HARBOUR HAPPENINGS

The 'Greater Victoria Harbour Authority' hosts hundreds of cruise ships every year through the summer months, but it has now figured out that a deep-sea port can be a money-maker all year -- this is from the GVHA website:

Services available without the need to deviate from major shipping lanes include:

*Bonded warehousing
*Environmental services
*Canada Coast Guard
*Customs & Immigration
*Fresh potable water
*Medical facilities
*Pacific Pilotage Authority
*Tugs
*Waste disposal

So this beast must have taken them up on it, because I've never seen a freighter this size in the harbour before!

The Babitonga is a Brazilian-registered 'dry bulk carrier' vessel that's almost 800 feet long, 90 feet wide, and there's 40' of ship under the water -- that's freakin' huge!

I'll be checking out the Ogden Point docks regularly now that I know we're going to be hosting these babies regularly -- this one was here for 3 days, but was gone this morning when I drove by. I'll let you know if I can find out what it was doing here...