My friend and I heard about the old ferries a couple of weeks back. On Friday we decided we would head out to see what we could see. At first we tried to sneak up to the old ferries through a farmer’s field. On our way through we saw different kinds of wildlife, but realized too late we were climbing through an electric fence. After that, we decided we needed another plan.
We casually drove up to the boat we were aiming for, to see if anyone minded us walking around. We’d heard a horror story about someone getting run off the property by a crotchety old man, so we approached the old ships cautiously. Quickly we met the three caretakers guarding the docks, and to our surprise they were more than happy to allow us access. We were given history lessons on all the boats, as well as an invitation back.
My first time on a BC ferry was in 1983 when I took a ride over to Victoria with my family. I was frightened of getting too close to the edge. One of my only memories from that trip that is re-lived through a photograph I have of my dad holding me far away from the railing to keep me at ease. This time, however, I managed to climb to the very top of the structure that had laid dormant for a decade and peer out on to the Fraser River as the sun set.
Ryan Walter Wagner is a photographer, musician, and Vancouverite. His passion is creativity, and his motivation comes from a lifetime of observing both the everyday and the extraordinary in the world around him.