Proposed new foot ferry for Nanaimo to Vancouver

[sunsetmountainland]

A proposed foot passenger ferry service from Nanaimo to Vancouver has an "excellent chance of success

http://www.nanaimodailynews.com/isla...ccess-1.696281

[GORDBO]

Are you serious? Is it April 1st already?!

[casper]

Originally Posted by GORDBO

Are you serious? Is it April 1st already?!

Someone does this every so often. Past attempts were Harbour Links, before that the manufacture of these types of ships out of Scandinavia and before that a hovercraft. All the terminal facilities exist for such a service.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HarbourLynx

At some point there will be sufficient population to support such a service or they will hit on the correct business formula.

The only one I ever used was Royal Sea Links. It was a really nice service.

[Chadillaccc]

Amazing idea!

[GlassCity]

It would be awesome to be able to go hang out in Nanaimo as a day trip

[SteveK]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

It would be awesome to be able to go hang out in Nanaimo as a day trip

Foot passenger ferry would be a good addition to the choices to cross the Strait. As for going to Nanaimo for the day, what's stopping you now? Both BC Ferries and Harbour Air provide for this.

[SpongeG]

its a pain getting out to horseshoe bay - the bus is packed by the 2nd stop and you have to stand ALL the way to the terminal. Worst.

[casper]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

its a pain getting out to horseshoe bay - the bus is packed by the 2nd stop and you have to stand ALL the way to the terminal. Worst.

Problem resolved when their is sufficient population and money for inter-urban rail on the north store with a stop at the terminal on the way up to Whistler. Until then a downtown to downtown seatcat will have to do.

[AverageJoe]

Originally Posted by sunsetmountainland

A proposed foot passenger ferry service from Nanaimo to Vancouver has an "excellent chance of success

http://www.nanaimodailynews.com/isla...ccess-1.696281

With the housing prices now much different than than the situation in 2004, this might stand a chance of success. How many hundreds of people commute downtown all the way from Mission or Aldergrove every day? This thing would make Nanaimo a relatively quick commute.

I never took any of the previous passenger ferries. Where did they dock in the Vancouver side?

[casper]

Originally Posted by AverageJoe

With the housing prices now much different than than the situation in 2004, this might stand a chance of success. How many hundreds of people commute downtown all the way from Mission or Aldergrove every day? This thing would make Nanaimo a relatively quick commute.

I never took any of the previous passenger ferries. Where did they dock in the Vancouver side?

They docked on the west side of the sea bus terminal. As you arrive on sea bus (when it is using the west birth) where you normally turn left to head in to the centre corridor if you were to turn right you would see some glass doors heading to the dock that was used by the sealink service. There is also a sea-cat waiting room across form that dock, not certain if it is used for some other purpose now or just disused.

When they operated both Nanaimo and Victoria service they would dock a second sea-cat alongside the first.

Sailing time to Nanaimo was around 1 hour. When I used the service it predated the redevelopment of the downtown marina. I believe a dock near the sea plane terminal was purpose built for such a service.

Victoria was a a bit longer as it docked in downtown Victoria. Similar service is still operating between downtown Victoria and Seattle.

[casper]

Looks like the provincial government is supportive of the move and will keep BC Ferries in check.

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion...rvice-1.725320

[GlassCity]

Is this supposed to function mostly as a commuter service? Because I have a hard time believing that Nanaimo residents will rely on a ferry that's been cancelled many times before.