6319 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

A government review of B.C. Ferries has raised the idea of building a terminal on Iona Island near Vancouver International Airport.

 

The idea would “significantly reduce” crossing times to Vancouver Island and would better connect ferry passengers to the airport and Canada Line.

 

https://www.timescol...port-1.23985719

 

The idea would “significantly reduce” crossing times to Vancouver Island

 

 

????

 

 

 

as i mentioned earlier it would "reduce crossing times" only if it was a faster ship.   it would however reduce overall trip time to downtown vancouver.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 October 2019 - 04:12 AM.

[shoeflack]

This Iona Island ferry terminal is catching so many headlines, but if you read the actual report, it just puts forward the idea that "big ideas" such as a ferry terminal there should be considered. Doesn't really go any further beyond that, with no details as to which routes might be served, whether its passenger only or vehicle, etc.

 

Lots of reports like this put forth pie in the sky ideas for the future. Considering how much money BC Ferries is investing in both Horseshoe Bay and Swartz Bay redevelopment, I don't see a scenario where routes 1 and 2 are going to be replaced anytime in the coming decades.

[Mike K.]

Yup, it’s being blown out proportion for sure.

[Matt R.]

Ferry chaos today, so I opted to take the float plane home from Vancouver. What a wild ride!

The Skeena Queen was unable to lower the ramp in Fulford due to a power outage, and unable to use the ship to shore power for an unexplained reason. They stayed in dock for a couple of hours then decided to sail around the island to Long Harbour to unload. A real three hour tour!

Very strange to see the Skeena pulling into Long Harbour, never seen that before.



Matt.

[shoeflack]

At the ferry terminal. Just announced sailings cancelled through to the 6pm. Basically one boat got away at 2pm, otherwise nothing has left since the 9am.

Crazy scene out here. Would hate to be a ferry worker today. Missing the Canucks game damnit!

[RFS]

A government review of B.C. Ferries has raised the idea of building a terminal on Iona Island near Vancouver International Airport.

The idea would “significantly reduce” crossing times to Vancouver Island and would better connect ferry passengers to the airport and Canada Line.

https://www.timescol...port-1.23985719


????

screenshot-www.google.com-2019.10.25-08_06_46.png


as i mentioned earlier it would "reduce crossing times" only if it was a faster ship. it would however reduce overall trip time to downtown vancouver.

Looks like a bit quicker from Nanaimo, maybe especially Duke point, and also a Canada line connection at the Vancouver side would be awesome.

[Kikadee]

Has there ever been a time in BC Ferries’ history where the vessels ran 24/7? Or had night sailings? I’ve always wondered why they wouldn’t have at least one ship make a run or two between 11pm and 7 am, so people can leave the island round the clock. I guess folks living next to the terminals would not be pleased.....

[Mike K.]

Weren’t there at one point mid-night sailings from Tsaw to Duke Point specifically catered to freight traffic?

[LJ]

At the ferry terminal. Just announced sailings cancelled through to the 6pm. Basically one boat got away at 2pm, otherwise nothing has left since the 9am.

Crazy scene out here. Would hate to be a ferry worker today. Missing the Canucks game damnit!

We were going to take the 5pm ferry today to go over to Vancouver but when we heard about the windstorm coming we opted to get the 11. We were in the waiting room and all the passengers unloaded but nobody was getting on. They were going to see if the 12 could go. We waited until they said the 12 and 1 are cancelled I got on the phone to Pacific Coastal and got reservations for the 4:50 flight. Had to recover our bags then get transport to the airport. It was a beautiful calm sunny day in Victoria - not so much in Vancouver. The young lady flying the Beechcraft made a great smooth landing in YVR.

[splashflash]

Looks like a bit quicker from Nanaimo, maybe especially Duke point, and also a Canada line connection at the Vancouver side would be awesome.

If the bridge to Gabriola were built, then busing from Nanaimo and riding the ferry to Iona Point would be quick. The justification for the Gabriola bridge would be include YVR airport and ferry passengers and not just Gabriola ferry users. Gabriola residents would likely be even more opposed than for just the ferry replaced by a bridge.

[Matt R.]

They’ve added extra sailings tonight, last one leaves Tsawassen at midnight, 10 pm at Swartz.

Matt.

[shoeflack]

We ended up on the Coastal Celebration. From Swartz Bay it did a 2pm run and a 7pm run (which we were fortunate to be on). The SoVI left shortly after we did, made it to Active Pass, and then had to return to Swartz Bay. The rest of the sailings have been cut for the night.

All told, only 5 sailings were successful each way today between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen, and only 2 in each direction after 10am. Tomorrow should be fun for BCF!

I’ve been on a lot of BC Ferries runs in my life, and today’s was by far the rockiest. Comparable to a choppy day on the Coho. Worth it though for the 139.9 gas over here in Vancouver!

Edited by shoeflack, 25 October 2019 - 10:17 PM.

[FogPub]

 

A government review of B.C. Ferries has raised the idea of building a terminal on Iona Island near Vancouver International Airport.

 

The idea would “significantly reduce” crossing times to Vancouver Island and would better connect ferry passengers to the airport and Canada Line.

 

https://www.timescol...port-1.23985719

 

 

????

 

 

as i mentioned earlier it would "reduce crossing times" only if it was a faster ship.   it would however reduce overall trip time to downtown vancouver.

 

It'd be a great place for a terminal for passenger-only ferries, and would save ever having to build skytrain or LRT out to Tsawassen.

 

Dumb place for a car ferry terminal though - traffic trying to get anywhere other than Richmond, YVR, or downtown Van would be screwed.

Edited by FogPub, 25 October 2019 - 10:29 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Has there ever been a time in BC Ferries’ history where the vessels ran 24/7? Or had night sailings? I’ve always wondered why they wouldn’t have at least one ship make a run or two between 11pm and 7 am, so people can leave the island round the clock. I guess folks living next to the terminals would not be pleased.....

.

I think they have determined it’s still very low demand. esp. for the terminal staffing required.

[Mike K.]

It’s considered low demand because there is no supply to gauge the demand.

I can imagine in the summer months there would be enough freight, tour bus and traveller traffic to decently fill one of the smaller older boats. Two sailings mid-night at 12 and another at 4AM would be great. Plenty of people would opt for them, especially truckers, which would then free up more passenger capacity during regular hours.

[rjag]

I think its a great idea, probably cheaper to build something like this than a skytrain to Tsawassen

[Mike K.]

Just to add to my lost above, I don’t mean keep all three VI terminals going through the night, but just one.

Would Nanaimo residents “not” use a Tsaw-Swartz midnight run if it was available, and they missed the 9PM or couldn’t get on because it’s too busy? I’m sure they would. I’ve taken Tsaw-Duke on several occasions when I couldn’t get on to a Swartz Bay run.

[FogPub]

The only time they've ever run the ferries all night was during Expo '86 - Nanaimo-Horseshoe Bay ran (I think) every other hour on the odd hours.  It was great!

[vortoozo]

There were midnight, 2am & 6am sailings during the olympics. They were lightly used.

[Victoria Watcher]

I don’t think skytrain should be extended to the ferry terminal. that route from river rock to the ferry could be first in line for a self driving tram-bus though.