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Salt Spring Island is the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands.
BC
Ferries has scheduled service from Tsawwassen on the
mainland to Long Harbour on Salt Spring Island. There are also two ferry routes from Vancouver Island. There is also
scheduled air service by float plane with service provided by three air carriers. They are
Seair,
Harbour Air
Seaplanes,
and Kenmore Air.
Most have scheduled service to Vancouver airport. Call for charters and sightseeing flights.
Gulf Islands Water Taxi provides scheduled sailings and
charter tours around the islands. There is taxi service but no regular
bus service on Salt Spring Island. In summer, many people bring bikes over on the ferry. Plan ahead, as much
of Salt Spring is rolling hills. From Long Harbour to Ganges would be about 5.5 km and an easy ride. From
Vesuvius, it is about 6 km and also an easy ride, but with it being a narrower road for most of the way.
From Fulford Harbour, one could take the Fulford-Ganges Road. Those on bikes will notice when they get to
Lee's Hill - the only really steep hill along the way. The total distance is about 13 km. There is a slightly
shorter route over Steward Road and then either past Cusheon Lake or along Beddis Road. Traveling on
BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Long Harbour, the trip can be anywhere
between an hour and a half for a direct sailing and up to three hours if the ferry stops at Galiano,
Mayne and Pender Islands as it does on most sailings. From Long Harbour, it is about a ten minute drive to Ganges.
For access from Duncan or anywhere north of the Malahat Highway head to Crofton for the 20 minute sailing to
Vesuvius which runs usually every hour. From Nanaimo, allow an hour for a leisurely drive down to Crofton, crossing
the 49th parallel on the way at Ladysmith. The 49th parallel forms the border between most of Canada and the USA.
From Victoria, the capital of BC, departure is from Swartz Bay. This is a major ferry terminal handling traffic
from Tsawwassen on the mainland. Visitors coming from the mainland can transfer at Swartz to the Fulford ferry.
Sailings from Swartz Bay are about every hour and a half, with a 35 minute ride. Check the
B.C. Ferries web site for information and updated
schedules.
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