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Smith's Ferry Services #200292
07/18/2019 01:00 PM
07/18/2019 01:00 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 89
Mebane, NC
mriley4955 Offline OP
Traveler
mriley4955  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 89
Mebane, NC
As many of you know, the ferry companies in the USVI and the BVI’s took a major blow following Maria and Irma. Specifically, my dear friends at Smiths were especially hit hard. Following Irma, they lost all their vessels.

Many of you have probably rushed up to the ferry counter and have been greeted with a big smile from Marjorie. She seems to always be there and ready to help everyone get on their way to Tortola. Through the years, I have had many trips on Daphne, Sterling and the infamous Bomba Charger. Well, I have a bit of good news to report. Bomba Charger has been completely refitted, painted, and has recently received seaworthy certificates from the US Coast Guard and the BVI authorities. She will be back on the schedule very soon if not already.

Unfortunately, Daphne and Sterling have a way to go. Marjorie and her son have worked tirelessly through the many months following the hurricanes to get Bomba Charger back in service. And to add to the tragedy, the founder and Marjorie’s father passed away due to the stress of losing everything. I can only ask each of you needing ferry services from St. Thomas to Tortola to consider supporting Marjorie and her team at Smith’s Ferry Services. And when you see that beautiful smile, please say hello to her!

PS: If anyone has any experience with GoFundMe, I’d love to set up a page where we can help get Sterling back into the fleet.


I spent all my money on "Boats", "Broads", and "Booze"; the rest I wasted!


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Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200299
07/18/2019 02:04 PM
07/18/2019 02:04 PM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,676
An island state of mind
tradewinds Online content
Traveler
tradewinds  Online Content
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,676
An island state of mind
Good God, that boat has 9 lives! grin

Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: tradewinds] #200303
07/18/2019 02:20 PM
07/18/2019 02:20 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 89
Mebane, NC
mriley4955 Offline OP
Traveler
mriley4955  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 89
Mebane, NC
LOL, I think the first time I ever set foot on that boat was in 1985


I spent all my money on "Boats", "Broads", and "Booze"; the rest I wasted!


[Linked Image]
Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200324
07/18/2019 04:54 PM
07/18/2019 04:54 PM
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,609
Woodstock, GA
RickinAtlanta Offline
Traveler
RickinAtlanta  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,609
Woodstock, GA
Bomba Charger is QUITE a ride!

Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200329
07/18/2019 06:20 PM
07/18/2019 06:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,040
Charlotte, NC
N
NCSailor Offline
Traveler
NCSailor  Offline
Traveler
N
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,040
Charlotte, NC
I guess we should excuse all the years of crappy service and make donations to a go fund me because they didn’t have the foresight to buy insurance.

Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: NCSailor] #200334
07/18/2019 08:13 PM
07/18/2019 08:13 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
S
sail445 Offline
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sail445  Offline
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S
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
Originally Posted by NCSailor
I guess we should excuse all the years of crappy service and make donations to a go fund me because they didn’t have the foresight to buy insurance.

It was almost brand new in the early early 70’s and in the 90’s it was called the Roach coach

Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200340
07/18/2019 09:07 PM
07/18/2019 09:07 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 929
Knoxville, Tennessee
Fred Offline
Traveler
Fred  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 929
Knoxville, Tennessee
A few years ago I asked the captain of the Bomba Charger how long it had been in service and he informed me there had been a few "Bomba Chargers". As one was retired from service, the replacement was then named Bomba charger.
Fred

Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200350
07/19/2019 06:22 AM
07/19/2019 06:22 AM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
GlennA Offline
Traveler
GlennA  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
Bomba Charger and Bomba Challenger went in service in 1971 and is the same boat as in service now. Bomba Challenger became the Paradise Challenger on the JVD route. BTW, The Bomba ferries were NOT named for Bomba of the surf shack but Wilfred "Bomba" Allick, a St Croix based captain.


Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: GlennA] #200380
07/19/2019 10:56 AM
07/19/2019 10:56 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 17,029
Tortola/ Sonoma, California
Manpot Offline
Traveler
Manpot  Offline
Traveler
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 17,029
Tortola/ Sonoma, California
..and the "Bomba Challenger" ended up on the roof of a restaurant ( Sydneys?) in Little Harbour JVD after Irma. I just saw the "new" "Bomba Charger" in Road Harbour. It certainly looked nice and its easy to wax nostalgic about it...but it should have been replaced years ago with something much more efficient rather than have many thounsands of $$$ spent on constantly patching it up. The JVD ferry is perfect example of a modern, comfortable ferry..

Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200427
07/19/2019 09:23 PM
07/19/2019 09:23 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,266
Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
tpcook Offline
Traveler
tpcook  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,266
Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
Cats are the way to go. Much better thru waves and lots of room. Also a/c makes a big difference. Bomba Charger had its day.


tpcook
Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200429
07/19/2019 09:29 PM
07/19/2019 09:29 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
GlennA Offline
Traveler
GlennA  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
One advantage the Bomba Charger has is that, at 95 passengers, it is the right size. Everybody else is running 149 passengers half full on most runs.


Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
Re: Smith's Ferry Services [Re: mriley4955] #200564
07/21/2019 11:48 AM
07/21/2019 11:48 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,148
road town
sleepychef Offline
Traveler
sleepychef  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,148
road town
The Bomba Charger is the best boat as its much faster than the rest no matter how old she is and the charger has A/C


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