Ferry passengers again facing hours-long waits at Horseshoe Bay
There was more frustration for BC Ferries passengers at the Horseshoe Bay terminal Friday, with some waits extending upwards of five hours at the outset of the long weekend.
The hectic conditions were the result of mechanical problems on the Queen of Alberni, which forced the vessel out of service this week and led to several cancelled departures during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
With six cancellations out of Horseshoe Bay on Canada Day, travellers who arrived at the terminal at around 10:30 a.m. without a reservation were left hoping for a spot on the 3:55 p.m. departure.
Conditions were similar on Thursday, when many drivers waited hours on end hoping to make it to Vancouver Island for the weekend. Among them was Richard Baumet, who tried to plan ahead by making a reservation, only to learn his sailing was cancelled due to the Queen of Alberni's engine troubles.
"This morning I was pretty stressed out because we're going to the island to take possession of a house we just got and we've got stuff to move," Baumet told CTV News from the ferry lineup.
"I looked for options for Tsawwassen and elsewhere and everything's booked up."
BC Ferries said the mechanical issue involved the Queen of Alberni's piston assembly, and said it would require "critical machining to repair."
The vessel is expected to be back in service on Saturday morning.
The company suggested passengers hoping to board at Horseshoe Bay or Departure Bay in Nanaimo Friday without a booking consider going on foot for a better chance of getting across.
"We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of these cancellations," BC Ferries said in a statement.
Even before the Queen of Alberni was pulled from service, the company was bracing for a chaotic holiday, noting it was the first time in six years that Canada Day and U.S. Independence Day were bookending the weekend.
Up-to-date information on sailing schedules and available space is available on the BC Ferries website.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Tahmina Aziz
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.