Long Harbour Closed - No Alternative Offered

[Retrovision]

During the Queen of Nanaimo 3 day refit this week, starting the day after Labour Day, all service to or from Long Harbour Terminal, Salt Spring Island, will be suspended. Last I checked ours is not a vehicle-only ferry system; though not mentioned in the service notice, vehicles to Long Harbour will likely be redirected via Fulford Harbour, just a wee bit of a hike to Long Harbour, accross the entire massive island, for a foot passenger. I take particular issue with this as a person who seeks-out vehicle alternatives and doesn't drive because of it. I also consider this route my own no differently than if I owned property in the area for many reasons.

If I show up for foot passenger service to Long Harbour on one of these days, how will I be directed? Will an alternative be given for foot passengers who can't drive from Fulford Harbour? If foot passengers were not thought of in these refit plans, then why not, why was this not emphasized in the service notice, and what was the company expecting us to do to get to the Long Harbour area?

[Low Light Mike]

Some thoughts re the Retro post:

1) The Long Harbour terminal likely is supposed to service the entire island, not just the north-end, and definitely not just the Scott Point neighbourhood.

2) Likewise, the Fulford terminal is also supposed to service the entire Island, and not just the southern neighbourhoods.

3) Likewise with Vesuvius Bay.

Therefore, the placement of each of these 3 terminals is intended not for the local islanders who might just live "in the neighbourhood", but for the entire Island to use, to get to a specific, intended off-island port: either Tsawwassen, Swartz Bay, or Crofton.

So that means that the key issue isn't in getting the Islander from his/her shack to the Island ferry terminal, but instead (in this specific case) in how to get the Islander to the Mainland. And the "Fulford to Swartz, and then Swartz to Tsawwassen combo" will do just that.

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My inference from your post is that you're more concerned with the lack of acknowledgment of the issue of intra-SSI road travel, in the BCFS service notice. ie. a communication point of principle, based partly on an ideological axe to grind.

So, what's your utopia?

- better communication from BCFS? (ie. honesty, and more comprehensive communication about all the issues affecting this service-issue?).

or

- Communication, plus a free shuttle, from Fulford, to Long Harbour. (a shuttle that takes you straight from Fulford to the Long Harbour parking lot.....just to be technically correct, in getting you to the exact same place as the Route-9 would have gotten you??).

Is that what you would want....a magic transport to make it just like Route-9?....so that you end up in exactly the same place? I guess I'm wondering how much lee-way you are willing to grant, in accepting a lower level of service, during the time of the Nanaimo's refit. If you expect an equal level of service, then I suppose that we've found our "gulf of expectation-gap". Under what circumstances would you accept a lower level of service?

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Reality is that BCFS has a lack-of-spare-ships issue. A ship like the Nanaimo can be best replaced by the Burnaby or Tsawwassen, and both are still needed on their routes. I think this instance of "lack of a suitable short-term replacement ship" is our new reality.

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So, what do I think.....what's my bottom-line? I, like you Retro, would like clearer more honest communication from BCFS. I was pondering this a few days ago (during a 24 km walk...where there's lots of time to day dream).

Re the Northern Adventure's rough entry into service this past spring, I would have liked to see a different type of communication style from Mark Stefanson and his department:
- less corporate spin.
- more honest reality.

"Less corporate spin" means that corporate communications should be addressed to us, the users, in a tone / style that treats us as knowledgeable users, and not as stupid (gullible) potential customers who can be easily placated with smooth, pretty words. ie. If you are promoting a frilly, dainty product, then use corporate speak. But if you are talking to coastal residents who are dependent on your service, then please just be straight-up with us. Phrases such as "a whole new level of service" have lost all credibility with the BCFS user base.

"More honest reality" means that BCFS admits it's challenges or inability to deliver a level of service. ie. a clear acknowledgment and apology. Re NorAd, it would be something like "The Nor Ad is not fully ready for entry into service, and so we are currently unable to operate the Inside Passage route. Service will be delayed another 3 weeks. " ie. be honest, explain, and don't sugar coat with spin.

So, what BCFS could have done re the Route-9 service-interruption, is issue a service notice that acknowledges all the various inconveniences, and explains their plans of how to address the various issues. And for those issues not addressed, it could have explained why a step was not taken. (ie. why there is no tele-transporter from Fulford parking lot to the Long Harbour parking lot).

[kylefossett]

the thought of only being able to go through swartz bay and then on to fulford is actually a better alternative in my mind. there are more sailings this way. you can actually get to saltspring at a half decent time if you are going over in the evening. as a regular traveller(20-25 roundtrips annually) to saltspring this route is actually my choice of route. i don't go to the fulford area to stay, my place is actually closer to long harbour. logistically long harbour is better for me but fulford offers more choice. i know that most of my friends and family on the island prefer this way too.

[Neil]

Saltspring Island usually does fairly well for ferry service. Direct connections to the mainland, Victoria area, and Cowichan Bay area, as well as three other gulf islands.

For three days, they're losing their direct connection to the mainland, but can still go through Swartz Bay, and BC Ferries is refunding vehicle reservation fees.

Its not BC Ferries' problem that Saltspring has no public transit. Granted, Long Harbour is a lot closer to Ganges than Fulford is, but it would still be outside practical walking distance for most people.

Before BC Ferries, boats from the mainland pulled into Ganges, which is by far the biggest population center on the island. Long Harbour itself has never been particularly important or convenient for foot passengers. They'll survive the change for three days.

The one thing they might have done for the period in question is have Swartz Bay to Fulford service every ninety minutes as opposed to every two hours, which they could easily do, if it were necessary.

[kylefossett]

hornbyguy said:

The one thing they might have done for the period in question is have Swartz Bay to Fulford service every ninety minutes as opposed to every two hours, which they could easily do, if it were necessary.

not really as easy as it sounds. if you look at saturdays in the summer they add an extra roundtrip in the morning. by 11am they are usually running about 30 minutes behind schedule. the 20 minute turn around time at fulford is usually pretty tight most of the time. you get somebody that doesn't really know where to go and they stop right at paterson's store backing the traffic up that is coming off the ferry.

[Koastal Karl]

Sort of interesting to say the least yesterday a holiday Monday the Mayne Queen sailed from Swartz Bay to Long Harbour. My car plus 2 others were the only cars onboard. One of the other cars disembarked at Long Harbour. They mainly have the Swartz Bay to Long Harbour to pick up transfer traffic to Tsawwassen from Long Harbour. But it got me thinking. That car that drove off at Long Harbour. Why would she have gone Swartz Bay to Long Harbour and not Fulford Harbour? Maybe she is a local, lives near Long Harbour. Maybe she liked the Mayne Queen better than the Skeena Queen, not likely though, lol! The previous time I have done the SB to LH sailing a few walk ons got off at Long Harbour, I wondered the same thing. 2 sailings that leave 5 mins apart on Sundays and Holiday Monday's the Mayne Queen to Long Harbour and the Skeena to Fulford Harbour why would someone choose to take the longer sailing to LH than the quicker sailing to Fulford??? Got me! lol!

[kylefossett]

what was the load like onboard the skeena queen. she may have been full for vehicles and the cars placed on the mayne queen were just the overloads.

[Koastal Karl]

There was room on the Skeena Queen she wasent full. It was not a busy morning Labour Day. The Cumberland left with lots of space the Mayne like I said my car and 2 others. That was it till we got to Long Harbour then it was more busy!