3-sailing waits for some BC Ferries routes as Easter travellers head home

Travellers heading between Vancouver Island andthe mainland with BC Ferriesshould prepare for chock-full terminals andpotentiallylong waits Monday, with at least one routeseeing a three-sailing wait by midday.

As of 12:30 p.m. PT, the next available sailing for anyone travelling from Duke Point in Nanaimo to Tsawwassen is at 8:15 p.m. Sailings at 12:45 p.m., 3:15 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. are already full, according to the BC Ferrieswebsite.

Afternoon sailings from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassenwere already about three quarters full by noon, which could leave late passengers waiting until 4 or 5 p.m. for a boat.

The Easter long weekend is a notoriously busy time for BC Ferries. On Friday, passengers trying to leave from Horseshoe Bay on Friday showed up to find a long line of vehicles winding back onto Highway 1 and a crush of foot passengers milling around the parking lot, with some corporation staff reportedly in tears trying to direct crowds.

Many travellers ended up sitting througha two- to three-sailing wait Friday, with some waitingfour sailings between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.