Salt Spring Island Fire/Rescue Regional Training Conference - Travel

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Regional Training Conference - Home

• Bring your family...
  
• Accommodation
  
• Lots to do...
  
• the Weather
  
• BC Ferries travel tips!
  

Chocolate Beach, Ganges Harbour

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Families are always welcome...

The Salt Spring Island Firefighter spouses have activities planned for all age groups.  For adults, there's the Friday night "Meet & Greet", all ages are welcome at our Saturday night BBQ and other activities for families... for example, an excursion & picnic are usually offered.

Accommodation, Salt Spring style...

Choose from Bed & Breakfast's, Camping and Motels/Hotels; there's a wide variety of options when it comes to accommodation on Salt Spring Island.

For Bed & Breakfast or Hotel/Motel information please visit the Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce website.

Camping

• The SSIFD offers FREE camping at the Farmer's Institute (the Salt Spring Island Fall Fair is held in this location every year; in the summer it's pretty quiet, not too far from town and close to most training locations and provides visitors with lots of room to kick back and enjoy some "Island Time").
• Ruckle Provincial Park has very nice camping sites, but they tend to fill quickly in the summer, so reserve in advance. (Also note that it's about a 25 minute drive to Ganges from the park).

Plenty to see and do...

Salt Spring Island Fire/Rescue activities:

• Thursday night Golf
  (sponsored by the International Association of Fire Fighters "IAFF" Union Local #4467)
  
• Friday night Meet & Greet at Hall No. 1 - Ganges
  (sponsored by the Salt Spring Island Volunteer Firefighters Association "SSIVFA")
  
• Saturday night BBQ (Farmers Institute, Ganges)
  

Other popular activities...

• Salt Spring Farmers Market
• Salt Spring Studio Tour

For sea kayaking, sail or power boating, fishing and more, the waters around Salt Spring Island are some of the most popular boating waters anywhere.  Or take a dip in one of many fresh water lakes.

All ready to go boating...

Summertime weather on Salt Spring Island...

Salt Spring Island lies in a rainshadow cast by Vancouver Island to the west, and Washington State's Olympic Peninsula to the south.  Because of this, we receive far less rain than Vancouver and even less than Victoria, which is noted for its dry summer season.  Characterized as a "Cool-Mediterranean" climate,this is evidenced by low growing Manzanita bushes and Arbutus trees (also known as Madrona, especially in the US) that grow in abundance here.  Come prepared for hot weather during daylight hours, but note that as the sun begins to set things cool off a little given our close proximity to water. 

Getting to Salt Spring Island...

A few important notes about BC Ferry Travel

Ferry travel during the busy summer months can be quite hectic for the traveller who hasn't planned in advance.  During peak travel times - especially on the ferry sailings betweeen Long Harbour and Tsawassen, and vice versa - it's not uncommon for most of the available space on a sailing to have been previously booked, thereby relegating those travellers without reservations to "stand by" status.

To reserve space for people and/or vehicles on those routes where reservations are accepted call BC Ferries at 1 888 BCFERRY or visit their website: www.bcferries.com

From Vancouver Island:

1.) Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour

Swartz Bay is a 30 minute drive (30km/19 miles) north of Victoria, or a 10 minute drive (10km/6 miles) from Victoria International Airport or Sidney.  This is usually the busiest ferry connection to Salt Spring Island, so arrive at least half an hour before departure during peak travel times (weekends and morning & evening commute during the week) to ensure you get on board.  This route usually has sailings every two hours with a crossing time of 35 minutes; reservations are not accepted for this route.

2.) Crofton to Vesuvius

Crofton is about a 20 minute drive (16km/10 miles) north of Duncan, or a 45 minute drive (40km/25 miles south of Nanaimo.  Ferry sailings on this route are usually an hour apart, with a crossing time of 20 minutes; reservations are not accepted for this route.

From Vancouver/Mainland:

1.) Tsawassen (south of Vancouver, BC) to Long Harbour (Salt Spring Island, BC)

If you want to "cruise" the Gulf Islands on the way to Salt Spring Island, then this is the ferry to catch (it's usually just as quick, or quicker than the other routes, and saves you from driving and/or transferring between a larger ferry and a smaller one).  Reservations are highly recommended for this route...

2.) Horseshoe Bay (near West Vancouver, BC) to Departure Bay (Nanaimo, BC)

After getting off the ferry in Nanaimo you'll need to get to Crofton which is about a 45 minute drive south of Nanaimo (40km/25 miles) to catch the Crofton to Vesuvius ferry (see above).

3.) Tsawassen (south of Vancouver, BC) to Swartz Bay (near Sidney, BC)

If you plan on traveling this route, and making a connection to Salt Spring Island the same day then ask for a "thru-fare" ticket to Fulford Harbour when purchasing your tickets in Tsawassen as it will reduce the overall cost of your ferry travel.  Reservations are recommended for the Tsawassen to Swartz Bay portion of this trip.

Ferry sailings on this route are usually an hour apart, with a crossing time of 1 hour and 35 minutes.  After disembarking from the "big" ferry in Swartz Bay you'll need to catch the smaller ferry to Fulford Harbour (see above).  To do this, exit the terminal and proceed to the first highway exit on your right (Wain Rd., about 1km/0.6 miles) and follow the signs directing you back to the ferry terminal.

For technical issues, please send email here.
For all other inquiries please see our contact page.