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FERRIES TO SALT SPRING:
bcferries.com 1-888-223-3779 (toll free Canada and U.S.)
Note: When navigating the bcferries website, Salt Spring, and it’s ferry terminals, are found under the “Southern Gulf Islands” Section when you click on “Schedules”.
There are three ferry terminals on Salt Spring Island:
Long Harbour Terminal- center of island, east side. Nearest terminal to Ganges and Salt Spring Guest Cottage.
1 1/2 hrs. (if non-stop) or 3 hrs (if island hopper) crossing from Tsawwassen.
Vesuvius Terminal-West side of island. Ferry from Duncan/Crofton only. 25 minutes crossing. Vesuvius is 10-15 minutes from Ganges.
Fulford Harbour Terminal- South end of island. A busy route, and the one you take to get to Victoria, Butchardt Gardens, or transfer to/from Tsawwassen Ferry.
The trip to Salt Spring is 35 minutes crossing from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour.
Where are you coming from?
FROM VICTORIA:
Use Swartz Bay terminal to Fulford Harbour, Salt Spring.
From Swartz Bay, ferry leaves for Fulford Harbour every two hours on the ODD hours.
Get there at least 40 minutes in advance. There are no reservations on this ferry.
1. Use Tsawwassen terminal on the mainland (30-45 min. south of VANCOUVER, and 1/2 hour north of U.S. border) to Long Harbor, Salt Spring.
This schedule is varied and limited according to the day of the week and the season. We prefer it, because Long Harbor is very close to Salt Spring Guest Cottage and studio! It’s the most direct route. Check the BC Ferries website, or phone them for schedule.
At Tsawwassen, be sure to arrive at least 40 minutes in advance and, with a reservation, not more than 60 minutes in advance. A reservation is HIGHLY recommended for all routes out of Tsawwassen.
Check the schedule at: bcferries.com
2. Take a ferry Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (Vancouver to Victoria) with a connecting ferry to Fulford Harbor.
This is an option when the Long Harbor schedule isn’t working out for you. Sail to Swartz Bay, then connect with the smaller ferry from to Fulford Harbor. Again, a reservation is highly recommended. Summer sailings are often full.
Use ferry Duncan/Crofton (north of Victoria, south of Nanaimo) to Vesuvius, Salt Spring Island. Check schedules with bcferries.
THE COTTAGE is located at 128 Bullock Creek Rd., just off of Long Harbour Rd., near the village of Ganges. See this link for a detailed map section.
From the Long Harbour ferry: Just follow the cars off the ferry. You’ll be traveling west on Long Harbour Rd. In just moments, you’ll reach Bullock Creek Rd. on the right. Bullock Creek Rd. is a short road ending in a circular turnaround. Go all the way to this turnaround, and take the left-most driveway in the turnaround.
LOOK FOR OUR SIGN with the address number 128.
From the Fulford Harbour ferry: Follow the cars off of the ferry. You’ll be heading north on Fulford Ganges Rd. Stay on this road. In about 15-20 minutes you’ll pass through Ganges village. Stay on this main road, and stay to the RIGHT, following along the water. After you pass “Harbour House” Inn and restaurant, and “Mobys” pub, continue up the hill and start looking on your right for Long Harbour Rd. Turn right onto Long Harbour Rd. The second paved LEFT is Bullock Creek Rd. Turn Left. Go to the end where you’ll be in a turnaround. Take the left most driveway in the circular turnaround. Look for our sign showing our address, 128.
Foot passengers:
Silver Shadow Taxi 250-537-3030, silvershadow@saltspring.com
Float planes come and go from Salt Spring several times a day. They land right in Ganges harbor, downtown!
Check the rates and schedules at:
FROM SEATTLE: There’s the “Clipper” ship from Seattle to Victoria. Check it out: clippervacations.com
FROM SEATTLE BY CAR: It's about 21/2 hrs driving to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, on average, depending on border wait times and traffic.
FROM VANCOUVER BY CAR, about 30-45 minutes in light traffic to Tsawwassen.
WITHOUT A CAR: If you’re in downtown Vancouver, or the airport, you can get the Pacific Coach Lines shuttle bus, to the ferries at Tsawwassen.
pacificcoach.com