BC Ferries cancelling sailings

[Koastal Karl]

Well it looks like BC Ferries has been cancelling some of their added sailings over the holidays. The extra sailing departing Departure Bay at 9:30pm and HSB at 11:30pm have been cancelled due to lack of traffic just like they cancelled sailings Christmas Eve as there wasent enough traffic for the Esquimalt's last roundtrip. BC Ferries this year seems to have gone overboard with the extra sailings not really needing all the ones they have on route 2.

[Koastal Karl]

Due to the vessel running behind schedule, the 7:15 p.m. sailing of the Queen of Esquimalt from Horseshoe Bay and the 9:30 p.m. sailing from Departure Bay are cancelled. The vessel will sail at 11:30 p.m. from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay.

This means that the last sailing from Departure Bay this evening will be at 9:00 p.m.

BC Ferries regrets any inconvenience this schedule change may cause our customers.

[Scott]

If you're online right now, check out the traffic cameras outside Swartz Bay, Departure Bay, and Horseshoe Bay. Glad I'm not doing that today:)

[Ferry Rider 42]

About the traffic lined up at the Swartz Bay terminal. I do not want to give wrong impressions, the traffic is certainly backed up. That being said, it always tends to look worse then it really is. The traffic coordinators tend to hold cars right at the overpass (which is where the camera looking onto the highway is hung). Consequently, there is plenty of free room between the overpass and ticket booths without any cars waiting.

What this means from general observation is that after the next sailing, at minimum all those cars lined up to the first set of highway signs will be in the compound after the next sailing leaves.

So the traffic looks bad, but it would be even worse if lines of cars were waiting behind each ticket booth. Also of interest to those not familiar with traffic procedures at Swartz bay, the solid lines of cars on the right hand of the screen are waiting without reservations for Tsawwassen. Those on the left hand of the screen either have reservations for Tsawwassen or are going to a smaller island such as Saltspring.