'Dope as hell': Seattle residents gush and yearn for BC Ferries | Daily Hive

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A Seattle resident’s recent BC Ferries trip has made them and fellow Seattleites yearn for a service like it in the Washington city.

Someone who visited B.C. during the Memorial Day weekend had no shortage of good things to say about their BC Ferries journey.

Redditor CamStLouis said his experience was “dope as hell.”

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The Redditor’s post sparked a large discussion, resulting in numerous comments from Seattle residents who remarked on how they wish their city had something like BC Ferries.

CamStLouis had nothing but good things to say about their experience. They said that they’ve been on ferries all around the world, but “nothing has ever been as nice as the BC Ferries.”

“It’s nearly as big as a cruise ship and almost as nice inside – a reasonably-priced gift shop, two cafes, a kids’ area, pet areas, two indoor passenger decks and two outdoor decks with stunning views of the straits and islands. Many comfortable chairs in various configurations, and a lounge playing Canadian news.”

Shout out to Canadian news.

They added that someone had used a Sharpie to rename “Americano” to “Canadiano” on cafe menus. In response to their post, so many Seattle residents reflected on the lack of a service like BC Ferries in their city.

Some pointed out that the Jones Act was responsible for a lack of a BC Ferries-like service in Seattle. Essentially, the Jones Act limits the potential of Washington ferry services.

“Sadly, the Jones Act prevents us from purchasing ferry boats built anywhere outside the United States,” one Seattle resident said.

Someone from B.C. chimed in on the discussion, saying what we’re probably all thinking.

Comment
byu/CamStLouis from discussion
inSeattle

In response to that comment, a former B.C. resident who now lives in Seattle said that we take the ferry service for granted. Others pointed out that it is all about perspective.

“It’s fair to compare what you have to someone doing it better. Canadian public transit lacks in comparison to some European and Asian contemporaries, but the USA lags behind its Canadian contemporaries (some less than 200 miles from each other).”

If you Google the best ferry trips or routes in the world, BC Ferries is named in practically every list. However, did you know that there are other ways to travel between Seattle and Victoria on the water? Yardbarker, a digital media publication, called the trip from Seattle to Victoria via the Victoria Clipper one of the most scenic trips in the world.

A round trip from Victoria to Seattle with the Victoria Clipper costs US$162.

The original poster also remarked on the speed of BC Ferries, saying, “You might think such a large vessel would be excruciatingly slow, but no – watching this goddamn building-sized ship yeet itself through narrow straits and marine traffic at flank speed was one of the highlights of the trip.”

They added, “In any event, if you end up having to take the BC Ferries for a trip north, they’re not half bad. Make a reservation tho.”

For locals who make frequent trips via BC Ferries, service woes resulting from staff shortages and vessel issues have been a common complaint. It has sparked conversations about the need for more and bigger vessels as soon as possible.

BC Ferries is making improvements to various aspects of the system, including the planned overhaul of the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal.

The project will focus on upgrading the terminal’s critical facilities and infrastructure, including the replacement of all three berths, relocation of the control tower, upgrading of aging elevated structures, and improvements to seismic performance and operational efficiency. Existing structures will be improved and new structures will be built.

Are you a frequent BC Ferries traveller? Do you love it or hate it? What aspects of the service would you improve if you could?

With files from Kenneth Chan

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