Living on an island doesn’t have to make you feel STUCK. In this video, I’m going to share my tips for taking BC Ferries to Nanaimo.
Take it from me, someone who spent an entire year commuting to a job on the mainland, that using BC Ferries doesn't have to be as daunting as it sounds. As I mentioned in my previous blog post “Is Nanaimo a Good Place to Live?” being able to commute to and from the Island was very important to our family. I was still working in West Vancouver and we have kids that need to travel to and from homes in North Vancouver to us. Nanaimo was the perfect fit because of its proximity to two of the major BC Ferries ports.
Departure Bay
Departure Bay which will get you into Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. The ride is an hour and 40 minutes long and ferries are regularly scheduled every couple of hours. The location of this port in Departure Bay is close to downtown Nanaimo. Keeping in mind that my times are approximate, it's about a 12 minute drive from North Nanaimo. If you take Island Highway (or the “old highway”) it's a pretty straightforward drive and very easy to find.
When you arrive into West Vancouver there are Express buses that will take you into Vancouver and there are some other options too which will take you about 30 minutes to get you into downtown. I personally took a smaller route to get to my job in west Vancouver and it was only about 30 minutes door to door. More on this in a little bit!
Duke Point
A little further away is another port in Duke Point and this Ferry will get you into Tsawwassen. The sailing time is a little bit longer at about two hours. Once you get to Tsawwassen it’s also a little bit further away from downtown Vancouver. It will, however, take you a little bit closer to YVR which is Vancouver's major airport and if you are taking a car it's about a 30 minute drive.
Options Options!
One of the nice things about BC Ferries is you can choose to either drive on or walk on. I'm going to focus mostly on Departure Bay because this is the route that I have the most experience with!
When I was commuting I would leave Monday morning and take the ferry into Horseshoe Bay where I would then transit to my job in West Vancouver. Then, I would leave again on Wednesday morning, transit to Horseshoe Bay and take the ferry home. When I was commuting I was a walk-on passenger. I chose to travel this way mainly for cost savings. Driving on and off the ferry round trip would cost me about $160 each time (and fares continue to rise!). Walking on is an $18 fare each way which is a lot more economical not to mention much less stressful because you don't have to make a reservation most of the time. If you are planning to take your car and you don't have a reservation, you're taking a huge risk of having to wait a sailing or two or even more during peak season. Showing up early is essential in this case and adds a lot to your travel time, so walking on just eliminates a lot of that stress in general.
We've used the walk-on option also a lot to visit relatives for holidays and our kids often hop on and off to travel between the mainland and our home. Just keep in mind that the minimum age to travel alone is 12.
All the views!
Travelling by ferry is an awesome way to take in the natural beauty of BC. You can sit outside and take in the views, which sometimes include whale sightings! I personally love a good “Moody” BC weather day where I don't feel so guilty sitting inside and I can watch the ocean on a rainy day!
I would use my time on the ferry to get work done but keep in mind that BC ferries no longer provide Wi-Fi. You can use a personal hotspot from your phone to your device and for most of the trip, you'll have a connection.
There's also shopping on board and a cafeteria with hot and cold food. I loved packing my lunch but every once in a while those white spot fries called my name!!
Before you know it the ride is over and you're at your destination! All in all using BC Ferries hasn't been a problem for us. The occasional cancelled or full sailing can be a pain but if you plan accordingly and are adaptable, you'll be just fine. Make the most out of your trip and soon you'll realize that travelling this way can be a nice change from being stuck behind the wheel of your car!
Side note: Please bring headphones! Don't be that person listening to your media or your phone calls on speaker. (Pretty Please!)
If you have any tips or tricks for travelling on BC Ferries for anyone considering relocating to Vancouver Island, make sure to leave a comment!
