BC Ferries route 18 Powell River - Texada Island

Route 18: Powell River - Taxada Island
Type of Route Minor
Terminals Westview
Blubber Bay
Vessel out of Blubber Bay Island Discovery
Relief / refit Island Aurora
Sailing takes 40 minutes
First and last sailing for the vessel out of Blubber Bay 6:00 am *
8:35 pm **
9:00 pm ***
* daily year round
** Weekdays year round
*** Weekends only year round
First and last sailing for the vessel out of Westview 6:50 am *
9:20 pm **
9:45 pm***
* daily year round
** Weekdays year round
*** Weekends only year round

Route 18 is a ferry runs that is under contract from Province of British Columbia to BC Ferries. This is minor route in BC Ferries route network which receives subsidy from Province of British Columbia.

Route Details

The route crosses the Salish Sea Taxada Island to Powell River.

Points of Interest

  • Westview
  • Westview lookout point
  • Little River

Number of sailing

  • 8 sailing per day between September 7 and June 29.
  • 9 sailing per day between June 30 and September 6.

How to determine the vessel for the sailing?

The morning sailing are daily while afternoon sailing can vary based on weekdays or weekends. The ship takes on break in from the Blubber Bay terminal between 11:25 am sailing, 3:00 pm sailing on weekdays or 3:30 pm sailing on weekends between September 7 and June 29, there is 1:00 pm sailing from June 30 to September 6. The sailing take break from Westview between 12:15 pm and 3:45 pm on weekdays or 4:15 pm on weekends between September 7 and June 29, there is 1:50 pm sailing from June 30 to September 6.

History

In May 28, 1955 the first subsidiaries Minister of transportation and highways ferry service begin with Atrevida which carried 5 vehicles and 40 passengers per sailing but was owned by the Ministry of Transportation Salt Water Ferries. The owe of Atrevida sold her to Ministry of Transportation Salt Water Ferries in 1967 which increase the number of sailing on route. In 1969 the Ministry of Transportation Salt Water Ferries built the 30 vehicles and 150 passengers per sailing named Taxada Queen which in 1977 was renamed Tachek. In 1979 Ministry of Transportation Salt Water Ferries transferred the North Island Princess. [1] In 1985 BC Ferries took over operations of the route. In 1988 until 1991 Tachek was operate on the route during the winter. The 1991 until 2020 North Island Princess operate on route year round. In 2020 with the retirement of North Island Princess the 47 vehicles and 300 passengers vessel, Island Discovery.

Future of the route

No known plans.

Reference

  1. https://ferriesbc.proboards.com/thread/5176/newspaper-story-texada-ferry-history Newspaper Story Taxada Ferry History] west coast ferry forum, retrieved 04-06-2021