Several-hour waits boarding long-weekend ferries to Vancouver Island

As B.C. Day Weekend begins, ferry passengers are already dealing with long, multi-sailing waits in the hot sun.

Multiple cars were lined up at the toll booth Friday morning, waiting to see if space would become available on any of the boats.

At the Tsawwssen Ferry Terminal, the 7 p.m. sailing is the earliest to Swartz Bay with room available — and it’s nearly full.

If you’re hoping to sail from Tsawwassen to Duke Point, you won’t be able to do that Friday. The next available sailing departs Saturday at 5:15 a.m.

Frustrated passengers at the terminal, were more than happy to share their thoughts on the long waits with The Leader Spirit.

One couple said they were staying optimistic while waiting to return home from a camping trip to Saskatchewan.

“Sometimes we’ve had it where we’ve had to wait one sailing, but it’s never been more than the one. So this is definitely a lot longer than we were expecting,” said Ashley Nicolcez.

Clara Kamunde said she was in line for what she heard would be a five-hour wait, while trying to make her way to Vancouver Island for a high school reunion.

“It’s shocking to me that — since this happens annually — that a solution to the problem hasn’t been found,” said Kamunde.

Another couple had to spend an additonal night on their trip to the mainland because they couldn’t get home to Victoria on Thursday. They said all the sailings for the day were full by 10 a.m.

“It’s actually pretty annoying trying to get home. And it’s costing you an extra $300 hotel room night just because you couldn’t go home. So we’re actually thinking about moving to the mainland,” said Sam Scammell.

B.C. Ferries says its aging vessels simply can’t keep up with demand.

“This long weekend, we’ll be sailing at full capacity with all of our vessels in operation, including the Queen of New Westminster, which is now over 60 years old. In just the past month, that one vessel has experienced ten mechanical and electrical issues: engine leaks, power interruptions, faulty alarms. None caused a delay or cancellation, but each one required immediate attention to keep the vessel running,” spokesperson Sonia Lowe said in a statement.

“And that’s just one of 37 vessels in our fleet. We’re maintaining service thanks to the dedication of our crews and constant upkeep, but these vessels weren’t built for the demands they’re facing today. That’s why fleet renewal is essential. It’s needed now to maintain reliable service.”

B.C. Ferries has signed a deal to build four new major vessels at a shipyard in China — a decision that’s come under intense criticism from politicians across the country.

The company is urging people to plan ahead if they intend to travel. It says you should try and get a reservation for your trip, and arrive 45 minutes before your sailing time.

Availability and sailing times are subject to change. You can check the BC Ferries website for up-to-date information.

Vancouver airport planning for busiest long weekend of the summer

Ferry passengers aren’t the only ones who need to be prepared for busy travel. Vancouver International Airport is preparing for one of its busiest long weekends of the summer, with about 360,000 passengers expected, according to YVR communications manager Alyssa Smith. An estimated 91,000 travellers are expected on Friday alone.

However, the busiest single travel day of the season isn’t until next week, Smith says.

“Next Friday, Aug. 8, is projected to be our busiest day of the summer, and we have nearly 92,000 travellers [expected] that day,” she said.

Smith says the airport has extra measures in place to manage the expected surge in travellers.

“Our operations are really fine-tuned to manage travellers… but we put even more focus on our plans during peak periods,” she said.

“Our ‘digital twin’ [an online replica of the airport’s facilities] helps us monitor traffic flows and make real-time decisions.”

As always, Smith says, travellers need to plan ahead, arrive early, and check their flight details.

The top destinations over the long weekend are Toronto, Edmonton, and San Francisco, she says.