August 1st, 2019 — For the past few years there have often been sailing waits for the ferry to Crofton from Vesuvius on Salt Spring Island. BC Ferries answer to the problem was to replace this ferry with a smaller one, the Quinitsa, which officially carries six LESS vehicles but in reality it’s probably ten or twelve less vehicles. So now the sailing waits are more frequent and waits can be two sailings or more as the lineup for the parking lot extends its long way up a narrow two lane road past homes the residents of are often blocked in or out of. The picture above shows the Vesuvius bus starting down the wrong side of the road with the help of a flag man and a number of cars forming behind it. The picture below is the bus closer to the terminal parking lot.
Tag: BC Ferries
Long ferry wait
August 9th, 2018 — People at the Nanaimo ferry terminal were out of their cars looking anxiously towards the loading ramp and hoping a few more cars would get on the 3:30pm sailing from Departure Bay to Vancouver. A few did but not the people in the picture who had to wait in the 30 degree afternoon heat for the next sailing.
Man overboard drill
July 20th, 2015 — Man overboard drill on the Bowen Queen on its way to Salt Spring Island from Tsawwassen.
A very Active Pass
May 24, 2003 — Three BC ferries in Active Pass.
He’s just resting
January 31st, 2003 — One of the nice things about the old Queen of Nanaimo ferry was that there was space to take a nap on the floor during the long milk run from Tsawwassen to Salt Spring Island. Not so with the new Salish class ferries.
Sleeping on the ferry
January 31st 2003 — Sleeping arrangements onboard the Queen of Nanaimo sailing to Long Harbour.
Ferry to Crofton in the rain
October 18th, 2017 — Foot passengers waiting and then walking onto the 5pm ferry to Crofton from Vesuvius Bay.
Vesuvius ferry today and 1900
Circa 1900 — Above is the SS Amelia nearing the wharf at Vesuvius Bay, Salt Spring Island taken by an unknown photographer about 1900. Below, the Howe Sound Queen approaches the Vesuvius terminal a few weeks ago. Quite a difference. The reference number for the SS Amelia picture is C-07008 and is available from the BC Archives.
Salish Eagle
July 31st, 2017 — An out of order elevator on the new BC Ferry, Salish Eagle. I kind of assumed this was just one of those typical glitches that new ships have when first put into service. There is now a reliable report, however, from a one time main stream journalist that on August 1st this ship hadn’t one single functioning elevator and that seniors with week knees were unable to climb the steep stairs to the lounge and had to stay on the car deck. Another ferry fiasco on the horizon?
Violinist on the ferry
November 18th, 2016 — He played on the upper deck of the Queen of Coquitlam all the way from Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay on today’s 3pm sailing. He’s not Joshua Bell but he is very good. No one who went up onto the windy cold deck didn’t stop and listen for at least a little while. I didn’t get a chance to ask who, what, why, but the story I like to imagine is that he was returning from Gabriola Island having just bought a new bow from ex Edmonton Journal photographer now bow maker extraordinaire Mike Vann and couldn’t wait to try it out on his way home.