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SeabusThe SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service connecting downtown Vancouver and City of North Vancouver. The SeaBus is owned and operated by TransLink and is an important part of Greater Vancouver's integrated public transportation system. Termini The SeaBus stops on the Vancouver site at Waterfront Station, near the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre and cruise ship terminal at Canada Place. At Waterfront Station, there are connections to the SkyTrain and West Coast Express. In North Vancouver, the SeaBus stops at the purpose-built Lonsdale Quay, which in addition to serving many commuters has become an important tourist destination, with a hotel, public market, and bus loop. History The service is provided by two 400-passenger catamaran ferries, named the Burrard Beaver and Burrard Otter. The ferries began operating in 1977. After an earlier car ferry service stopped running in 1958, the SeaBus system was built with money originally slated for a proposed (and quashed) freeway crossing across Burrard Inlet. Translink has budgeted the building of a third SeaBus by 2009 as part of its 10 year plan. Service The ferries operate between approximately 6:00 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. daily. During the daytime Monday-Saturday (and on Sundays during summer months), both ferries operate, with the two ferries departing simultaneously from opposite termini and passing each other halfway. On evenings and Sundays (except during summer months), one ferry operates. The crossing takes 10-12 minutes in each direction, with a 3-5 minute turnaround and therefore operates on a 15 minute turn-around schedule. The SeaBus is capable of operating on a 12 minute turnaround (or even 10 minutes with simultaneous loading and unloading). However, at the higher speeds, the wake created disturbs other users of the Burrard Inlet. During overloads they do sometimes operate at the higher speeds.
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