Launch of MV Needles, 17 August 1990

The second iteration of the highway ferry MV Needles was launched from Rothwell Point, Nakusp, on 17 August 1990. Designed to replace the previous MV Needles on Highway 6 connecting Fauquier and Needles across Highway 6, the 40-car cable ferry remains in operation today. The ferry was fabricated in sections in North Vancouver by Vancouver Shipyards Ltd. and then trucked to Nakusp for assembly at Rothwell Point. Dignitaries on hand for the launch included Nelson-Creston MLA Howard Dirks and wife Lorna Dirks (christener of the vessel), Nakusp mayor Rosemarie Johnson, and regional highways director Gordon Sutherland.
View photos of the various versions of the Needles-Fauquier ferry through time in the ALHS archives: alhs-archives....
Timestamps:
0:00 Preparing the launch
2:50 Crowd assembles for ceremony
4:54 Speeches and christening ceremony
13:39 Launch of MV Needles