Statistics:

S.S. Smokwa		At Retirement:
Previous Name	S.S. Scotian (1946~55)	Vehicle Capacity	46
Place Built	Pictou, Nova Scotia	Passenger Capacity	473
Year Built	1946	Length	194.8 ft.
Joined BC Ferries	1961	Gross Tons	615
Retired from BC Ferries	1966	Horsepower	550

Special Notes:

• The Smokwa was also known as The Smokey. She was also well-known for her mechanical problems. (Bannerman, 171).

• The Smokwa was the only ferry that operated as a steamship for B.C. Ferries. According to Gary and Patricia Bannerman, she was also "the last steam powered ferry on the North American west coast[.]" (Griffiths and Cadieux, 46 ; Bannerman, 45).

• Built in 1946, the Scotian operated between Halifax and Dartmouth until a bridge was built across the harbour and put it out of business. In 1956, Black Ball Ferries bought the Scotian and renamed her Smokwa after she arrived in B.C. By this time, Black Ball Ferries was only operating in Canada, the State of Washington having taken over most of the Puget Sound routes in 1951. Black Ball placed the Smokwa on the Horseshoe Bay - Langdale route (Griffiths and Cadieux, 46 ; Turner, 207).

• In 1961, the Smokwa joined B.C. Ferries along with the rest of the Black Ball fleet. B.C. Ferries bought the company's ferries and terminals on September 1, 1961 for $6,690,000. B.C. Ferries continued to operate the Smokwa on the Horseshoe Bay - Langdale route and did not change her name (Griffiths and Cadieux, 22, 42).

• The Smokwa ended her days with B.C. Ferries being pushed by a tug along her route as her engines became too problematic to operate (Griffiths and Cadieux, 96).

• B.C. Ferries sold the Smokwa in 1966 to J.H. Todd and Sons Limited for $26,290 (Griffiths and Cadieux, 46).

Origin of the Names:

• Scotian - No doubt named after the province she was built, Nova Scotia ("New Scotland").

• Smokwa - N/A.

What happened to the Smokwa?

• According to the Evergreen Fleet website, the ferry was still being used as a fish camp in 1985. Source: http://www.evergreenfleet.com/malahat.html

• If you have any more information, please e-mail me.

Works Cited & Sources:

Bannerman, Gary and Patricia. The Ships of British Columbia. Surrey: Hancock House Publishers, 1985.

Griffiths, Garth, and H.L. Cadieux. Dogwood Fleet. Nanaimo: Cadieux and Griffiths, 1967.

Turner, Robert D. The Pacific Princesses. Victoria: Sono Nis Press, 1977.

Relevant Links:

Early Ships - by Kevin Stapleton - Photo of Smokwa and several other early BC Ferries.

The Forgotten Fleet - evergreenfleet.com - Several photos of the Smokwa and a short history of the ferry.

BC Archives Photograph (By Call Number)

I-32892 - S.S. Smokwa in Howe Sound.

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This page was last updated on June 10, 2003.

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