How is a ferry route started?

“Hornby Island- The Ebb and Flow”, by Elizabeth Smith and David Gerow, (Ptarmigan Press, 1988), gives an account of the development of ferry service to the island. This is a very abbreviated summary of that story; direct quotes from the book are in italics. Photos, except the colour shot of the Albert J. Savoie at the end, are also from the book.

Isolated from the mainland and Vancouver Island, Hornby was first settled by Europeans probably in the late 1860s. The first steamer services, provided by the CPR and Union Steamships, began serving the island in the 1890s, and through the 1920s, provided a handful of sailings per week to Vancouver or Victoria.
A frequent connection to Courtenay was the most logical transportation requirement for the island, and one which the steamship companies didn’t provide. In 1923, the Savoie family started doing regular runs into town from their property on the northwest side of the island. Albert Savoie describes the early days:

In those days, there was no way you could come to Hornby and have a boat and think you were just going to haul your own produce and that’s it. We didn’t want to have anything to do with transportation because the difficulties were too great. But people were just beseeching us all the time to give them rides and pick up sacks of feed… we didn’t want to for a lot of reasons. There were no landings anywhere, and with our long beach, the boat had to be kept a quarter of a mile out. Then we’d come back from town and it’d be blowing north-west and rough and we’d have to unload feed; row out to the boat and load feed into the rowboat, come in with the surf, unload, carry it up to the shed and go back and forth like that. If it wasn’t for all the free labour, five kids who were good seamen and who worked hard, it wouldn’t have worked!

They started with a 26’ vessel, and in 1929, Albert, who had taken over from his brother Leon, had a 34’ vessel built in Vancouver which served until 1940. Travelling to Courtenay for $1.25 on the ‘Water Lily’ could quite an adventure, as described by long time islander Hilary Brown:

Going up and coming back, your seating depended on what freight and how much was being hauled. There could have been cans of cream going to the creamery or sacks of potatoes or turnips, so you sometimes sat on the freight. On the way back, everyone who had gone up and had loaded up in town, some of it cases of beer and some had already taken on some internally in town. Sometimes we’d be coming into Comox Bay and be hailed from the cannery by someone who’d been left behind, probably from spending too much time in the beer parlour. So, Mr Savoie would pull over and pick him up. There were wooden benches all along both walls inside the cabin, covered with unwashed sheepskins. There were diesel fumes inside and often, when someone opened the cabin door, soot would blow in onto people. It was common for passengers to wear old clothes on top of their town clothes during the trip so they would look presentable in Courtenay. It was a long day; five hours to and from Hornby, so you didn’t go unless you really had to. Mr Savoie was recognized as a fine seaman, and everyone had a lot of confidence in him and in Albert. Often, those trips were in pretty dirty weather and the skipper needed a good deal of skill in handling the boat safely.


The Water Lily: comfy seats on the haystacks for the ride to Courtenay in the 1930s.

In 1930, the present ferry service to Denman Island from Buckley Bay began, but it would be more than twenty years before Hornby’s service started, despite the Hornby Island Farmers’ Institute convincing the Courtenay-Comox Board of Trade in 1931 to pass a resolution supporting construction of a terminal on the east side of Denman. Not all Hornbyites supported a ferry, and those who did, couldn’t all agree on the best route. The matter languished somewhat, and through the ‘40s various options were tried, by way of scows and landing barges. The CPR had eliminated their run up the east coast of Vancouver Island, and Hornbyites had received little in the way of sympathetic hearings from politicians. Albert Savoie had operated a succession of vessels, but what was really needed to help farmers and businesses on the island was a vehicle ferry. Incredibly, Savoie had been told by local MLA H.J. Welch that the only hope he had of getting a government subsidy for the service was if a boat was already built and operating on the route. Taking a huge gamble, Savoie, with the backing of the Hornby Island Credit Union, constructed the ‘Hornby Island V’, and had it in operation by 1953; islanders donated money and labour to build a suitable landing. Now came the matter of ‘landing’ a subsidy.

