Another day, another wind warning.
Strong southeast winds sweeping across the south coast have prompted widespread ferry cancellations on Monday, disrupting travel between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland as holiday travel volumes continue to increase.
On Monday morning, BC Ferries issued a travel advisory warning customers of service disruptions caused by adverse weather conditions.
The advisory notes that high winds in the Strait of Georgia have affected multiple routes and that sailings will resume once conditions improve.
On the Departure Bay–Horseshoe Bay route, sailings were cancelled beginning with the 10:55 a.m. departure from Departure Bay through the 6:20 p.m. sailing leaving Horseshoe Bay.
Sailings on the Swartz Bay–Tsawwassen route were also impacted, with cancellations starting at the 10 a.m. departure from Swartz Bay through the 5 p.m. sailing departing Tsawwassen.
Service on the Duke Point–Tsawwassen route was fully cancelled for the day, and three sailings between Tsawwassen and the Southern Gulf Islands were also called off.
Foot passenger service was not immune to the conditions, with Hullo Ferries flagging a possible disruption to its 11 a.m. sailing from Nanaimo to Vancouver and the 1 p.m. return sailing.
The cancellations come as Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a wind warning for large portions of the South Coast. Forecasts call for southeast winds of 70 km/h with gusts up to 90 km/h late Monday afternoon into the evening.
The strongest winds are expected near the water, particularly around the Strait of Georgia, including areas such as Tsawwassen, Boundary Bay, the Southern Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast. Winds are expected to ease later in the evening as the frontal system passes.
BC Ferries is advising travellers to check sailing availability before heading to terminals and to allow extra time for their journeys, with up-to-date information available through the company’s travel advisory page.
