After endless hours of driving we reached the Tsawwassen ferry docks, from which ferries run between the B.C. mainland and Vancouver Island. They are actually quite a sight, about a kilometre into a delta off of the Pacific ocean lay masses of metal and concrete, providing thousands of travelers a link between the busy hustle and bustle of the mainland and the quieter life offered by island living.
I haven’t taken the ferry for a few years now but the smell is familiar — it is a mixture of salt, ocean air and diesel fuel. I can remember smelling diesel fuel at the lake last summer and being instantly reminded of the beautiful British Columbia coast — it is kinda funny how smells can trigger memories so vividly.

After paying a seemingly ridiculous fare we parked in our respective line and then realized that we had a solid 45 minutes to kill before we could board our ship, so we turned off the van and hit up the ferry terminal. This state-of-the-art building was not here last time I took the ferry; there always seems to be something new each time I come around these parts.

Inside the terminal were the sights, scents and sounds of a million different nations. From Mexican food to Chinese food to pizza, this little wonderland had everything. I eventually got my chili and headed back to the vehicle as we had killed enough time and only had 10 minutes before boarding. I couldn’t have been more excited.

After driving onto the ship we found our parking place in a sea of other cars, grabbed some of our most treasured objects — funny enough they were all electronic — and went upstairs, where we found some seats. We were lucky to travel on a “superferry,” as dad described it. It had more decks and could hold way more cars; the inside was also more modern and better kept.

Once on deck you are free to wander around wherever you wish. If you need to use the washroom, go for it! If you want to go out to the ships edge and sightsee, go for it! If you want to sit back and sleep, then you were permitted to do that as well.

When on a ferry you experience complete freedom and it is an amazing adventure. I personally decided to sit down at a quiet little study booth. After all, I have an essay due the first day back after break.

As I pulled out my Norton Anthology, the sights and sounds of this massive vessel gripped my attention. First of all, there were hundreds of people passing behind my chair, attempting to find a place to put their feet up. But these people were not rushed or hurried; they all seemed relaxed and comfortable, which only added to the beauty of the boat.

There was a large group of people sitting together, all fixed to a TV. I was initially quite startled when I heard an uproar come from their section. This was followed by cheering and applause about every 10 minutes. It was not until later that I realized these 100 or so people were cheering on Canada’s World Junior hockey team as they scored goal after goal against a very unlucky opponent.

The large amount of people that kept going in and out of the door next to me provided me with a constant supply of ocean air. I tell you it is like nothing that you have ever smelled; the freshness is incomparable to anything that you may find on the prairies.

After an hour and a bit of enjoying the gigantic boat, the first officer got on the PA system and announced that we should all head back to our vehicles as we had reached the Victoria ferry docks.

We shuffled down some stairs and found our van right where we had left it. We packed up the few belongings that we had removed and waited to be let off the ferry. It was not long until we were back on the highway — 20 kilometres until Victoria and over 2,500 back to Winnipeg.