Barnston Island Ferry
Encyclopedia
The Barnston Island Ferry is a ferry
across Parson's Channel on the south side of the Fraser River
to Barnston Island in British Columbia
, Canada
.
The ferry is actually a barge
that is pushed across the Fraser River using a small tugboat
attached to it. Having limited space, it can carry up to 6 vehicles and 52 passengers (when 6 vehicles are aboard, only 28 passengers will be carried). The crossing time is usually five minutes. The ferry terminal
landing is accessed from British Columbia Highway 1 by taking exit 50 into Port Kells, Surrey and traveling down to the end of 104th Avenue.
The ferry operates under private contract with the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
and is free of tolls, as are all inland ferries in British Columbia. The operation is Transport Canada
Marine Safety inspected annually and all crew members are Transport Canada certified. It operates on-demand from 6:15 in the morning to 23:55 with an extra hour to 00:55 on the weekend. Service is interrupted as/when river traffic warrants. The school bus
gets boarding priority on school days.
With the closure of the Albion Ferry
in July 2009, the Barnston Island Ferry is one of the last remaining inland ferries in the Fraser Valley.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
across Parson's Channel on the south side of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
to Barnston Island in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The ferry is actually a barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
that is pushed across the Fraser River using a small tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
attached to it. Having limited space, it can carry up to 6 vehicles and 52 passengers (when 6 vehicles are aboard, only 28 passengers will be carried). The crossing time is usually five minutes. The ferry terminal
Ferry slip
A ferry slip is a specialized docking facility that receives a ferryboat or train ferry. A similar structure called a barge slip receives a barge or car float that is used to carry wheeled vehicles across a body of water....
landing is accessed from British Columbia Highway 1 by taking exit 50 into Port Kells, Surrey and traveling down to the end of 104th Avenue.
The ferry operates under private contract with the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is the British Columbia government ministry responsible for transport infrastructure and law in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
and is free of tolls, as are all inland ferries in British Columbia. The operation is Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
Marine Safety inspected annually and all crew members are Transport Canada certified. It operates on-demand from 6:15 in the morning to 23:55 with an extra hour to 00:55 on the weekend. Service is interrupted as/when river traffic warrants. The school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
gets boarding priority on school days.
With the closure of the Albion Ferry
Albion Ferry
The Albion Ferry, also known as the Fort Langley Ferry, was a free passenger and vehicle ferry service that was sailing across the Fraser River from June 7, 1957 to July 31, 2009...
in July 2009, the Barnston Island Ferry is one of the last remaining inland ferries in the Fraser Valley.