Historic Ferry Sets Sail

Angus MacAskill is back to work.

With its annual refit complete, the Englishtown cable ferry went back into service on Monday, April 20. Since 1929, ferries have been shuttling cars, trucks and passengers across Ste. Anne's Bay between the communities of Jersey Cove and Englishtown, Victoria Co.

The 12-car vessel saves approximately 45 minutes of driving by cutting across the bay.
Last year, more than 210,000 cars and trucks made the crossing.

The Angus MacAskill has been operating since 1976. It was built by Sydney Engineering and Drydock and purchased by the Province of Nova Scotia for $750,000. Today the total cost of operating the ferry runs in excess of $446,000.

Bill Yarn, financial manager with the Department of Transportation and Public Works, said since 1929 the money spent on the vessel has increased, but the cost of using it hasn't.

"In 1929, the cost of operating a ferry on this crossing was $2,400. Today its half-a-million dollars," he says. "But the cost of taking the ferry in 1929 was 70 cents and today it's only $1.75. If operating costs and user costs increased at the same rate, a single-car fare would be $130."

A steady stream of tourists on the Cabot Trail keep the Angus MacAskill - and its eight staff - working around the clock. Mr. Yarn said between four and six casual employees are hired during busier months. "The staff usually eat their lunch on the fly," he said, "The traffic in the summer keeps them hopping."

The Angus MacAskill had been out of service earlier this winter due to an abundance of pack ice in the bay. David McNeil, the captain of the ferry, says that's normal.

"The ferry operates year-round, 24-hours-a-day. Usually the ice prevents us from making the crossing for about 30 days every spring. This is when we try to schedule the annual refits for painting and cleaning."

Transportation and Public Works operates three cable ferries and four self-propelled ferries across Nova Scotia as part of the highway system.