"We are doing our best": BC Ferries terminal sees major impacts ahead of long weekend
Passengers hoping to take a vessel on BC Ferries from the Horseshoe Bay terminal on Thursday are being heavily affected by a deadly head-on crash on Highway 1 in West Vancouver.
The crash happened late Wednesday night after a vehicle driving in the wrong lane hit another motorist, leaving two dead and several others injured, according to West Vancouver RCMP.
The investigation and cleanup closed the westbound lanes for more than 10 hours, and traffic was told to reroute; however, those routes also became increasingly backed up.
Highway 1 reopened around 9 am, but the impacts are being felt throughout the region as travellers hope to make their sailings ahead of the long weekend.
According to BC Ferries, the delays meant it did not have the crew necessary for the sailing of their 6:30 am Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver) to Departure Bay (Nanaimo) according to Transport Canada regulations.
As a result, the ferry was delayed by an hour and a half to wait for the crew to arrive, and Google searches show a significant spike in people seeking alternative arrangements, such as a ferry through Hullo Ferries, a passenger-only ferry service between downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo.
“This weekend is particularly busy due to the highway conditions affecting many of our passengers at #HorseshoeBay. We are doing our best to accommodate impacted customers, but there may be significant wait times. We appreciate your patience and understanding,” BC Ferries shared on X.
That led to a ripple effect for the other sailings, with the 9:05 am departing Departure Bay, the 11:25 am departing Horseshoe Bay, and the 1:40 pm departing Departure Bay also being delayed.
Despite these delays, those with reservations for any of these Thursday sailings are advised to arrive within the reservation window or risk being charged a no-show fee and losing their spot.
“For those customers unable to make their reservation window due to highway conditions, our ticket agents will do their best to accommodate you, recognizing the significant volumes of travellers expected today,” BC Ferries wrote on its service notice.
It’s not the only route impacted by a crew issue, as several sailings between Brentwood Bay and Mill Bay have also been delayed.
“Due to unanticipated crew absences, several sailings on our #BrentwoodBay – #MillBay route must be cancelled as we are short of the federally required number of crew members,” BC Ferries wrote in a social media post on Thursday morning.
#BCFHeadsUp – This weekend is particularly busy due to the highway conditions affecting many of our passengers at #HorseshoeBay . We are doing our best to accommodate impacted customers, but there may be significant wait times. We appreciate your patience and understanding. ^cg
ā BC Ferries (@BCFerries) June 27, 2024
Canada Day is Monday, and throughout the weekend, some 530,000 passengers and 195,000 vehicles are expected to travel with BC Ferries between the Sunshine Coast, the Mainland, and Vancouver Island.
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