Travelling to wrap up the Easter long weekend? For those needing to get to or from Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, stormy weather conditions have forced BC Ferries to cancel several Easter Monday morning sailings. As the travel day progresses, passengers are being advised of sailing waits of at least six hours.
"Today is a busy day for travel from Duke Point, Departure Bay, Swartz Bay, and Langdale," tweeted BC Ferries on Monday.
"If you're travelling to the Lower Mainland without a booking, consider travel at less busy times or travel as a foot passenger."
Due to adverse weather conditions, sailings between Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay on the Queen of Cowichan and the Queen of Oak Bay were cancelled at 6:15 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. this morning in both directions.
BC Ferries says its Customer Service Centre will contact customers with bookings on these cancelled sailings to let them know if we have space available to fit them on an alternate sailing later in the day, or if their booking must be cancelled.
Shortly after 9 a.m. BC Ferries tweeted that it was ticketing standby traffic for the 5:55 p.m. sailing leaving Departure Bay for Horseshoe Bay;
So far, however, sailings between Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen-Duke Point as well as Tsawwassen-Gulf Islands remain as scheduled, though Gulf Island passengers may have experienced a brief delay due to an earlier mechanical issue.
Additionally, travellers should be aware that sailings from the Southern Gulf Islands to Tsawwassen are fully booked for Monday, and BC Ferries is urging passengers to plan to make the trip on Tuesday.
While BC Ferries has cautioned all month that "crewing challenges" have led to schedule changes on its popular Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route, the long weekend got off to a rocky start last Thursday due to a delayed return to service for its Queen of Surrey vessel.
Foot passengers are not experiencing multi-sailing delays, but BC Ferries says those wishing to board as walk-ons should plan to arrive at the terminal an hour ahead of the sailing's scheduled departure.
Travellers are urged to check @BCFerries on Twitter for the latest conditions and cancellation information ahead of their trip.
