The Needles Ferry is a
cable ferry across
Lower Arrow Lake in the
West Kootenay region of southeastern
British Columbia. Linking
Needles and
Fauquier, the ferry, part of
BC Highway 6, is by road about southeast of
Vernon and southwest of
Nakusp
The Village of Nakusp (Sinixt ''neqo'sp'') is beside the mouth of Kuskanax Creek, on the Upper Arrow Lake in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. Lying between the Selkirk and Monashee ranges, the village is known for its ...
.
Timeline
1913: Farmers built the first vehicle ferry using
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...
parts. Apart from a reference to a rudimentary raft in 1922, no evidence exists of a service most years.
1924: Government ferry launched, which comprised a log raft pushed by a launch.
This free service, had a one-car capacity.
1928: Larger boat introduced.
1931: Wooden hulled cable ferry installed,
having three-car capacity.
Crossings were hourly.
1941: Upgraded to eight-car capacity.
1952: Upgraded to 16-car capacity.
1955: Service increased from 12 to 24 hours per day.
1967: Replacement bridge confirmed, but never eventuated.
1968: Both terminals rebuilt on submerging by the reservoir for the
Keenleyside Dam.
1969: Diesel-powered ''Needles'' with 28-car capacity introduced.
1990: ''Needles'' relocated to
Upper Arrow Lake Ferry route. Replaced by a 40-vehicle, 150-passenger cable ferry. At was longest haul cable in North America.
2002: Service reduced to 17 hours per day.
2004: Western Pacific Marine became the service contractor.
c.2013: WaterBridge Ferries became the service provider.
2019: Ferry crew observed a submerged pickup truck just off the Needles ferry landing.
Patronage
Operation
The ferry operates under private contract with the
British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is the British Columbia government ministry responsible for transport infrastructure and law in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is currently led by Rob Fleming.
The ministry is resp ...
and is free of tolls, as are all inland ferries in British Columbia.
Departures are every thirty minutes, from the first at 5 am until the last at 10 pm, with a crossing time of about five minutes. The ferry has capacity for 40 vehicles and 135 passengers.
See also
*
Steamboats of the Arrow Lakes
*
List of Inland Ferries in British Columbia
Footnotes
References
*
{{coord, 49, 52, 22, N, 118, 05, 23, W, display=title
Ferries of British Columbia
Arrow Lakes
Crossings of the Columbia River
Cable ferries in Canada
1913 establishments in British Columbia