Historic Vancouver Island ferry service to bring back Sunday cruises next month
A historic ferry service on Vancouver Island is bringing back Sunday cruises between Port Alberni, B.C., and the remote Barkley Sound next month.
Nanaimo, B.C.-based Devon Transport announced Monday that the iconic MV Frances Barkley passenger ferry would launch scenic sailings of the inlet on Aug. 7.
The three-and-a-half-hour sailings will leave Port Alberni at 9 a.m. and include a two-hour stopover in Bamfield, B.C.
Devon Transport principal Greg Willmon says the sailings will feature a new onboard food and beverage menu that will now include wine and beer.
“The almost two-hour Sunday stopover in Bamfield will allow such guests to explore the boardwalk, enjoy a bite to eat, take a stroll to Brady Beach or just relax and take in the natural coastal beauty," Willmon said.
Last year the 75-year-old ferry service was on the brink of going under before Devon Transport stepped in to buy the ferry's operator, Lady Rose Marine Services.
Willmon said the vessel has undergone a full retrofit with up updated navigational equipment better fuel efficiency.
Lady Rose Marine Services has been ferrying people, freight and supplies from Port Alberni to Bamfield year-round since 1946.
The ferry service is a vital means of communication, mail delivery and transportation for isolated communities and lodges along the inlet, as well as the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. It's also a popular tourist attraction, ferrying thousands of passengers down the inlet annually.
Devon Transport says ridership has been climbing steadily and is returning to pre-pandemic levels.
The last scheduled Sunday sailing will be on Aug. 28.
Correction
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the MV Frances Barkley had been in operation since 1946. While the company has been in operation since 1946, the vessel Frances Barkley did not join the company until 1990, when the route was being served by the MV Lady Rose.
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