View allAll Photos Tagged observationdeck
SS Sicamous is a large four decked sternwheeler commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and built by the Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company for Okanagan Lake service between the fruit communities of Penticton, and other towns of Kelowna and Vernon, British Columbia. SS Sicamous launched in 1914, Sicamous ran for many years connecting rail lines and areas. The vessel operated until 1937 and is currently beached as a part of a heritage shipyard operated by the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society in Penticton. The vessel today is operated both as a museum and events and banquet facility.
Form
Built in 1914, Sicamous made daily trips around Okanagan Lake until 1936, with her last official voyage in 1937. Throughout her twenty-two years of official service, Sicamous remained an important link within the transportation system of the Okanagan. Sicamous now resides in Penticton where she continues to undergo restoration. Sicamous had the following dimensions:
Length: 200.5 ft (registered); 228 ft (overall)
Breadth: 40 ft
Height (main deck to pilot house): 53 ft
Gross Tonnage: 1786.65 tons
Net Tonnage: 994.38 tons[1]
Although passengers would board the ship on the cargo deck, their access was limited to the bow. After boarding they would head up either one of the two exterior staircases leading to the saloon deck. The saloon deck was home to the exquisite dining hall featuring an impressive mezzanine balcony and clerestory windows. Located at the bow was the Gentlemen’s Saloon with bar, while the stern housed the Ladies Saloon complete with a beautiful bridal suite. Above the saloon deck was the observation deck or gallery deck. This was where passengers would go to admire the beautiful view of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding area. Much like the saloon deck, ladies and gentlemen each had their own separate observation area with women observing at the bow, and men at the stern. Just beneath the Pilot House was the Texas Deck. This area served as a casual meeting place for the captain and his crew.
The Kettle Valley Railway, which ran along the East side of Okanagan Lake, as well as the construction of the highway along the West side and also the Great Depression in the 1930s contributed to Sicamous losing money for the CPR. As a result, the CPR decided to renovate Sicamous, removing the Texas Deck and two thirds of the observation deck. These changes were designed to reduce wind resistance and weight, decreasing coal consumption and allowing for more cargo to be transported. Despite her decrease in size, Sicamous remained a first-class steamship with the same fine Australian mahogany and Burmese teak finishings.
Function
Sicamous was a steam-driven sternwheeler, consuming an average of fifteen to seventeen tons of coal each day,[2] depending upon weather conditions and the number of stops made along the lake.[3] Today Sicamous remains the largest steam-powered, steel-hulled sternwheeler in Canada. Twenty-three feet long and made of Carnegie flange steel, the boiler was designed to burn 1720 kilograms of coal each hour. It was important to maintain a large and very hot fire burning within the boiler. Surrounding the fire was a steel chamber containing water pulled from the lake as well as 320 hollow tubes. These tubes would heat rapidly, quickly turning the water to steam. Pressure would build and the temperature would rise. The steam pressure was constantly monitored and maintained at 160 psi by a fireman or an engineer who was responsible for manually releasing steam as needed. This steam would travel from the boiler to the engines via the bulkhead, a large tube attached to the ceiling of the bilge. Sicamous had two engines, each with a low- and high-pressure cylinder. Steam would travel from cylinder to cylinder, moving pistons which were attached to the ships pitman arms. These pitman arms were connected to the wooden stern wheel and moved completely out of phase with one another, distributing power equally to both sides of the stern wheel.
Purpose
Built in 1914 and retired in 1936, Sicamous dedicated twenty-two years of service to the CPR, the people of the Okanagan and those simply travelling through. Although always a first-class steamship complete with luxurious staterooms and cabins, Sicamous was renovated in 1935 and became primarily a cargo vessel, reducing her total number of berths from 80 to 20. This change was in hopes of serving the people of the valley better while increasing her profits. Operation: Construction of Sicamous began September 1913 and continued throughout winter, finishing in the spring of 1914. The hull, engine and boiler were fabricated beforehand in Port Arthur, Ontario (Thunder Bay) and shipped to the construction site at Okanagan Landing. It took seventeen railcars to ship the prefabricated materials out West. Up to 150 men were hired to build both Sicamous and Naramata. The cost to build Sicamous alone was estimated to be $180,000 not including the additional $14,000 spent on fine furnishings.
Sicamous was launched May 19, 1914 at 2:15 in the afternoon, and had its first excursion June 12 of 1914. The first to pilot the ship was Captain George Estabrooks, followed by Captain Otto Estabrooks in 1915, Captain William Kirby in 1916, Captain George Robertson from 1917 to 1921 and lastly Captain Joseph Weeks from 1922 to 1935. To be captain of such a ship was considered to be one of the most prestigious careers in the Okanagan Valley and each captain was held in very high regard.
