12 Discover the incredible world of insects, arachnids and their many legged friends! With over 50 different species of arthropods, the Victoria Bug Zoo is a must see for locals and tourists, alike! victoriabugzoo.ca 631 Courtney st Victoria, B.C. Explore. Explore. Explore. Touch. Touch. Touch. See. See. See. “Island Jetfoil Declares Bankruptcy.” “I looked at Phil and said, ‘This is a sign,’” Tall remembered. In Norway, they met with Fjellstrand AS, the shipbuilder they had been courting. To their astonishment, the yard had already purchased aluminum and begun cutting parts for what would become the Victoria Clipper I. The Norwegian government was heavily investing in shipbuilding at the time, offering subsidies to buyers. A Norwegian bank expressed interest in financing the vessel—but after several days of deliberation, it too wavered. Fjellstrand’s managing director refused to let the deal collapse. He offered to personally guarantee the loan. An emergency board meeting was called. The bank reversed its decision. At last, Tall and Lepley had a ship under construction. But the financing was not enough to fully launch the service. Which brings us back to that freezing Oslo night. From the payphone booth, charges reversed, they called Leonard Tall in Seattle. “How much money do you have?” he asked. “And how much do you need?” Tall and Lepley did the math, stripping out every conceivable extra it took nine years before Tall drew a salary. But partnerships flourished on both sides of the border, and a culture rooted in Pacific Northwest service values took hold. “We’ve had the examples of great service companies--Nordstrom, Costco. You don’t have to explain it to somebody. If they’ve grown up here, they’ve experienced it,” Tall said. Phil Lepley eventually departed the company to continue expanding his other businesses, including Coastal Manufacturing in Mukilteo, while Tall continued to guide its growth. In 2016, she sold the Victoria Clipper to FRS, a family-owned ferry company headquartered in Flensburg, Germany, with operations around the world. Today, Tall remains deeply connected to the marine world. She is a founding board member of SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (SR3), the Pacific Northwest’s only marine animal hospital. Since opening its Des Moines facility in 2021, SR3 has treated injured seals, sea lions, sea turtles, and responded to whales entangled in fishing gear. “Merideth took what she built at Clipper and applied it to our nonprofit,” said Casey McLean, SR3’s founder and executive director. “She understands negotiation. She sees both sides. And she knows how to make things happen.” Looking back, Tall sees more than strategy in her journey. “I don’t believe in coincidence,” she said. “I believe the universe gives you inspirations. It’s up to us to be courageous enough to act on them.” expense—no spare engine, virtually no marketing budget. They had each invested $100,000 of their own savings, but they needed at least another $100,000 to get the ferry operational. “Well,” Leonard said after a pause, “do you want a silent partner?” With that leap of parental faith, the Victoria Clipper was born. From the beginning, Tall’s ambitions extended beyond guest experience. She envisioned a year- round ferry service that would provide stable employment for maritime professionals in Seattle. “When you have a captain’s or mate’s license, you often have to go on shifts that take you away from home, and it’s hard. You don’t get to be there for your kids. You’re a tourist in your own home.” Operating year-round required creativity. To attract visitors during Victoria’s quieter months, Tall expanded into travel planning and packaging, bundling ferry tickets with hotels and tours. The business became not just a transportation company, but a curator of experiences. The Victoria Clipper launched in July 1986. The early years were lean— From left to right: Merideth Tall, Leonard Tall, and Leonard’s wife, Barbara Alsdorf, at one of the Clipper team’s first staff holiday parties.”
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