Abandoned BC: Queen of Sidney 

I’ve been down to the ship(s) with a friend who knows some of the folks involved. The reason the Sidney sits where it is is due the the fact that that spot on the river is private property which used to be common in past years but very rare today. It actually allows the owner to do with it what they wish. The historical significance of the Queen of Sidney is the fact that it is and was the very first BC Ferry. The ferry Corp. was built by purchasing existing ferry companies like Black Ball Ferries. From those acquisitions came a number of mismatched ships that were already old then. The BC Government who created BC Ferries quickly decided to replace the old ships with brand new (made in BC ) purpose built ships that were meant for our coast and facilities that were being built like Horseshoe Bay. The first completed was the Sidney. After only a couple of years business was so good, the Sidney and her sister were sliced and raised to add a deck and the lounge area at the rear was added. I pass this old girl daily and she gets sadder every year. BC isn’t always kind to it’s history.

Just got from BC yesterday. I tried driving up to the boat to snap a few pics, but didn't want to risk it with the private property signs. Thanks for this wonderful footage!

I made many crossings on her over the years. I am a retired navy soul that loves to remember her formal days of glory sailing the inside. This is a bit bitter sweet. May her soul rest easy.

I've lived pretty close to this my whole life and have always wanted to check it out. Thanks for sharing!

I worked as an "oiler" in the engine room on her for a short while in the 70's.... and sailed to and fro Salt Spring multiple times as a passenger as well.... Damned sad sight to see the "ship" (not a "boat", thank you.) so dilapidated.

I rememger sailing on this old lady of the seas, its a rather sad sight to see.

I was a passenger on this ferry a number of times in the 90’s, it’s demise is sad but nothing lasts forever.

If you were wondering what that ships future was, Im going to somehow save that ship and restore it as if it was built yesterday, I plan to do this after becoming CEO of BC Ferries by the year 2040.

seeing this just makes me want to cry...I'm moving out to BC in a few weeks and I can only hope to at least see it in person (I'd be lucky to even just stand near the thing...such a shame she's rusting away, history like this should be saved, its already too late for the 1922 San Mateo, sitting half sunk on its left side)

Has a kid of 15 I used to spend my Saturdays travelling back and forth to Victoria from Tsawwassen and Back Again multiple times meant awesome people and still stuck in my memory as fresh as yesterday I am 67 and I shed a tear when I saw this but so many memories!

I definitely spent more than a few Vancouver-Victoria crossings in that ship's video arcade!

Great video. Thanks for sharing it. I worked on both the boats that are to the right of the ferry at 3:49 or so. The larger sunken one is the 80 foot former seine boat Island Marl. It was built in 1917 and was last used as an urchin packer. It was a great old boat.The one to the left is the 47 foot tug General Caldwell. It was also a nice boat to work on. Unfortunately it has now sunk as well, right in the same spot it's sitting in the video. Just the mast and radar dome are still above the water.

Those cars were heck of a couple of beauties! Even more so back in their running state. I love vintage vehicles or anything historical and vintage for that matter XD I lived in Ontario all my life and always dreamed about visiting BC. There is so much to explore there.

I worked aboard when she was 10 years old. People might not know that the MV Coho is the same ship, built one year earlier. Only the forward loading doors are different. She is still running perfectly today from Victoria to Port Angeles Wa. Never breaks down! Wonder why the Queen of Sidney and sister ship Queen of Tsawwassen are not still running, just like the MV Coho.

I traveled on this boat back in the day when the paint. Was a little better... thanks for showing were it is now

I really wanted to see more of the cars and especially the engine room

This really brings me back. I remember being on it when I was a little kid. Good times.

Every August when I was a little boy, my family would go to Gabriola Is. to see my Mom's Parents and to vacation for three weeks. I rode The Queen of Sidney and Tsawwassen many times. I also watched in fascination as they passed each other in the Straight of Georgia while I was playing on the sandstone beach on the East side of Gabriola. I loved every minute of my young life. What great times I had. Thanks Mom and Dad! And thanks to lifeofluke for this video for helping me to remember a few glorious moments of my past.

I’m thankful I had a chance to fully explore the Ss San Mateo 20 years ago when it was in good condition. I took a bunch of actual pictures but being before the cell phone era, sadly no video

Some of this has been cleaned up now. Anything leaking hazardous materials including fuel had to be hauled out. The rolled over seine boat is gone also.

