Otter Bay (Pender Island) ↔ Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)

Build extra time around busy travel days and fixed pickups. This inter-island trip is non-bookable and vehicles load in arrival order. Otter Bay closes check-in five minutes before departure for foot passengers and three minutes before for vehicles; Sturdies Bay closes five minutes before for both.

Pay at the terminal. Use the current official fare guide; a saved image can go stale. BC Ferries publishes Southern Gulf Islands inter-island travel as a one-way fare, meaning the return is charged separately. Terminals accept cash, debit, major credit cards and BC Ferries Experience Cards.

Otter Bay lists limited free parking with a 48-hour maximum. Sturdies Bay has limited free roadside parking outside the terminal. On Galiano, keep the terminal approach and nearby road clear for ferry traffic. Neither is a dependable large lot, so arrive with another plan and respect all posted limits.

Yes, bring the bike. Bikes travel free with the passenger fare. Bring lights, water and tools for the island roads; the ferry only solves the stretch of water. BC Ferries asks cyclists to arrive 30 to 60 minutes early, identify the bike at check-in, walk aboard when directed and secure it on the vehicle deck.

No. Pender–Galiano cars load by arrival order, and a Tsawwassen reservation doesn't carry over. Check the schedule near travel day. Keep a later boat possible when dinner, lodging or another connection is waiting on you.

Not necessarily. Stay aboard at intermediate calls unless BC Ferries explicitly identifies a transfer. A listed connection can be part of a multi-stop Southern Gulf Islands sailing, and the sequence varies by departure. Read the exact itinerary and its elapsed time in the current schedule.

BC Ferries lists the Galiano Community Bus at Sturdies Bay, with food, shops and a hotel nearby. For a late arrival or a distant stay, arrange a pickup before leaving Pender. Check the bus's current operating details before travel rather than assuming it meets every ferry.

Sturdies Bay lists wheelchairs and boarding assistance, plus a toilet, waiting room, Wi-Fi, bike rack, pet area, snack kiosk and picnic space. Ask for boarding support before the cutoff and contact BC Ferries ahead if you need a specific accessible facility at Galiano. Otter Bay adds an accessible washroom.