Victoria (Swartz Bay) ↔ Otter Bay (Pender Island)

Leave plenty of room at busy times because this route is first-come and non-bookable. Swartz Bay stops checking in foot passengers ten minutes before departure and vehicles five minutes before; Otter Bay closes five minutes before for foot passengers and three minutes before for vehicles. Those are cutoffs, not arrival targets.

Pay at the terminal; there is no reservation checkout for this route. Check the current fare guide instead of relying on an old screenshot. BC Ferries publishes the Southern Gulf Islands fare as a return fare, so it covers the round trip. Terminals accept cash, debit, major credit cards and BC Ferries Experience Cards.

Swartz Bay has 716 paid spaces, 172 short-term and 544 long-term. For a longer Pender stay, Swartz Bay is the dependable place to leave a car; don't build a plan around finding one of the small island terminal's spaces. Otter Bay has limited free parking with a 48-hour maximum.

Yes, bring the bike. Bikes travel free with the passenger fare. Bring lights and repair basics; the ferry handles the bike, not the island miles beyond Otter Bay. BC Ferries asks cyclists to arrive 30 to 60 minutes early, identify the bicycle at check-in, follow crew instructions, walk aboard and secure it on the vehicle deck.

No. Vehicles for Otter Bay load by arrival order, and a booking on another route buys no space in this lane. Look at live conditions before leaving. When timing matters, keep the next Pender sailing usable rather than betting the day on one deck.

Not every Southern Gulf Islands sailing follows the same pattern. Read the stop list for the exact sailing in BC Ferries' current schedule rather than assuming that a familiar departure time always runs direct. Some itineraries include another island stop, and the sequence can change by departure.

Plan the island leg before boarding. Book or confirm a ride when possible, especially for an evening arrival; distances that look modest on a map can be slow on narrow, rolling island roads. BC Ferries lists Lightning Taxi at Otter Bay, but not a scheduled public bus.

Otter Bay lists an accessible washroom, wheelchairs and boarding assistance, plus a waiting room, Wi-Fi, washroom, bike rack, pet area, snack kiosk and picnic space. Swartz Bay has the broader range of food and services, so buy essentials there. Ask for boarding help before the cutoff.