I was out in that area for extended vacations both in 1980 and again in 1990. It is very likely I saw this ship in service. A bit of a shock to see how quickly the elements decay a vessel. Built in 1960, it is unlikely it could be made legally seaworthy to today's standards. However, to scuttle it as a dive site is environmentally irresponsible and probably also not legally viable given the poor upkeep. Either continue the scrapping process and recycle the hulk or move it to or improvise a dry dock and use it for training exercises (fire rescue, evacuation, movie set, etc.) Just having it rot in some estuary for twenty years shows that the current owner has no real plan.

Flash back to my childhood, awesome

It’s amazing that it’s decayed so much in just 20 years!

That was a good boat , in the 70s , when it was too rough for the other ferries , it was sometimes the only one running , because it had a deeper hull design . I rode it a lot , going to university , and coming home to Victoria for the weekends .

I crossed on that ferry many times! Piece of history! Wish we could spruce it up for display!

Thanks for the great video! Would love to explore this!

I absolutely love these videos. It’s so cool getting to know these places in BC

I remember the day that was parked there, I was 6 years old. I can see it from my Grandparents house across the river and have always wanted to check it out! Thanks for sharing! I had no idea the other boat was still behind it!

OMG!!! Luke the amount of explores that have tried get close or see the inside of her. OHH WOW!!!!

We, at the wood fibre reload just down the river there about 400-500 meters always wondered about that ship! We have two derelict ships, one on both ends of us here on the fraser river. The one north of us, not viewed in the video, was busted by the rcmp last year for a very large dope growing situation on board. Crazy area out here!

I have driven past that boat hundreds of times. If you drive down the road to try and get to it, there are many warnings to stay away. Even one, closest to the owners driveway that says "IF YOU COME ANY CLOSER YOU WILL BE SEVERELY VIOLATED" at this point (having only wanted to explore with my 3 year old daughter) I figured I had better leave the old fellah alone and turn the car around hahaha Very neat that you got in there! I hope to one day explore that ship!

I took many a sail back in 1975 when I moved to Vancouver from Montreal. Often to about 1984 Work and family on Vancouver island. Always a comfortable crossing when the seas permitted. Nice video and nice to see her again. She was agood sailing across c

I took my first steps on her in 1969! Spent many years traveling on it living on Pender Island.

I know it will most likely happen but (and this ship is something before my time being born in 05) but it really would be cool to see this ferry sail again even if it isn’t fully restored

She must have been a gorgeous ship in her day, love her lines. Very sad to see it like this.

Queen of Sidney's sister ship Queen of Tsawwassen is still active as Inlet Explorer i don't understand why Queen of Sidney didn't get sold

For what it’s worth, I would gladly knock a day off my life to tour this beauty. Mysterious and intriguing...thanks for sharing!

wow i remember being on that boat just before it was taken out of service, it is strange to see it this way now.

Great Video, thanks for taking us with you for a tour of this ship.

really curious how does one acquire such a boat then just let it sit and rust away

It would be nice to do a video about the B.C. Ferries " Fast Ferry " and what happened to them

WOW! That would have been an awesome day of photos and documenting. Nice access!! :)

I remember doing some welding work on this. While it was still in service. Kept the bums out of the Vancouver, Saanich and the Esquimalt while they were up for sale.

I live within a 5min drive of this ferry. It's an environmental disaster happening in the waters of the Fraser. The owners, Bob and Gerald Tapp (now in their late 80's/early 90's), are well known packrats. Gerald has litigated against provincial and federal court rulings to pay for the ferry's cleanup and environmental damage for over 20yrs. The provincial government has paid nearly $500,000 to install pilings and moorings to secure the boat, and others they own, from drifting down the Fraser and to pay for oil leaks cleanup and remediation. Gerald has done the same with properties in Langley and openly says he'll fight both levels of government by appealing his case to Queen Elizabeth. Meanwhile, those of us that live nearby and enjoy that area of the Fraser watch it decay, fall apart and leak oils into the river.

I am an abandoned places junkie, thanks for these videos :)

I've been on in ta least three times: 1976, 1994 and 1997. I would've brought a headlamp and visited the engine room adjacent to the aft staircase. Cool video!

Cool video, thanks for sharing. I always drove by thinking how creepy that ferry looked just sitting there rotting...

iTS' FUTURE CAN BE SEEN IN THE SAD SHIPS AROUND IT!

I always point to it for my daughter whenever we drive by it.

How would I get ahold of the owner? I'm curious about making a 3D model of the ship. thanks

I remember playing airsoft on that ship about 16 or 17 years ago. We’d go once a week for a few months. Was in a lot better shape in those days.