Crew Complement and Officers
While off duty, the twenty-four crew members aboard Sicamous would sleep in the crew’s quarters at the stern of the cargo deck. These rooms consisted of three single bunks and housed up to six men. Crew members would sleep in shifts, sharing bunks where need be. Their quarters were known for having bed bug and cockroach infestations while also being plagued by the many mosquitoes living in the valley. However, a warm place to stay overnight and three meals a day were included in the crew’s wages. Chief Engineers aboard Sicamous included:
William Jacobs
D. Stephens
D.H. Biggam
John F. McRae
P.H. Pearce
During World War One, many of the Lake and River Service’s skilled engineers left for battle, leaving numerous steamships, including Sicamous, without a Chief Engineer. As a result, Dave Stephens (rumored to be the D. Stephens above) filled in for the younger men who had joined the army. Dave Stephens was the British Columbia Lake and River Services’ Primary Chief Engineer and oversaw operations from Nelson. Captains aboard Sicamous included:
Captain George Estabrooks (1914)
Captain Otto Estabrooks (1915)
Captain William Kirby (1916)
Captain George Robertson (1917-1921)
Captain Joseph Weeks (1922-1935)
Reference - WIKIPEDIA
Thank-you for all the overwhelming support and many friendships.
~Christie by the River
** Best experienced in full screen
'Why be a copy, when you were born an original'
Oregon City Municipal Elevator, McLoughlin Promenade, Oregon City, Oregon.
National Register of Historic Places reference No.: 14000181
Media
* Movie Clips Classics: Cleopatra (1963) - Opening Titles
See also: IMG_9878 Oregon City Municipal Elevator
(#9 in Explore June 5, 2016)
At the Top, Burj Khalifa, is Dubai’s most iconic destination. The observation floor in the world’s tallest building offers 360 degree breathtaking views...
♥ Thank you very much for your visits, faves, and kind comments ♥
“…Talk is cold and burns like the sun,
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Coz on top of the world is where I'm from..”
If you are on FB, why not have a look at (and like ?) my page: www.facebook.com/thierryhudsynphotos
After you set up your gear and get it going, astrophotography is then pretty much automated. While my telescope and camera did thier thing, I stepped back and took this shot with my RX1RII.
Hiroshima, Japan
A very pleasant vantage point to watch the sun go down over the city of Hiroshima. The Hiroshima Orizuru Tower overlooks the A-Bomb Dome building and Peace Memorial Park sandwiched between the Rivers Motoyasu and Ota with the Hiroshima Hills to the west in the distance.
The observation deck on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building gives a fantastic panoramic view of Tokyo.
This was taken through a window with a view through two more sets of windows to the city beyond. Sorry if this is confusing. It's a bit of a pain (pane) to explain :)
Happy Window(s) Wednesday!
Richmond, BC Canada
EXPLORATHOR II
The Explorathor is the largest vessel in our fleet, and was built locally in North Vancouver by ABD Shipyards. It is a 47 passenger, open/semi-covered zodiac style vessel, with a covered seating area in the rear and is equipped with a washroom.
This vessel operates covered during the Spring and Fall and operates as an open air vessel from mid-June to mid-September. The bow of Explorathor has a clear glass roof and large windows that slide up and down for unobstructed viewing. The highlight feature of this vessel is the upper level observation deck that supply’s passengers with a 360 view and the opportunity to see the whales from another vantage point.
EXPLORATHOR EXPRESS
The Express is a 45-passenger open/semi-covered zodiac style vessel, and was built locally in North Vancouver by ABD Shipyards. It offers a fast and comfortable ride, ideal for families and groups. The bow of the Express has a clear glass roof and large windows that slide up and down to provide unobstructed viewing of the whales. Just like Explorathor, this vessel was custom designed for marine mammal viewing.
The zodiac style hull allows for a smooth ride over the water which reduces the chances of passenger seasickness. This vessel operates on the same schedule as Explorathor so will operate as an open-air vessel mid-June to mid-September.
References: vancouverwhalewatch.com/explorathor-ii;
vancouverwhalewatch.com/express
This image is best viewed in Large screen.
Thank-you EXPLORE and thank-you to everyone for their visit, and please know that any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated!
Sonja
Trashed my phone during an impromptu swim over the weekend, no choice but to enjoy the night without the distraction. A sky full of stars coupled with the most beautifully fragrant breeze in memory had me wondering how it would be possible to feel more connected.
Urban Composition; "Observation Tower Top of the Rock" (72nd floor);; New York City; ©2009 DianaLee Photo Designs
© 2009 Steve Kelley
View from the Empire State Building's (ESB) observation deck in New York City, NY looking down to the south at around 6pm.
To view all images in larger sizes and to download, purchase, or license please click here: Images from the top of the Empire State Building...
HDR - Nikon d300
Blue hour at the Gold Coast as stormy weather starts to approach from the east. Taken from skypoint observation deck.
Tuesday I spent the day wondering around NYC doing what the REAL tourists do. And you can't do the tourist thing without going to the to the observation deck at the top of the Rockefeller center. It offers a sweeping view of the City. Unfortunately it was really hot and hazy which didn't provide the best visibility. But it's still a stellar view and I highly recommend it if you're visiting NYC.
This shot was inspired by this great shot :)
Off to an all day appointment *boo*...catch up with you all this evening :)
This path through the Fall foliage led to an observation deck for the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. It was a beautiful place, well maintained, and clean.
Tokyo city view and observers are reflected in the ceiling, but nobody notices another perspective above them. It may be interesting to lotate this image by 180 degrees.
Roppongi Hills, Observation deck in the center of Tokyo.
Reprocessing RAW file which was taken three years ago.
Come wid me
Dat's where we belong
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLjXAU4rZAs
There'll be no fretting'
Jes nothin' but smiles.
George Gershwin, Porgy and Bess (act 3, scene 2)
© All rights reserved Anna Kwa. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.