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Small-Time Solutions For Big-Budget Blunders

VICTORIA-- The commute between Vancouver Island and the mainland just got a little more interesting. Because of the "Fast Ferry Fiasco", a government blunder that cost the citizens of British Columbia over $300 million dollars, the B.C. Ferry Corporation had only a shoe-string budget to work with, and the latest ferry project, the Queen of Spuzzum, was scaled-back--slightly.

The new BC Ferry, the Queen Of Spuzzum, makes ready for a sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo.

The new ferry, a 24-foot diesel-powered craft, will carry up to 16 passengers on its route from Tsawassen to Swartz Bay. The boat came in under budget at a cost of $3.5 million, and only took two years to build.

It is expected that the smaller ferry will create longer-than-expected line-ups at the two ferry crossings (because of the huge novelty interest), but lower operating costs and thrifty fares will hopefully outweigh the inconvenience to island-traveling passengers.

"We didn't want to make waves," said Walter Seimens, commissioner, captain, and concession operator of the Queen Of Spuzzum, named after the British Columbian metropolis. "There were a lot of people angry over the provincial government's last ferry blunder. We wanted to show the public that we could come up with cost-saving alternatives in the otherwise expensive marine transportation industry."

"But that's all seawater under the bridge now," he continued. "You have to look at it as one of those 'the fishing net is half-full' rather than 'half-empty' scenarios."

The larger ferries in the BC fleet make the 23km Georgia Strait crossing in around an hour and forty minutes. The Queen of Spuzzum should be able to do it in just under three hours, weather permitting, allowing passengers to catch up on their reading, homework, or much-needed sleep. Fishing enthusiasts can also drop a line over the side during salmon season.

But what about the cars?

"The money that people save should allow them to buy or rent automobiles on the other side,'" said Walter. "And because everyone is a foot passenger just think of the time they'll save--instead of waiting in a line of cars to disembark, everyone is a 'walk-off.' On a slow day we could probably accommodate a bicycle."

If the ferry run is successful, the compact ferry vessel fleet could be expanded, which would generate many needed boatbuilding jobs, and would still be much cheaper than building a bridge.

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