Fanny Bay Inn
BP 8.0: Fanny Bay Inn, Fanny Bay (Vancouver Island) British Columbia. Visited: October 2023. Team: Rob & Chris. Cameras used: 4×5″ Ebony Film & Canon 70D.
The Fanny Bay Inn is located right beside the old Island Highway (now called #19A) and for decades this road was the main transportation artery of Vancouver Island. It is now a slower paced scenic drive and the current #19 is a little inland today. It’s four lanes, divided, can be driven at higher speeds and handles much of the through traffic now.
Fanny Bay is an unincorporated community on the east coast of Vancouver Island and best known for its fine oysters.
People have lived in the area for a long time, but the Fanny Bay name was not adopted until the 1920’s. Logging and the shellfish industry are the main employers, and presumably some of these folks frequent the Fanny Bay Inn, or “FBI”, as it is commonly known.
The Team stopped in for lunch on October 25th of 2023 and the intention was to simply scout it out as a possibility for a Beer Parlour Project outing to be done later. There was no intention for it happen right here and now, yet circumstance decided otherwise.
An elderly gentlemen was spotted over in the corner nursing a beer and became the catalyst to begin an impromptu episode the Beer Parlour Project. An abbreviated BP and done short handed (just Rob and Chris), but one none the less.
Ken, our subject, looked very much the mariner or fisherman, and this is a character you’d fully expect in the area. After all, the ocean is right behind the Fanny Bay Inn.
While initially declining to appear in photos, with help from the bar staff (thanks Starr) and further explaining the scope of the project, he agreed to be photographed (and interviewed). The big view camera came out and was quickly the centre of attention… as usual. It’s a spectacle at each BP and always an ice breaker.
Later Ken’s friend Sebastian showed and similarly agreed to pose as well.
As it turns out Ken was not the fisherman he appeared but actually a retiree from Olds, Alberta. Given his old salt appearance this came as a surprise.
While shooting the exterior the owner came out and introduced himself. Once again, if people see the main film camera used in this series, they’re curious and often approach to chat. They said the Inn was up for sale, and indeed, since the time of our visit, new owners have taken over. In years past the FBI had a bit of a rough reputation, but more recent ownership has changed the vibe to something kinder and gentler.
The FBI dates from 1938 and rooms could be rented in the past, but when that practice ended is not clear. Currently the upstairs is used as the the residence of the owner.
Fanny Bay, British Columbia: Population about 925, in the Regional District of Comox Valley and north of Nanaimo.
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