BC Ferries

Waves, Winds, and Woes: BC Ferries Faces a Stormy Saturday!

Hold onto your hats, BC! High winds have turned ferry crossings into a wavy adventure while new vessels are on the way!

This Saturday, December 14, has proven to be quite the wild ride for BC Ferries travelers. A storm of high winds wreaked havoc across the region, leading to multiple ferry cancellations, particularly the busy routes between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen, as well as Texada and Powell River. Officials are taking no chances, as they’ve urged passengers to stay updated on sailing conditions and consider alternative travel plans—because nothing says ‘fun in the sun’ like waiting for a boat that may or may not come!

While thousands of frustrated ferry-goers were left stranded due to disrupted travel plans, BC Ferries is simultaneously preparing for a huge overhaul. They recently submitted a bold plan to invest in building five new major vessels! This is set to be the company’s largest capital investment in its history and aims to improve ferry capacity, resilience, and reliability across coastal communities. So, while the winds may be howling today, BC Ferries’ future is looking quite bright with new boats on the horizon!

However, it’s not just the ferries that are affected by the storm. Environment Canada reacted with wind warnings across Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas, and as many as thousands of British Columbians woke up to find downed trees and power outages from the tempestuous gales. If you thought your morning coffee was strong, try brewing it through wind speeds that could knock a grizzly bear off its paws!

In addition to the ongoing impacts of the storm, there’s concern for coastal communities with the Whiffin Spit in Sooke set to close down due to an expected storm surge bringing waves of up to seven meters. The Sooke region is no stranger to nature’s wrath, but this time the clouds are really putting on a show!

For those eager for a bit of trivia, did you know that BC Ferries is known as the largest passenger ferry service in the entire world? With such a vast network of routes, they transport over 20 million passengers every year! And as for the storm, an interesting fact is that it’s not unusual for winter storms to cause cancellations. In fact, BC Ferries has protocols in place that prioritize safety over schedules. So next time you’re waiting at the terminal, you can remember: safety first, waves later!