Road Trip 2025 - Ferry to Vancouver Island

After a couple of days in Surrey as Crystal and Jessie finished their work schedules, we drove out to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to cross the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. We had prepaid for our tickets for a scheduled time and if we didn't make it, the spot would be filled and we would catch the next ferry. That's exactly what happened as we hit the Surrey traffic and then drove through the farmlands of Delta. 

Ferry Route Tsawwassen, mainland BC to Swartz Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

BC Ferries runs an efficient service and as Nelson drove, I kept an eye on the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal webcam. We were about 15 mins out when the webcam showed our ferry leaving on schedule. Many vehicles were already lining up according to size by the time we were directed to our line. We had to wait an hour or so, but we were ready to make the approximately 90 min sailing to Vancouver Island.

Looking out the Spirit of British Columbia as it passes a sister ship, 2025

The Spirit of British Columbia can carry 2100 passengers and crew, and 358 cars. It was huge and comfortable compared to the ferries we crossed over in back in 1981. Because we had missed our initial ferry, it was now past noon and we were hungry. The cafeteria was large with good seating and offered a nice choice of menu for a price higher than you would pay on land, as one might expect. It was delicious and just what we needed. 

JJ, Nelson, Nick, Crystal on the Spirit of British Columbia, Strait of Georgia, BC, 2025

After departing the ferry, we headed past the Butchart Gardens sign where we would visit the next day. Bypassing the heavy traffic heading in and out of Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, we headed toward Sooke. To say the Victoria area is unlike anywhere else in Canada was proven during that first hour on the island as we ogled the waving fronds of palm trees. 

Windmill Palms, Victoria area, BC, 2025

The palm trees are probably a variety of the Windmill Palms, one of the most cold-hardy palms. When mature, they can withstand the occasional frost, temperatures as low as -15C to -20C, and reach several stories high. They weren't crowding the streets, but there were enough grown as ornamental greenery to make us feel like we had entered a secret garden. 

Jessie eyeing the Strait of Juan de Fuca, 2025, Sooke, Vancouver Island, BC 

Our Airbnb was near Sooke, on a hill overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We saw many cruise ships, container ships, and barges move through the strait which covered the distance from our Vancouver Island shore across to the coast of Washington state. Sometimes the ships seemed to wait in the strait overnight before heading northwest-ward toward the Pacific Ocean. It is likely they were bound for Alaska.

The Royal Princess, 3600-Passenger Capacity, Strait of Juan de Fuca, 2025

We'd seen blows from passing whales as we'd crossed the Strait of Georgia, but they kept their distance from the ferry and we couldn't identify them. We had hoped we'd seen them at Sooke and we weren't disappointed. Over the two days, we saw a blow here and there, and then on the morning of our departure, we spotted them. We were trying to eat breakfast and pack up, yet someone would yell, "I see one!" and we'd all scramble out onto the high deck to watch, cameras in hand. We were so busy whale spotting that I didn't get a photo of everyone lined up the railing, straining their prairie eyes to catch a rare glimpse of ocean life.

Passing Whales, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Sooke, Vancouver Island, 2025

These images are not very good, but they show what we managed to capture in a split second. We suspect some were orcas, but it's only a guess. Spotting a tail rise out of the water was a definite thrill. 

Black-tailed Deer, 2025, Sooke, Vancouver Island, BC

It wasn't just the ocean view that caught our attention. Our sloping yard offered sights of rabbits, deer, and quail. We were used to White-tailed deer, but west of the Rockies they have Black-tailed deer.

California Quail, male, 2025, Sooke, Vancouver Island, BC

Our second morning in Sooke, we were surprised to find a male California Quail meandering along the hedge, scratching out a seed here and there. He looked so elegant with his curled crest, striking facial markings, and overall plumage. He seemed aware of my presence, high above him, but otherwise ignored me. And then I noticed the female, similar colouring but not the fancy details, watching her chicks closely as they scratched about. I counted three chicks before they disappeared beneath the hedge. 

California Quail, female and chick, 2025, Sooke, Vancouver Island, BC

We enjoyed our short stay in Sooke, wildlife watching in the daylight, family table games in the evenings. The next post in our BC Road Trip series will showcase the famous Butchart Gardens which we visited during our stay in this area. We hope you'll join us for that one.