Port Alberni ferry company offers rides by donation this December
Travel aboard the Frances Barkley ferry in Port Alberni, B.C., is being offered for free or by donation this December, with funds going towards local charities.
The sailings will take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as the boat travels up the Alberni Inlet to Bamfield and back during the month of December.
The special sailings are being offered by Port Alberni's Lady Rose Marine Services with the intention of giving back during the holiday season.
"There’s probably some people that would like to go but maybe they can’t afford it, or they just talked about it and never got around to doing it," said Greg Willmon, president of The Lady Rose Marine Services.
Donations raised by the sailings will go to two local charities: The Ty Watson House Port Alberni and the Salvation Army.
"Both are great causes and they help out the needy in the Alberni Valley," said Willmon on Wednesday.
The Lady Rose Marine Services will match up to $5,000 raised, and the company hopes to raise at least $10,000 in total through the campaign.
Willmon says that Port Alberni Budget Car Rental has donated $250 to the fundraiser and is challenging other local businesses to get involved.
The Frances Barkley is a passenger and freight vessel that travels up the Alberni Inlet to Bamfield, making stops at remote communities along the way.
One of the ferry's stops is at Canada’s only floating post office twice a week. Marine life and wildlife can be seen throughout the trip as well.
The Frances Barkley ferry is pictured. (Lady Rose Marine Services/Facebook)
"Lots of people I’ve met have said it’s always on their bucket list," said Willmon.
The sailing is an all day excursion, leaving Port Alberni at 8 a.m. and returning around 4:30 p.m. with about an hour stop in Bamfield.
Reservations are recommended but walk-ons are welcome if space is available.
The ship can take a maximum of 80 passengers per trip.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.