Wonderful film just fascinating indeed.

The MV Coho looks amazing and is still in service despite being 1959 vintage. Why The Queen of Sydney and Queen of Tsawwassen which is still active as the Inlet Explorer can’t be restored again with new engines and machinery again is beyond me. Owner seems very neglectful actually to let her get to this state. It’s really sad to see The Queen of Sydney just rotting away like this. With the equally historic San Mateo up against her crunched into the side. A really sad sight to see … 😢

You are right, it would make an awesome underwater dive site.

I loved this video. I grew up in the area and could hike off into the woods and find really beautiful and kewl places every time I went. I grew up in Sooke (pronounced : sue with a k sound) and miss it very much! Great job on the video!

Do this again showing what's it's like today as its a lot more rusted

There is so many places in BC to explore that are abandoned should have done it a few years ago with all this crop going on now I don't think so love your videos finding out about new places I've never existed 👍👍😀🇨🇦

How can you have a junk yard in a river, a fish bearing river?? That is wrong.

Pretty sure I sailed on that thing in the 90's.

Great video. Thank you for sharing. Sad to see her deteriorating like this.

The poor old Queen of Sidney. I rode on it a few times in my youth.

Awesome

I'd love to have that old BC coat of arms on the bow

The old paint scheme looked better than the new ferries paint scheme.

Pretty sure that boat is where I got really good at TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES from.

I also live close and have heard many things over the years! I respect that u enjoy it but it looks like an eye sore to me. If u dont know its location u can drive right by it on lougheed hwy and miss it! I'm curious why the owner bought it in the first place, p

nice vid man, always been interested in this relic

I think I spotted it while driving West on the Lougheed Highway between Agassiz and Mission. Isn't this Ship located somewhere around there on the Fraser River?

Awesome video, always wondered about this thing every time I drove by it!

I know that my foot prints are all over that ship. As a kid , i would run everywhere on it .

In this topsy turvy new world, pidgeons are no longer birds. I'm losing it.

Nice. Just letting everything sink into the river and polluting the water. That whole site should be cleaned up and the owner should pay for it. No wonder the salmon are dying off.

The owner of this mess on the river should be put in jail for environmental terrorism. I've visited this area by boat and there's a whole collection of boats rotting away. I'd say half of them have already sunk and the rest are well on their way. Just think of all the gas, oil, grease and lead acid batteries on board each vessel that has sunk! What a toxic eyesore!!!

Is there a way to visit this ferry?

This is awesome! Thanks for sharing bud

Are the cars for sale?

Used to be a boat like this docked in Squamish me and my ex girlfriend snuck on it. you literally had to run and jump over this gap to the water to get on it. It was creepy because i think someone was living on it and was there when we were but avoided us because we found a living quarters that looked in current use and i coulda swore i heard movement a few times anyways it was fun.

Wow, nice video tks.

I spent a lot of crossings on that ship. What a shame.

I want that camper van on the inside.

Fantastic discovery!!!

Is that 1959 Chevrolet for sale?

The Canadien Pickers tv show had previously did a episode with the owner. Where the stuff went, he had stuff up to ceiling you could barely get trough

Wow, I took that ferry once, in better days.

COOL.

Very interesting Luke. Thanks for sharing.

Is this the one you see when your driving to mission

This was where I filmed mech x4?

Your idea about making it into a dive site would be a great continuation of it's economic viability, and definitely would draw many people to the site..

How did you get in contact with the owner? I would love to ask his permission to check it out. Great video btw, really cool!

It doesn't look like it's out of service for 19 years (video upload 3 yrs ago). It looks like it's out of service since 50 years :(

Good work bro'.

Awesome, awesome video. I spent the best years of my life on that old girl. Sorry to see her in such shabby shape!

I rode aboard her in the 90s on my way to visit my grandad on Vancouver island. I remember eating in that cafe andlearning the top speed of 18 knots. Sad to see the old girl now. 20 years decomissioned has not been kind to her.

Ok so i live in maple ridge and im wondering if this is in mission on the way too hemlock mountain and harrison hot springs is that where it is?cause theres one that looks like it there.

Beeindruckend. 👍

An interesting video, great work !!! .-)

many a 4 inch stiletto heels in pencil skirts tapped across those decks on a sunny afternoon gong to Vancouver in the 80/s.....quite a experience in cognitive dissonance to see this ship so decayed in such a short time.

I don't think it plied the Pacific - only Georgia Strait

So a what point to land lubbering laymen call ships by their rightful names, and not “boats”?