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FERRIES
GREAT
AND SMALL
ON
A CANADIAN CAPER
Gael Arthur weaves
between the ISLANDS
of British Columbia
on board THE FLEET OF
BC Ferries ©
Like all ferry systems, BC Ferries must serve a multitude of masters. Not
only is it a commuter service and a supply line, it plays a
major role in the seduction of tourists to cash strapped
entrepreneurs offering “genuine hand carved brooms” and home
grown honey on a score of islands off the mainland of British
Columbia.
The best known ferry routes take thousands of cars and foot passengers
daily from the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver to Vancouver
Island, a piece of land larger than Belgium.
Of course, in the bigger scheme of things, it’s
just a little bit of Canada’s most western province, British
Columbia, which is more than three times the size of Italy.
Big distances call for major transportation – after all, we think
nothing of driving 400 kilometers for a wedding, only deciding
to stay overnight to avoid drinking and driving.
BC Ferries has a fully diversified fleet, with little open-deck
affairs that hold 20 or so cars on short crossings, to the huge super ferries
boasting 16,000 horsepower to transport 470 vehicles and 2100
passengers at a time.
Two of these babies run back and forth every day, all day,
generally like clockwork. (Refer
to the end of this article for tips on coping with peak demand
and line up problems.)
So, with so many islands to choose from and so little time, where
to start?
 Tourists generally start with Victoria, the capital of the province,
perched near the southern tip of the island, closer to the
United States than the mainland it governs.
The city is beautiful, with ample parks and greenery, if you
know where to look.
Don’t get caught up too long in the Inner Harbour, unless you
find colonial homage to the monarchy entertaining.
The Provincial Parliament Buildings look almost
diminutive against the perfectly positioned Empress Hotel, where
Americans flock to partake of “High Tea” at prices
approaching highway robbery.
The one stop well worth your time in the area is the Royal
British Columbia Museum ( http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca
).
The outstanding First Peoples exhibits show off masks, carvings
and button blankets along with a healthy dose of information on
Captain Vancouver’s most significant gift to our aboriginal
peoples – smallpox.
A short circle trip for a two or three day visit would take you up
island from Victoria through beautiful countryside dotted with
hobby farms and vineyards, heavily forested parklands,
interspersed with strip malls and mobile home parks – it’s a
jumble of things to see and experience.
Along the way, accommodations abound, from Christa Stegemann’s
small but very comfortable Sea-Breeze bed and breakfast in
Chemainus (ah, those scones with home made jams…) to the
Relais et Chateaux Aerie Resort at the top of the Malahat (for
those of you with unlimited funds), to the predictable Cowichan
Best Western (a room far from the bar and not facing the highway
may result in a decent night’s sleep; coffee at breakfast
flows freely).
 Past Nanaimo towards Tofino and Ucluelet (destinations that will
definitely add a day or two to the itinerary), you will want to
get a feel for “old growth forest” at Cathedral Grove, in
MacMillan Provincial Park where 800 year old Douglas Fir tower
over the undergrowth of ferns, salmonberries and mosses.
While the words “rain forest” conjure up pictures of
Amazonian jungles, here is another rich ecosystem that fits the
definition.
Each of the smaller islands has its own personality and culture and
most are more than deserving of a visit.
Salt Spring is known for its lamb and artists, probably
in that order. Quadra
boasts petroglyphs and Malcolm Island a heritage that includes a
Finnish utopian dream at Sointula.
Cormorant Island is home to the world’s tallest
standing totem pole (and a stunning collection of masks at Alert
Bay). A future
issue of Worldrover will devote attention to many of these
jewels.
As the ferry you choose weaves between the coastlines, don’t
forget to watch out for whales, a common enough occurrence on
some routes that the locals count on a few minutes delay, as the
boat slows down to let the tourists grab a few photos.
You’ll understand why the tourism people call it
Beautiful British Columbia.
Tips
for Avoiding Line-ups
and Waiting on the BC Ferries
 Take the advice of a regular and do what it takes to avoid ferry line-ups
(queues) – this is one part of your Beautiful British Columbia
experience you can live without.
The BC ferry system is one of the finest in the world, but to
listen to the locals, you would think it was one of the worst.
In fact, the problems they complain about are generally
due to the great success of the ferry system.
People want to travel on the ferries, so the inevitable line-ups
and delays in the summer and around holiday weekends are to be
expected.
The simple solution for the organized traveler is to reserve ahead
– the website makes it easy. For 15 Canadian dollars (about
USD10 or 10Euros), you and your vehicle full of passengers are
assured of getting on the ferry you want.
Of course, you pay the regular fares on top of the
reservation fee, but you are not left on the wrong side of the
water for an extra two or four hours.
And, finally, if you do end up missing the boat, take it in stride,
pull out the book you have been meaning to read, or wander over
to the food concession and engage in some people watching.
While some terminals have street vendors (sequestered in
a well-defined and orderly space, in the Canadian way), the
variety is limited and you are likely to find much more
interesting things once you reach your destination.
Of course, if your take home souvenirs are limited to a
pair of beaded earrings for Aunt Rachel and a tie dye t-shirt
for her son, this may save you the hassle of shopping later. You
can spend more time enjoying the fabulous natural wonders the
islands have to offer.
A
few Links
BC Ferries – for details on all the ferries (and current conditions) http://www.bcferries.bc.ca/
Tourism British Columbia -
http://www.hellobc.com/
Tourism Victoria -
http://www.tourismvictoria.com/
Tourism Vancouver -
http://www.tourismvancouver.com
The Fairmont Empress, Victoria http://www.fairmont.com/
The Sea-Breeze Bed and Breakfast,
Chemainus http://www.virtualcities.com/ons/bc/v/bcv4502.htm
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ovember 2002
