My BC Ferries trip to Nanaimo
I love travelling by ferry. It’s something that probably has to do with the fact that every time I take a ferry I feel like I’ve left behind everything (including teaching, consulting and research responsibilities). That only works, of course, if I am doing a media trip (like the ones I did to Sidney/Salt Spring Island and recently to Parksville). Or a getaway just for fun, like when I went to Victoria with JT for a few days 2.5 years ago (wow, that was a LONG time ago).
I flew into Parksville for Uncorked (thanks to a generous discount by Harbour Air Ltd, and my flight was paid off by the organizers) but on the way back, I wanted to take the ferry. I had travelled to Nanaimo late last year with JT but he drove at the time, and thus I didn’t actually get to see the Horseshoe Bay terminal, nor the Nanaimo one. So, I figured it’d be a good idea to try.
I was kind of surprised at how nice the interior of some areas of the BC Ferries vessel I took on the way back (side note, my travel from Nanaimo back from the Parksville Uncorked was compliments of BC Ferries). I still think ferries need free wifi on board (the whole tethering only works if you have a data plan). Overall, good times. And I’ll admit a weird fixation with the whole idea of looking at the mechanics of how the ferry docks.
Related posts:
- False Creek Ferries (Granville Island)
- Icicles at Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal and a cold snap in Vancouver
- A short visit to Nanaimo (British Columbia, Vancouver Island)
- The SeaWest Lounge on the BC Ferries
- Things to do over a ferry ride
you need to take that ferry to come visit tofino!
BC Ferries is an atrocious corporation, in my opinion. Ever since the corporation went mostly private, all they’ve done is gouge our pockets while reducing the quality of service. The glossy ferries are way over-the-top when what BC residents need is a point-A-to-point-B method of public transport. It’s easy to see that BC Ferries’ marketing is aimed to the tourist market and not that of locals. Residents of the Province are not even so much as offered the option of fare saving. And besides, what good does a quiet lounge, Starbucks coffee bar and elegant decor finishing do for me when I’m quarantined to the car deck? It’s $13.60 well wasted. I could rant for hours on end about my frustrations with BC Ferries, but what’s the point? They’ve got a monopoly, so “sticking it to the man” isn’t an option.
@ Keira – I remember you wrote about the atrocious service for people with pets at BC Ferries, but couldn’t find the post
I think it’s important that we call these Crown corporations out as well when they’re not doing their job!
Hi Raul, great post. I would have to agree with Keira-Anne on the focus of BC Ferries. IN your last photo, of the dock at HSB, you can see my regular transport home to Bowen Island. The Queen of Coquitlam is a VERY different matter to the “touristy” ferries that go to Vancouver Island, or even the Sunshine Coast. ANd because we’re a “Commuter” service, even though Bowen does get a fair amount of tourist traffic, the QofC has a totally captive market of the >50% of Bowen residents who need to commute to their jobs. No nice decor for us, no sir. And capacity is pretty poor during the typical peak times. There are some new ferries that have been commissioned recently, the “Island” class, designed for the tourist meccas of the South Gulf Islands. Any chance of one of those being assigned to Bowen? Totally unlikely, IMO.
BC Ferries SHOULD be considered a part of the transportation system of BC. Not a tourist-draw or cruise ship line, which the “Renaissance” class of ferries are so obviously aimed at.
Quick correction: I meant Queen of Capilano, not Coquitlam. Can’t even remember the name of my own ferry! The QofCoq is one of the nice ones, like the photos above. There’s another they put on in the summer months, I think called the Queen of Surrey, that I like to call the Queen of Denny’s, ’cause that’s what it reminds me of. A Denny’s. Circa 1975. Especially the smell.