The Barnston Island Ferry is a ferry that runs across Parson's Channel (on the south side of the Fraser River) between Barnston Island and Port Kells, Surrey, in Metro Vancouver.

History In 1913, the Canadian Pacific Railway withdrew steamboat services on the Fraser, leaving the island farmers with no realistic way to transport their produce to market. That year, a government wharf was built.

In response to petitions from residents, the government ferry began operating in May 1916. This cable ferry had previously been used at the Pitt River crossing. However, floating driftwood and the underwater cable snagging fishing nets made the vessel unsuitable for the new location.

The next year, the ferry underwent a complete overhaul. Services were suspended during the spring high water for six weeks, and during winter when ice floes were hazardous, which proved inconvenient for the transportation of milk, grain, hay and potatoes.

1918 upgrade In 1918, the introduction of a gasoline boat, which pushed a small scow, enabled the carrying of passengers and limited produce.

1921 upgrade A larger gasoline launch was purchased in 1921. Substandard road conditions meant this former fishing boat circumnavigated the island to load milk churns at various collection points. By 1927, the boat, which ran continuously during peak periods, was becoming old and inadequate.

1930 upgrade In 1930, the boat was replaced and a larger barge built. The tug pushed the barge, which could carry two vehicles. This beginning of vehicle transportation reflected increased vehicle numbers on the island and improved roads. After leaving the barge at the slipway, the tug continued to make a milk trip around the island. By 1933, travel was free, but the year tolls were removed is unclear.

When the river froze solid during winter, produce could be skated across the ice. In the 1936–37 winter, the ferry was refloated after floating ice had rammed it against the island slip. While the ferry was being overhauled, the upgrade service was limited to foot traffic. That September, while backing a car at the mainland slip, a ferry worker drove into the river. After struggling to exit the submerged vehicle, he finally surfaced.

1940 upgrade In 1940, the new wooden Barnston Island tug replaced the obsolete vessel. That year, the circumnavigation of the island ceased. Operational hours were 7am to 7pm.

In 1944, a new two-truck capacity barge arrived, and an infill above the high-water mark shortened the island landing ramp. In 1945–46, the island landing ramp received minor repairs and a seven-pile dolphin across the river was renewed.

While the fast-flowing river rapidly rose during the Fraser flood of 1948, 35 families, 500 head of cattle, 300 sheep, and numerous poultry, pigs and horses were evacuated on ferry barges adapted with additional railings to corral the livestock. Bypassing the ferry slip then below water, the B.C. Packers boat Salmon Prince also assisted in the evacuation. In 1949, a freshet took out the island landing ramp, forcing the ferry to land on the beach for months.

At least until the 1950s, a truck would cross on the ferry and pick up the milk churns daily from around the island for delivery to Dairyland. In 1951, the upended wreck of a ferry that sank years previously was destroyed with explosives.

1954 upgrade

In 1954, a new steel barge was built. The Barnston Island No. 3 had a three-vehicle capacity.

Ferry captain since 1930, Len Thompson retired in 1962.

1963 upgrade In 1963, the Barnston Island No. 1, a steel tug, replaced the wooden one, and the island landing was rebuilt.

In 1984, Western Pacific Marine won the contract to manage the service. The company started operating the service on April 1 of that year.

Later vessels The operator has used a series of similar tugs on the route, which included the Centurion V in the early 1990s.

After the 2009 withdrawal of the Albion Ferry, the Barnston Island Ferry, the Lytton Ferry and the Big Bar Ferry became the last remaining free inland ferries on the Fraser. Residents have sought a bridge link for over one hundred years.

Propelled by an attached tugboat, the barge can carry up to 6 vehicles and 52 passengers, but when 6 vehicles are aboard, the residual capacity is 28 passengers. The crossing time is usually five minutes. The ferry terminal landing is accessed from British Columbia Highway 1 by taking exit 53 into Port Kells, Surrey and proceeding 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. The crossing operates on-demand from 6:15 am to 11:55 pm (12:55 am weekends). River conditions may interrupt the service. The school bus has boarding priority on school days.

