Canada Trip Day 2: Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay

14 June 2010 - Despite it being summer, it was awfully cold in Surrey with a temperature of about 11 to 15 degrees Celsius. According to my cousin, the summer is late this year and the arrival of the different seasons have been irregular lately. Despite the erratic weather, I had slept well on the well-insulated bed prepared by my aunt. My mum and sister felt the same and we needed not to use the heater.

After a hearty home-cooked breakfast of my aunt's special hash browns, we found all three of ourselves seat-belted at the back of our seat and approaching towards the Tsawwassen Terminal. According to my aunt, a traffic law in Canada is that all passengers in the car, including the ones at the back, would be fined for not fastening seat belts.

We were going on one of the BC Ferries (British Columbia Ferry Services) to visit Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. The plan was to visit Butchart Garden and some of the famous landmarks there.

The ferry ride was an exciting one. One was because the ferry is so huge that it has more than one storey for holding cars. The one we went on is called Spirit of Vancouver Island. It belongs to the Spirit class of ferries, called Superferries, which are the largest in the BC Ferries fleet. Spirit of Vancouver has the capacity to hold 470 cars!

Another is the amazing view of some of the Southern Gulf Islands coasts such as those of Mayne Island, Pender Island, Parker Island and Prevost Island.

Lastly but most fascinating is the diversity in wildlife. The Straits of Georgia is home to Orca whales, seals, dolphins and marine birds. While I saw none of those mammals during my ferry ride, I saw several species of birds, one wading in the water and some others soaring across the sky.
Sky and clouds smudges


Vegetable farms


Tsawwassen Terminal


There was already a long queue when we reached there


After our visit to the toilet of about 10 minutes, the queue got much longer

I am not sure but perhaps these all lead to different floors of the ferry?


View of ferry terminal or pier from the side of the ferry


Another ferry docking at the pier


A BC Ferries ferry returning to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal


View of the ferry terminal from the rear of the ferry


Close-up of ferry terminal


At a ferry deck, passengers are catching the sun rays to warm themselves while enjoying the view


A ferry with Vancouver 2010 advertisement on it. The lovely smudgy sky and the distant faint mountains make a nice photo backdrop.


At the upper deck where the ship's funnel (chimney) is


A more secluded deck


Welcome sign with the name of the ferry


I had this picture in mind when I saw this lady sitting outside at the deck by the window.


Coastal view of one of the Southern Gulf Islands


Coastlines jutting out like jagged sawtooth


Looking like barrier island coastal structure


Houses by the coast


A lighthouse


Dark emerald water from reflection of the coniferous forest


Portlock Point Lighthouse of Prevost Island


Another island picture with nice green covered mountains


I think that's Swartz Bay


A small island


Loads of cars


Sign board of Butchart Gardens