Hobbis vows Esquimalt ferry service will resume
Victoria Harbour Ferries President Barry Hobbis says he is optimistic his iconic fleet of little boats will again be shuttling residents and tourists between Victoria and Esquimalt following a dispute involving his company and the West Bay Marina.
An employee from West Bay Marina claims there was an incident in which a ferry captain bumped into a boat belonging to a marina user. When no apology was forthcoming from the captain or the Victoria Harbour Ferries over the alleged incident, the marina stopped allowing the ferries to use West Bay’s marina at the foot of Head Street.
Hobbis is aware of West Bay management’s claim of “unsafe and irresponsible” driving by ferry captains but denies there is a safety issue involving the company he says has a 21-year record of safe ferry operations to Esquimalt. “Frankly, I don’t know where it’s coming from. It’s a painful thing”, Hobbis says. “We are working to find an alternate temporary docking site in Esquimalt before the end of the tourist season”.
Victoria Harbour Ferries operates a fleet of 14 ferries that make stops between Victoria West, James Bay, the Inner Harbour and the Gorge.
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Responses to this Headline or Article
The five most recent replies to VibrantVictoria.ca's discussion forum's Inner Harbour ferry services thread, the most relevant thread to the above headline or article:
Bernard
Feb 23, 2011 at 8:39 amQuote: As mentioned earlier in this thread, the Coho management are on record as saying the ship has another 30 or 40 years left in her.
I know what they are saying, I just do believe that it will be economically viable anywhere nearly that long, especially for a private ferry service. Also, the Princess Marguerite was said to have decades of life in her only shortly before Stena scrapped her in the 80s. Washington State Ferries thought they still had some years left in the Steel Electrics.
Bingo
Feb 23, 2011 at 10:59 amQuote: I know what they are saying, I just do believe that it will be economically viable anywhere nearly that long, especially for a private ferry service. Also, the Princess Marguerite was said to have decades of life in her only shortly before Stena scrapped her in the 80s. Washington State Ferries thought they still had some years left in the Steel Electrics.
The Johnson Street Bridge has many more years of life left in her, but we will never find out. Instead we will put all the money into a new bridge, at a time when we need to be seismically upgrading more of
Bernard
Feb 23, 2011 at 11:15 amOn average, bridges have much longer lifespans than ships.
VicHockeyFan
Mar 03, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Blackball buys Victoria Express. Takes out the competition, and kills the service.
Quote: The Victoria Express will not resume scheduled May to October service between Port Angeles and Victoria. The foot-ferry service is now on its winter break.
CFAX:
Quote: March 3, 2011
Victoria Express has made an agreement with Blackball Ferry Line under which it will cease offerring a passenger ferry service between Port Angeles and Victoria.
The agreement is described in a news release as a "purchase of business operations", although Blackball is not buying any vessels; docking rights; or dryland facilities from its competitor.
...
Mike K.
Mar 27, 2012 at 10:14 pmThe Harbour Ferries are now buzzing around the harbour with greater frequency.
I don't think I've seen the harbour ferry
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