Mechanical issues result in BC Ferries cancellations

Graham Cox

Anyone planning on sailing between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen in the next two days is being advised that BC Ferries has cancelled multiple sailings due to mechanical issues.

The Spirit of Vancouver Island, a mainstay on the route between the Island and the Mainland, is experiencing a mechanical difficulty with the starboard gearbox.

The mechanical issue has put the boat out of service for both November 10 and 11, resulting in the following cancellations:

Cancelled Wednesday, November 10, 2021:

12:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
2:00 pm departing Tsawwassen
4:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
6:00 pm departing Tsawwassen

Cancelled Thursday, November 11, 2021:

8:00 am departing Swartz Bay
10:00 am departing Tsawwassen
12:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
2:00 pm departing Tsawwassen

BC Ferries says that the Coastal Celebration has been repositioned to assist with service recovery and will be adding an 11 p.m. sailing departing from Swartz Bay both days and a 1 a.m. sailing departing from Tsawwassen on November 11 and November 12.

All other sailings will depart as scheduled, says the ferry company.

That’s due to the Spirit of Vancouver Island in drydock for mechanical repairs, keeping it out of service for the rest of the week, according to Deborah Marshall, executive director of public affairs, BC Ferries.

“We do expect that ship to be back toward the later part of the weekend. but unfortunately we are having to cancel the extra service we had scheduled for today and tomorrow on the Tsawwassen-Swartz bay route,” said BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall.

BC Ferries says that customers with bookings on affected sailings from the mechanical issue will be notified and that “every effort will be made to accommodate bookings on the next available sailing.” Any bookings that can’t be accommodated will be cancelled and fully refunded, according to BC Ferries.

Dallas Lozoway told CHEK News and his family had a reservation for Thursday morning.

“Yesterday morning my wife received an email, along with an automated recording on her cell phone, that had said that the 8 a.m. sailing had been canceled and we would be receiving a refund.”

Lozoway said they scrambled to make alternate plans.

“So we’ve had we’ve had the book 7:45 out of Duke Point into Tsawwassen. I’ve got three young kids 11, six, and two-and-a half. We can’t leave them at home. That was the next closest option available ”

Marshall said all reservations out of Swartz Bay are booked solid through the weekend.

“We won’t be able to accommodate all of the customers, and re-book their reservations because the reservations space that is already has already been taken up on the sailings that have been taken up by the sailings that will be running, those odd hour sailings.”

More information on the current conditions can be found online at BC Ferries’ website.

Graham CoxGraham Cox
Mary GriffinMary Griffin

Recent Stories

Send us your news tips and videos!