Sailings waits are to be expected amid a busy Thanksgiving long weekend, which will see nearly 400,000 people on board BC Ferries vessels. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

thanksgiving long weekend

Expect delays: long weekend ferries out of Nanaimo filling fast

Oct 6, 2023 | 2:27 PM

NANAIMO — Over 380,000 passengers and 175,000 vehicles are expected to make the Thanksgiving long weekend a busy one on local ferry crossings.

Routes between Nanaimo and Vancouver were experiencing heavy traffic and delays on Friday, Oct. 6 with the Queen of Coquitlam sailing approximately 40 minutes behind schedule due to an “earlier loading procedure” which caused a delay, according to the company.

Space on board remained for vehicles and passengers for sailings Friday afternoon and evening sailing from Nanaimo to the Lower Mainland, with a bulk of the traffic destined to the Island at the start of the long weekend.

“Historically, the most popular times to travel from the Lower Mainland to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast are Thursday and Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning,” an advisory from BC Ferries read. “Monday and Tuesday morning are typically the most popular times for travel back.”

Sailings out of Departure Bay have been especially popular with both the 1:25 p.m. and 3:55 p.m. selling out of vehicle space well in advance of their scheduled departures.

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Roughly one-third of deck space remained open for crossings into the evening and late night.

More options were available between Duke Point and Tsawwassen with between 25 and 40 per cent of space available Friday.

Any sailings waits were being compounded by the Coastal Renaissance being out of service, impacting travellers between Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay

“Customers travelling the Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay – Langdale routes are reminded no additional holiday weekend sailings will be added to the schedule as a result,” BC Ferries added.

Area roads are also expected to be busy, albeit relatively dry.

No rainfall is forecast for the region until Monday, Oct. 9 however driver’s are still encouraged to leave extra time.

Data from ICBC shows on average 530 people are injured and four people are killed in 1,880 crashes throughout the province over the Thanksgiving long weekend.

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