'The view - you can't beat it': Toronto Islands ferry captain reflects on his job
With nearly three decades at the wheel, Capt. Nelson still loves these city views
Matt Galloway set sail with Allan Nelson, a Toronto Island Ferry Captain for 28 years, and asked him about the city's changing landscape, ferrying across the water every day and why he loves his job.
The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
Matt Galloway (MG): I would think the city has changed a lot in 28 years. What have you seen change in and around the terminal and on this boat?
Allan Nelson (AN): Well the line-ups are longer, there are more people. With all the condominiums, more and more people are considering this their backyard, so you're seeing more and more people going over in the evenings after supper and staying later so they're using the facility more.
The city has made it more convenient by allowing permits for water taxis. A lot of people are utilizing it.
People are buying tickets online before they get here.
MG: Tell me what you love about this job.
AN: The view — you can't beat it. Over the years, the people that you work with, we're like a big family over here. We work all sorts of afternoons, weekends, holidays. When everyone else is partying, we're working so you develop a bond with these people.
And then of course [I like meeting] the passengers, a lot of the families that come to Centre Island and Centreville. It's nice to see the younger generation coming here.
MG: You are working 12 months a year. What's it like to come across this boat in the winter?
AN: It's amazing, I suggest you come down. When you're crunching through the ice, it's a totally different experience. It's really neat. Unfortunately there is some damage when you're running in the wintertime … we've had so many broken propellers and what not. It's challenging and I like it.
MG: It's easy to forget that we're on this amazing body of water. What could we do better, as a city, to appreciate that this is right here?
AN: I think people could use the medium. We could do more to remind people. People in the northern part of the city that don't even know of the service, we could make them aware of it. A few more ads on the radio or television might help a bit.
MG: The 'man overboard' alarm. How often does that get sounded?
AN: Not very often. Nobody's drowned yet that I've seen but a few of them were taken by surprise, because they get surprised at how cold the water is.
MG: Is there a lot of bad behaviour on the boat? I mean, people are having a good time...too much sun, too much to drink?
AN: There are a few beach parties that get out of hand but we call the constabulary and they keep things under control very well. [If] nobody gets hurt, [and there's] no damage to the boat, that's my definition of a successful shift.
MG: Do you ever get bored of the view that you have?
AN: Never, never. People think that because we're back and forth, it just gets repetitive or robotic. But every trip is different in its own way, whether its fog, wind or different passengers.
I've met some interesting people over the years. There's something different, good or bad, on each trip.
