Tag Archives: BC Ferries

Smaller BC Ferries

The approach to Swartz Bay ferry terminal on Vancouver Island brought us close to some other ferries in the BC Ferries fleet. Two of the Salish Class vessels were there, one heading out and another heading in alongside us. I only had my phone with me at that point, but I was able to catch both of them at different times and distances. They are a relatively recent build of ferry having been constructed in Poland. I haven’t made any of the shorter trips that would give me a chance to ride one yet.

Spirit of Vancouver Island

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I posted about the Salish Class of ferries that BC Ferries operates previously but, as we were arriving in Swartz Bay, one of the larger ferries in the fleet headed out. Spirit of Vancouver Island runs the main service between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay carrying the heavy traffic loads. She pulled out just as we were coming alongside so I got a brief view of her heading away.

Horseshoe Bay

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Our trip to Nanaimo meant a ferry ride with BC Ferries. Normally we end up going from Tsawwassen but, because reservations were already getting hard to find, we took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay. It has been a while since I departed from there and I didn’t remember much about it. The waiting area was rather busy and not the most relaxing spot to wait for a ferry. However, once on the boat, we got a nice view of the bay and the surrounding coastline. It was a rather picturesque spot. Figured I would share some shots of it here.

The Ferry to Gabriola

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Take me to a place by the sea and I will be checking out the ferries. BC Ferries provides the services in British Columbia and there is a short crossing between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island that has a pretty frequent service. I understand the Island Class ferries are the ones that operate this service and they come into Nanaimo alongside the waterfront where we were walking after arriving.

During the peak times, there were two ferries running back and forth but, in the evening, I assume the demand is lower and one of the ferries was moored up. We got a good look at it as we came back from our dinner on a little ferry. I think these ferries have been designed for incorporation of electrical propulsion in due course.

BC Ferries And A Competitor

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On our trip to Victoria, we took the BC Ferries crossing to Vancouver Island. On our return journey, we got to the terminal at Swartz Bay quite early and the sun was shining so I wandered down to the water edge near the ferries to see what was going on. There were more BC Ferries vessels in place along with a competitor ferry, Seaspan, that appears to be focused on freight traffic only.

That ferry left before we loaded but it ended up following us through the passage towards the Strait of Georgia. We made a couple of turns through the passage which meant it appeared and disappeared from view for me but I managed to catch it a couple of times. The passage is also the place where the ferries pass in opposite directions since it is mid journey. A chance to get some more ferry shots. After a pause, it seems I am back on the ferry photography trail!

The Old Ferry is a Substitute

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On our trip to Tofino, we were on an older ferry from BC Ferries. The Queen of New Vancouver was our ride in both directions. I am not an expert on BC Ferries but this boat clearly looked a lot older than the majority of the fleet. That’s because she is. All of her sister ships have been scrapped but she was refitted around 2007 for another ten to fifteen years. (Wikipedia is my friend.). I guess that means her days are numbered. I am not sure whether she is used regularly but I did hear that another ship was in maintenance. Maybe that is why she was in use. Anyway, here is the old girl. We rode on one of the newer ships a while later and they are definitely better equipped for the passengers. Maybe she still has some time to go though.

BC Ferries at Work

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Our ferry ride to Swartz Bay was on one of BC Ferries larger boats. There were multiple decks to explore and a great view to watch passing by once we got in amongst the Gulf Islands. We also saw a few other ferries as we went. The ferry running the opposite service to ours passed us by as we made our way through one of the narrow passages between the islands. While not identical, it was a similar size to our boat.

The smaller islands also have service. Since they are not generating anything like the traffic that Vancouver to Victoria generates, the ferries are a lot smaller. We saw some docked up as we passed while others were making their own crossings. The waterways were pretty busy with ferry traffic for a November weekday. I wonder how many were tourists like us and how many were people going about their normal business.

Passing Through the Gulf Islands

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To get to Victoria for our visit, we took the BC Ferries route from Tsawwassen. This route crosses some open water but then it weaves its way through the Gulf Islands. This makes for a really picturesque journey. On the day we crossed, it was a cloudy day but the beauty of the islands and the waterways between them was more than enough to compensate for the gloomy skies. Some of the passages are really narrow so you find yourself very close to the shore and looking at the houses and woodland areas along the water’s edge.

If you don’t mind being blown about a bit, standing out on the deck rewards you with great views. The only problem is you can only see to one side at a time. You need to nip through the boat to the other side periodically to see what is passing on that side. Not such a relaxing way to sightsee!