Our Dream Ferry Routes

Karl already mentioned one idea I've thought about - that is Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen to Comox. Comox/Courtenay are booming towns and I don't think Departure Bay can handle much more traffic, even if the terminal is improved. Maybe they could even do a morning and evening stop-over at Lasqueti Island on the way:)

I don't see anyone using a Comox to the South run. The Island Highway is a great road north of Nanaimo, it gets you there much faster.

When you can take the highway for free, be nice when there is a collision.

I've always thought that would be a neat cruise as well. Though I don't think it would be worth putting a car ferry on the run, and competing with the highway time. They could at least have a passenger Ferry that could fit BCF docks, and run it back and forth. Howe Sound has some great scenery. Alot of people don't really understand that, and they just assume they have to go up North to get good scenery. You get a completely different perspective of Howe Sound, once you've explored it by boat, which is what I've learned from personal experience.

A few years ago, when the Royal Hudson was running, you used to be able to ride the train to Squamish from Vancouver. Then on the return trip, you had the option of going back to Vancouver on the MV Britannia, or vice versa. I got to sail on the MV Britannia on the evening of my Grad, and we sailed all over Howe Sound for the majority of the night. Very nice little ship, with two passenger decks (both with a bar), with access to a third outer deck.

Does anyone remember when BC Ferries was doing studies in the early 90s, for where they should build another terminal? Of course we know they picked Duke Point, but does anyone remember any other places they had considered? I remember them looking at Ladysmith for building another terminal. Then ferries would have to travel across Stuart Channel, and down Trincomali Channel to Porlier Pass, then over to Tsawwassen.

How much time/distance would be added to a sailing by sending ships from HSB to Duke Point rather than Departure Bay?

I remember a fellow from BC Ferries telling me that the fast cats were supposed to solve the problem of congestion at Departure Bay and HSB by allegedly sailing faster and dropping vehicles down in smaller, more managed "pulses" than the big ships that drop a huge number of cars off all at once. I guess that didn't work out.

But given that logic, it's got me thinking: instead of the Super-C class ships on HSB to Departure Bay, would it make more sense to have a few more of the stretched Burnaby class ships that would sail with greater frequency, dropping off 200 cars every hour rather than 400 cars every two hours? I realize the costs would be higher in terms of shipboard labour and outlay for new vessels, but it could manage the traffic problem.

We used to sail out of DepBay on rte 30 and the time difference was pretty much zero. The same would be true for HSB to Duke. We have sailed from Duke to Horseshoe Bay due to heavy weather and Tswwassen being closed. Except for the infamous 8 hour crossing the time difference is negligible.
Traffic congestion can always be relieved by adding more sailings but then fuel and other operating costs go up. The most efficient way of course is to run full boats, but we do need a regular schedule. Back in the early '70s we ran 2 boats on rtes 1 and 2 with 2 others on standby, meaning they were manned and ready to go if needed, but not very cost effective.

Or better yet, a Horseshoe Bay to southern Texada route...though the Islanders might string me up for suggesting it! ;D

lol...I did, and so did PR Northern Teen, and maybe Flugel Horn. As I commented before, the route was great for people on Texada as it eliminated a convoluted scheduling dance when travelling to the Island.

I am surprised that Vancouver-Squamish ferry services haven't been talked about much lately in the press.

The billion-dollar improvements to Hwy 99 are needed - not just for 10 days of Olympic frenzy, but to support 99 as a very good highway to interior BC.

We can't beat geology, weather and topography by brute force, though. We could take a lesson from Norway, a country that has made a highway to their North Cape with superb roads and ferry links.

99 will never be an all-weather, all-season 6-lane highway without blasting away ten billion tons of Coast Mountain granite from Lions Bay to Britannia. Let's accept that, and make provision for a speedy car ferry as a supplement.

BCF? Maybe not. Perhaps entrepreneurs can bid on a route from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish. Their subsidies would include access to the HB terminal, and even a share of the highway maintenance budget for Hwy 99.

Last note: road bypasses of the Howe Sound route are old and well known. North Vancouver's Lillooet Road is just that: an 1860's wagon/cattle road that ascended the Seymour River to the pass that opened into the Stawamus Valley, then down to Squamish. The route on to Lillooet and the Cariboo was more problematic - and the road died.

Today, re-opening the Seymour Valley road as a public highway is unthinkable. There is a fine gravel road all the way to Squamish from the top of Lillooet Road. But the Seymour River and the upper Stawamus are protected as suppliers of the finest, safest drinking water to 3 million people. As a by-product, the vast valleys are human-free wilderness. 10 miles from Canada's 3rd largest city. No public highway, please.

I like the idea too, Jim. Minor problem....The terminal you have drawn a Ferry route to land right on top of the Yellow Point Lodge. But I understand what you mean though. The only problem is access to Yellow Point, which is probably why BCF turned this option down 15 or so years ago. Yellow Point Road is a fairly windy road, with rolling hills, and I couldn't imagine trains of semi trucks trying to do this road. So a new highway would obviously be needed, much like with the Duke Point situation. This area is considered to be part of the Booney area of Ladysmith/Nanaimo, and the people that live out there have decided to live there for the same reason that everyone else has for living in the boonies. Which is to get away from the City Life. I can't blame them, it's beautiful out there. The residents out there would never allow it.

I couldn't ever imagine a Ferries trying to come into Ladysmith Harbour. In the summer, it's covered with various types of pleasure crafts either coming or going to the Gulf Islands. Any further south of Yellow Point, you get into Kulleet Bay, which is Native land. This land spans from about Kulleet Bay to Coffin Point. Basically everything on the East side of Ladysmith Harbour. Plus along the waterfront everywhere else in places such as Saltaire, it is dotted with homes and subdivisions. So if BC Ferries was serious and determined to put a Ferry Terminal near Ladysmith, they would have to build another Tsawwassen (man made Island and causeway).

have you ever been through porlier pass? there has been a ferry to go through but was not recommended. the day of the alberni grounding in active pass the queen of sidney, after waiting off active pass for a couple of hours, went up tincomali channel to porlier pass and then on to tsawwassen. how do i know this? well the master on the sidney that day was an uncle of mine. some of our older ferries employees on here may know who he is.

ladysmith harbour could handle ferries. it is a able to handle deep sea freighters.