Albert Savoie:

We went to Victoria…. Politically, we thought we had things right with our MP Jack Gibson trying to help us all he could and Welch, Independent in the Coalition Government, assuring us that it would be written up. Then there was an election and Social Credit was elected for the first time. We thought, “Oh, we’re beaten now.” We thought our house of cards had collapsed. We went to see Mr Gaglardi, Minister of Highways, and he wasn’t going to give us anything. Well, we wouldn’t leave! Then he got haggling with me, asking how much did I need. I said, “$10,000.” He said, “Oh, ten, eh? Hmm.” So we haggled and haggled and then he said, “Listen, could you take…? I’ll give you $5,000.” I didn’t like that very much, but in the end, they called for tenders and I bid $5,000 and got it. But he did say that if I ran it for the year and knew my costs I could cancel the contract after the year and answer the next tender. So, I did that and got my $10,000 and with that, I could barely make ends meet. I never did make any money, and believe me, we’re doing far better on our Old Age Pension than we ever did with the ferry.


The first Savoie- built car ferry, the Hornby Island V, at Gravelly Bay

A landing had been built at Gravelly Bay on the east side of Denman in 1942, and with the backing of the Credit Union, Savoie’s initiative, and the help of islanders in donating tons of cement and offering their labour at the Hornby landing, ferry service was initiated. Islanders now had a regular, dependable connection to the outside world, and a way to get their products to market. The ‘Hornby Island V’ carried two cars, which backed on or backed off, and was replaced by another Savoie built craft, the six car ‘Lorraine S’, which served until Savoie’s retirement, and the start of Highways Department service, in 1971.


Worship at the shrine of Flensburger, with all the bells and whistles and pretty pictures? No thanks. My admiration goes to these British Columbians who basically built ferries in their own backyard. The Lorraine S., under construction.


Retirement of a ferries pioneer. Albert, at right, 1971.


in Lambert Channel, 1983. Photo by John McLachlan.

WHat is the population of some of these islands??? can someone tell me?

One route I have wondered about is a summer run between the gulf and San Juan Islands (Sidney(now run by BCFS) ->SanJuan(new terminal on west side of the big island) ->Fulford(Saltspring) ->SanJuan ->Sidney)hmmmmm...

When in Victoria I've thought about hopping over to the San Juans for a night or 2. However, the WSF schedule is discouraging. The noon run goes straight through to the mainland. In the past wasn't it more of a milk run? The evening Friday Harbour stopover gets in kinda late to search for a place to stay.

Speculation - my understanding(feel free to correct me):
-Some islanders actually against more ferry service - value their isolation.
-Washington State has exclusivity on routes within the state.
-WS cannot put in a competing landing within 5miles of an existing terminal(is that as the crow flies or coastline?)
-Would BCFS & WSF have to spin off a joint 3rd company?
-Would border & custom agencies discourage this route? - a headache. Would they prefer fewer international crossings?

While in Miners Bay Books recently, I picked up a 25 year old history book, mostly about Mayne, called, surprisingly, 'Mayne Island & the Outer Gulf Islands: A History', by Marie Elliott (Gulf Islands Press).

The development of steamer and ferry service was chronicled fairly well, along with the effect that had on island commerce and life. Also covered was yet another example of our disgusting treatment of Japanese Canadian citizens during the Second World War.

Anyway... a summary of the years prior to and the start of car ferry service to the outer islands, starting at 1950, and up to the time full BC Ferries service was implemented in 1963.

Prior to1950
-Islands served by CPR's Princess Mary, supplemented by the Motor Princess from the mainland in summer.

1950
-Motor Princess retired because of new fire regulations, leaving Princess Mary as the only vessel serving the islands. Service to Pender, Mayne, Galiano, and Saturna three times a week.

1951
-Princess Elaine replaces the 'Mary. Only wharves at Ganges and Port Washington are big enough for the 'Elaine, so other islands serviced by the smaller Princess Maquinna.

1952
-New wharves at Saturna, Galiano, and Mayne bring service from the 'Elaine four times a week in summer, on route from Vancouver to Sidney. Service once a week in off season.

1953
-Coast Ferries and Gulf Island Ferries express interest in starting service to outer islands.
-CPR increases winter service to three a week, also using Princess Norah and Princess of Alberni.

1954
-'Elaine, 'Alberni, and 'Norah stop three or four times a week between Vancouver and Victoria.
-Black Ball expresses interest; negotiates unsuccessfully to buy Gulf Island Ferries.
-Coast Ferries begins service between mainland (Steveston?) and islands, using the Lady Rose. Unsubsidized.
-Concerted community effort to convince Province to start subsidized service from Swartz Bay, using the Cy Peck.

