Southern Gulf Island Ferry Service

[sasqman]

So me and my wife keep tossing the idea up of getting a property on one of the southern Gulf islands. Saturna / Pender / Mayne.
Just curious to get some feedback on the ferry service. It always seems to be booked, but I have heard that if you just show up, there's a good chance you will get on........sometimes. How dependable is the service through-out the year? Do you always have to book months in advance?

Any info or experience would be great.

Thanks

Paul

 

[Gong Show]

I have had family on Galiano for decades.
For some reason the Southern Gulf Island ferry routes are more workable if you are on the Swartz Bay side and not the Tsawwassen side.
Far easier to go shopping in Victoria than the mainland.
Every summer there are multiple ferry trips to the mainland that do not even have space for walk ons, these are usually around the long weekends.
If you are trying to do this on the regular working joe employment schedule, you will need to book months in advance.

Don't you have a boat?

 

[sasqman]

I have had family on Galiano for decades.
For some reason the Southern Gulf Island ferry routes are more workable if you are on the Swartz Bay side and not the Tsawwassen side.
Far easier to go shopping in Victoria than the mainland.
Every summer there are multiple ferry trips to the mainland that do not even have space for walk ons, these are usually around the long weekends.
If you are trying to do this on the regular working joe employment schedule, you will need to book months in advance.

Don't you have a boat?

Yes I have a boat, but more so thinking for family visits when the weather isn't favorable.

 

[scotty]

Southern Gulf island Ferries=gong show. Book well in advance. In-laws used to have a place on Valdez. (Never forgive them for selling it) Never a pleasant experience until we got there.

 

[Gong Show]

Southern Gulf island Ferries=gong show. Book well in advance. In-laws used to have a place on Valdez. (Never forgive them for selling it) Never a pleasant experience until we got there.

Woah!
I might be a gong show, but even I am more dependable than the southern Gulf Island ferries!

 

[beemer]

Buy near the ferry terminal and forget coming over by car. Walk on is the only way to go. Buy a beater car and leave it on the island.

 

[Rain City]

Buy near the ferry terminal and forget coming over by car. Walk on is the only way to go. Buy a beater car and leave it on the island.

We couldn't even get walk-on tickets to Mayne on remembrance day. Then try committing to a through-fair via Vic. No way to make a reservation on that end so it's literally a crapshoot. We arrived at Tsawassen two hours before the first ferry and were the last car on. If we missed that ferry, the only ferry to Mayne from Vic would have been another 6 hour wait. It's silly.

 

[Brando]

Buy near the ferry terminal and forget coming over by car. Walk on is the only way to go. Buy a beater car and leave it on the island.

Family had a cabin on galiano for years sold for about 8-10 now north end of the island. Even in the 70s they left an old beater over there until they were a little older and needed to drive.