BC Ferries warns of multiple-sailing waits between B.C. mainland, Vancouver Island

Travellers planning to visit Vancouver Island over the B.C. Day long weekend could be in for multiple-sailing waits during the busiest weekend of the year for BC Ferries.

On Friday morning, all sailings from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay in Nanaimo were until 4 p.m. full for those travelling with a vehicle. The 4 p.m. sailing had approximately one-quarter of its reservable vehicle space still available as of 8:30 a.m.

The Tsawwassen to Duke Point (Nanaimo) route was similarly booked up until the 3:15 p.m. sailing, which had less than five per cent of reservable vehicle space left.

Sailings between Tsawwassen and Victoria's Swartz Bay had slightly more availability Friday morning, though sailing waits still stretched past noon.

The ferry service was showing no major waits Friday morning for passengers heading the other way – from Vancouver Island to the B.C. mainland.

BC Ferries spokesperson Liza Yuzda encouraged people to use the corporation's website to check current conditions, but cautioned that the information does not include travellers waiting in line at terminals who have not yet passed the ticket booths. 

"It is our busiest weekend of the year and what we're seeing in our terminals is proving it," Yuzda said in an interview with CTV News. "British Columbians like to get out on long weekends."

Yuzda said BC Ferries expects more than 215,000 vehicles and more than 600,000 passengers over the course of the entire weekend.

The ferry operator urges travellers to leave their vehicles at home, if possible, and walk on board to avoid sailing waits.

Yuzda acknowledged that it's likely not everyone who wants to travel with a vehicle on Friday will be able to.

"Our crews work very hard to mitigate people sitting there at the end of the day, not having a place to go. They are very good at allocating and knowing what space is available as the day goes on," she said.

"But if you are not at a terminal now or very soon and you do not have a reservation, you really might want to think about alternate plans." 

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Miljure