1955
-bridge completed between North and South Pender.
-Plebiscite of Mayne, Galiano, and Saturna residents overwhelmingly favors ferry connection with mainland.
-Province announces subsidy for Gulf Island Ferry Co. to start service between Swartz Bay and outer islands.

1956
-Refurbished Motor Princess begins service between Swartz and outer islands; twice daily summer, once in winter.
-Coast Ferries, previously opposed to subsidies, applies for one to continue operating the Lady Rose, and are granted $500 a month. Yes, that's $5-0-0.
-Delegation of islanders asks Province to subsidize a better service than that provided by the 'Rose (capacity two cars); Phil Gaglardi rejects the idea as uneconomical.
-Islands population drops, 1951-'56, due to poor boat service.

1957
-Residents press Province to take over GIFC for better service.
-New docks completed at Montague Harbour and Village Bay, eliminating Motor Princess stops at Sturdies Bay and Miners Bay.

1958
-Coast Ferries forms a subsidiary company, Gulf Islands Navigation Co, with investment from outer islands residents, and launches the Island Princess, connecting islands with mainland. Lady Rose no longer used.

1959
-Province announces a public ferry system.

1960
-Coast Ferries lobbies against subsidized service, claims they can make money without.
-After much dissent over conflicting vision of service needs and allegiances to GIFC or Coast Ferries, islanders unite to ask for Provincial takeover of ferry services. Protests over the Cy Peck being used over the winter months.
-new Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route causes Coast Ferries to drop their Ganges stop.

1961
-Island Princess adds Sidney to its route four times a week.
-Government turns down Sparky New's request to use the new Tsawwassen terminal to shorten the Coast Ferries-Gulf Island Navigation Co. route.
-Gaglardi suggests that one of the small companies buy the other out; New makes an unsuccessful offer.
-In June, Province announces it will be buying the Gulf Island Ferry Co. from the Mouat family.
-In November, after unsuccessful talks with the government over subsidies and bridge proposals, Coast Ferries removes the Island Princess from its Gulf Islands route. There is no connection with the mainland until the arrival of BC Ferries' Queen of The Islands in July of 1963.

Further to the post a while back regarding the development of Hornby's ferry service, here's an article from the June edition of the little Hornby paper, the First Edition.

Written by Bertie Stonehouse.

In the early 1950s, Albert Savoie asked Keith and Bill Fowler of the Sea Breeze Lodge if our guests would be willing to pay to have their cars brought over from Gravelly Bay. A resounding "YES!" was the answer. So, Albert, Keith, and Bill went to Victoria to ask if the government would help with the ferry and ramps. A resounding "NO!" was the answer there.

On the way home, Albert said, "I'm going to build a ferry anyhow." So he mortgaged his home and built a two car ferry. The ramp at Gravelly Bay was way too short and couldn't be used at low tide. So Keith, Sid Slade, and Leo Savoie got busy and extended it twenty feet. Central Builders gave them most of the cement mixture free and Keith had the mixer.

At first Albert docked at Phipps Point, but it wasn't long enough in some tides. Jack Parnell offered the space at Shingle Spit for a better landing. It's now used as a public boat launching spot. But at the beginning there was no rocky breakwater or lights.

The two car ferry was scary for some people because if you drove on at Gravelly Bay, you had to back off at Hornby. Meanwhile, the government decided to give Albert a small subsidy. A few years later, Albert built a six car ferry. Then a few years later the government decided to send a larger ferry to Hornby called the Westwood. Keith got on the phone and told the powers-that-be it should be renamed the Albert J. Savoie, and Albert and Margaret should be allowed to bring it 'home'. The government actually agreed! It was a well deserved tribute to Albert and it was in use for many years.

With Regards to CBSA and US CBP, they will go where requested; however if you have an arrival at an odd time like at a middle of a normal shift change I know CBSA tends to request compensation for that. Both agencies do prefer you use dedicated ports of entry for passenger services.

Fascinating idea. I see the Capitol Regional District (CRD) logo at the bottom of the survey page... I wonder if this means that there could be CRD money available for this service, or simply that they are co-ordinating the survey. With the profusion of transit services to far flung municipal corners both in the Victoria and Vancouver region- many of which operate at much less than the 20% capacity threshold expected of the BC Ferries lifeline routes- why not consider some basic non-vehicular ferry routes as well?