BC Ferries cancels multiple sailings between Victoria, Southern Gulf Islands

BC Ferries says a number of sailings have been cancelled Sunday between Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands due to staffing challenges.

It says a “specific number of crew members” is required to be on board to make sure passengers are safe “in the unlikely event of an emergency.”

“The decision to cancel a sailing in these circumstances is made when we have exhausted all options to find replacement crew. That said, if circumstances change and replacement crew become available, we will notify customers immediately.”

This isn’t the first time the ferry service has seen challenges, as there were multiple reservation service outages leading up to the long weekend, sold-out reservations, long wait times, and cut sailings. 

As of Sunday afternoon, it says the following sailings of the Salish Raven have been cancelled:

• 5:10 p.m. departing Swartz Bay (Victoria)
• 6:05 p.m. departing Otter Bay (Pender Island)
• 7:05 p.m. departing Swarz Bay (Victoria)
• 8:00 p.m. departing Otter Bay (Pender Island)
• 8:45 p.m. departing Village Bay (Mayne Island)
• 9:20 p.m. departing Otter Bay (Pender Island)

A number of sailings will also be impacted and are slated to run on revised schedules, the ferry service says.

The Salish Eagle’s revised schedule is as follows:

• Tsawwassen (Vancouver) departing at 7:15 p.m., arriving at Otter Bay (Pender Island) at 8:40 p.m.
• Otter Bay (Pender Island) departing at 8:50 p.m., arriving at Village Bay (Mayne Island) at 9:15 p.m.
• Village Bay (Mayne Island) departing at 9:25 p.m., arriving at Tsawwassen (Vancouver) at 9:50 p.m.
• Tsawwassen (Vancouver) departing at 10:00 p.m., arriving at Long Harbour (Salt Spring Island) at 11:25 p.m.

The Queen of Cumberland’s revised schedule is as follows:

• Swartz Bay (Victoria) departing at 6:15 p.m., arriving at Otter Bay (Pender Island) at 6:55 p.m.
• Otter Bay (Pender Island) departing at 7:05 p.m., arriving at Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island) at 7:45 p.m.
• Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island) departing at 7:55 p.m., arriving at Village Bay (Mayne Island) at 8:35 p.m.
• Village Bay (Mayne Island) departing at 8:45 p.m., arriving at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island) at 9:05 p.m.
• Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island) departing at 9:15 p.m., arriving at Otter Bay (Pender Island) at 10:00 p.m.
• Otter Bay (Pender Island) departing at 10:10 p.m., Swartz Bay (Victoria) at 10:50 p.m.

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