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Quinitsa
Official No:
0383249
Place Built:
Vancouver, BC
Builder:
Vancouver Shipyards Ltd.
Year Built:
1977
Vehicles:
50
Passengers:
392
Crew:
6
Length:
74.68 m
Breadth:
19.51 m
Gross Tons:
1,107.59
Service Speed:
10 knots
Horsepower:
1,440
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Overview
The
Quinitsa
has been the main ferry between Vancouver Island (Buckley Bay) and Denman Island for over 25 years. This ferry joined the fleet in 1985 when the coastal division of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways was transferred to BC Ferries.
She usually makes 17 round trips per day, although during times of high traffic, she sometime abandons the schedule and shuttles across Baynes Sound. The
Quinitsa
is a very plain vessel. There are no amenities on board other than some seating on both sides of the vessel, washrooms, and a vending machine.
History
Built in 1977 for British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation and Highways coastal fleet, the
Quinitsa
was initially placed on the busy Nanaimo Harbour to Gabriola Island run, replacing the 30-car
Kaholke
. After 5 years on the route, even the
Quinitsa
was found to be too small so she was replaced by the 70-car ferry
Quinsam
in June 1982. For the latter part of that year and most of 1983, she was loaned to BC Ferries for operations on a variety of routes. The
Quinitsa
served for two months between Horseshoe Bay and Bowen Island, for three months between Swartz Bay and Fulford Harbour, and for the summer months between Swartz Bay and the Gulf Islands. When she returned to the Ministry, she was permanently placed on the Buckley Bay to Denman Island run.
In early 2008, the
Quinitsa
is undergoing a major mid-life upgrade that will include refurbished passenger accommodations, a rebuilt bridge, new generators, and brand new engines.
Origin of Name
Quinitsa
- Named after the Kwinitsa River, a Native word meaning "place of the beaver" (Clapp, 78).
For Further Reading
Clapp, Frank.
Ministry of Transportation and Highways: Inland and Coastal Ferries.
Victoria: Province of British Columbia, 1981. Also 1978 and 1991 editions.
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