Departure Bay ferry terminal

Ferry terminal in British Columbia, Canada

49°11′32″N 123°57′22″W / 49.1921928°N 123.9560779°W / 49.1921928; -123.9560779Owned byBC FerriesOperated byBC FerriesLine(s)Route 2–Horseshoe BayBus routes4Connections

Nanaimo Regional

20 Hammond Bay
25 Ferry Shuttle
50 Downtown/Woodgrove
91 Intercity

ConstructionParking177 short-term spaces
349 long-term spacesAccessibleYesOther informationStation codeDEP^[1]Websitewww.bcferries.com/travel-boarding/terminal-directions-parking-food/nanaimo-departure-bay/NANHistoryOpened1951Original companyBlack Ball LineKey dates1961Acquired by the Government of British ColumbiaPassengers20231 587 734^{[Note 1]}

1.32%

Departure Bay is a major ferry terminal in Nanaimo, British Columbia, owned and operated by BC Ferries that provides ferry service across the Strait of Georgia to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. The terminal is located at the southern end of Departure Bay.

Unlike Nanaimo's other major ferry terminal, Duke Point, Departure Bay has public transit connections.

History

Beginning in 1951, the Black Ball Line originally ran its ferry service from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay using the ferries Kahloke and Chinook. In November 1961, BC Ferries took over service by acquiring the Black Ball Line.^[2]

Prior to the opening of the Duke Point ferry terminal in 1997, Departure Bay had regular ferry service to Tsawwassen. This change occurred to alleviate traffic flow in Nanaimo.

Notes

^ Figures obtained for 2022 & 2023 from adding the passengers counted at Departure Bay in each month of the calendar year.^[1] The figures under "Total Prev Year" are not used because those denote fiscal years instead of calendar years. The total passenger count at Departure Bay for 2022 was 1 567 105.

References

^ ^a ^b "Plans, Reports, Policies and Other Resources". Connecting the Coast | BC Ferries. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
^ "Our History". BC Ferries. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2016.

External links

Departure Bay ferry schedule

BC Ferries

Ferry terminals
Mainland–Vancouver Island	Departure Bay Duke Point Horseshoe Bay Swartz Bay Tsawwassen
Sunshine Coast	Earls Cove Gambier Island Keats Island Langdale Saltery Bay Snug Cove
Northern Gulf Islands / Powell River	Alert Bay Blubber Bay Buckley Bay Campbell River Cortes Island Denman Island (2) Hornby Island Little River Port McNeill Quadra Island (2) Sointula Westview (Powell River)
Southern Gulf Islands	Brentwood Chemainus Crofton Fulford Harbour Gabriola Island Long Harbour Lyall Harbour Mill Bay Nanaimo Harbour Otter Bay Penelakut Island Sturdies Bay Thetis Island Vesuvius Village Bay
Mid-coast / Northern Route	Alliford Bay Bear Cove Bella Coola Klemtu McLoughlin Bay Ocean Falls Prince Rupert Shearwater Skidegate

Current fleet
S class	Spirit of British Columbia Spirit of Vancouver Island
Coastal class	Coastal Celebration Coastal Inspiration Coastal Renaissance
C class	Queen of Alberni Queen of Coquitlam Queen of Cowichan Queen of Oak Bay Queen of Surrey
Salish class	Salish Eagle Salish Heron Salish Orca Salish Raven
I class	Malaspina Sky Queen of Capilano Queen of Cumberland
Century class	Skeena Queen
Island class	Island Aurora Island Discovery Island Gwawis Island Kwigwis Island K’ulut’a Island Nagalis
K class	Kahloke Klitsa Kwuna Pune'luxutth
T class	Quadra Queen II Tachek
Unclassed	Baynes Sound Connector Northern Adventure Northern Expedition Northern Sea Wolf Queen of New Westminster Quinitsa Quinsam