For the past year, Geoff Keddie has called his morning commute absolutely gorgeous. The North Saanich resident has been travelling across the Saanich Inlet to get to work onboard the M.V.
Klitsa five times a week. “It’s a great environment, I love this ferry,” said Keddie. “Everyone is running around, everyone is smiling.
” The route is the oldest continuous ferry service on the coast of British Columbia. It was started by two former naval officers in November of 1924, meaning the route is about to hit a major milestone. “This November will be 100 years, so it’s pretty amazing,” said Martin Nielsen, senior captain of the Klitsa.
The original vessel was a wooden-hulled coastal steamer called the SS Cascade. It was altered to allow cars to drive on and off of the bow and stern. One month after going into service, the SS Cascade hit a bit of a snag, sinking at the Mill Bay ferry dock after running into some thick ice on the inlet.
The vessel was raised, repaired and back in service a short time later. The SS Cascade was later rechristened as the Brentwood Ferry after being refitted with internal combustion engines. “(In the 1950s), the Mill Bay Ferry was brought in,” said Nielsen.
“The Mill Bay and the Brentwood Bay Ferry both worked this area while they were finishing the paving of the Malahat (Highway) back in the late '50s.” Once that paving was completed, the Brentwood Ferry was retired, leaving just the Mill Bay Ferry to run the route. In 1969, the co.
