over because you're doing 100 clicks on a massive ship carry cars and people and restaurants and shops all sorts of stuff!