Patronage Recent years:Courtesy of Marine Branch, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

Patronage (1922–1947) (Double these numbers for single trips) Type Year Page Round Trips Motor Vehicles Horse- drawn rigs Passengers Freight (tons) Livestock Total VehiclesGas boat 1922–23 C40 1,900 12 2,669 32 12 1923–24 L38 1,307 8 3,919 63 8 1924–25 Q38 1,443 4,796 183 1925–26 Q38 1,789 5,152 196 63 1926–27 P46 2,744 7,921 175 73 1927–28 U52 2,846 39 10,847 145 32 39 1928–29 S60 963 32 8,113 67 866 32 1929–30 T74 3,496 12,564 210 665 Gas boat & scow 1930–31 G50 6.333 2,853 38 14,287 1,871 194 2,891 1931–32 M40 4,927 2,999 111 8,897 1,036 102 3,110 1932–33 Q36 4,500 3,658 108 9,307 730 484 3,766 1933–34 O32 5,671 4,538 64 11,045 1,266 295 4,602 1934–35 T37 6,278 5,876 76 13,190 1,738 646 5,952 1935–36 I44 7,267 7,463 97 15,924 2,308 507 7,560 1936–37 X52 7,382 8,131 84 16,290 3,553 462 8,215 1937–38 X55 7,591 8,041 58 16,627 2,344 371 8,099 1938–39 Z56 7,496 8,508 81 16,824 2,526 310 8,589 1939–40 P56 7,453 7,930 141 14,566 2,005 512 8,071 1940–41 O47 7,540 7,977 34 13,716 2,279 498 8,011 1941–42 T52 7,442 10,261 46 9,501 2,270 383 10,307 1942–43 O52 6,567 12,605 22 6,688 2,540 452 12,627 1943–44 Q52 6,010 6,630 19 8,330 2,814 583 6,649 1944–45 O51 6,580 12,173 10 8,112 2,731 759 12,183 1945–46 Q58 6,618 11,544 10 8,424 3,419 504 11,554 1946–47 P47 5,568 6,649 7 7,692 2,338 237 6,656

Patronage (1947–1960) (Double these numbers for single trips) Type Year Page Round Trips Passenger Autos Passengers (Drivers excluded) Trucks Trailers & Semis Buses Motor- cycles Horse- drawn rigs Freight (tons) Livestock Misc. Veh. Total Vehicles Gas boat & scow 1947–48 N56 10,682 6,459 19,285 7,825 35 300 5,441 619 14,619 1948–49 O60 11,689 6,821 22,031 9,042 56 8 231 1 6,354 1,855 16,159 1949–50 Q74 11,656 7,789 23,669 8.960 4 1 256 6,355 662 17,010 1950–51 N77 12,533 10,225 24,842 8.949 30 15 432 3 6,918 500 19,654 1951–52 P83 14,203 11,923 29,941 10,688 118 9 5 9,271 575 11 22,754 Tug & scow 1952–53 O85 14,736 10,516 33,488 13,132 201 6 7,936 617 24 23,879 1953–54 M93 15,493 13,259 39,197 12,012 172 10 7,326 694 48 25,501 1954–55 K95 16,540 13,606 38,941 12,961 107 4 7,646 728 35 26,713 1955–56 N88 17,052 16,908 38,421 11,162 159 12 874 28 28,269 1956–57 J100 16,366 16,200 36,064 11,373 127 6 908 32 27,738 1957–58 G53 18,454 18,536 54,751 14,487 198 13 60 768 6 33,300 1958–59 G36 17,654 17,477 55,512 14,324 235 440 73 701 47 32,596 1959–60 F41 19,704 19,407 64,727 20,014 162 918 95 6 567 60 40,662

See also List of crossings of the Fraser River List of inland ferries in British Columbia

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