Tuesday’s windstorm affected 10 B.C. Ferries routes as high winds kept much of the fleet — from Haida Gwaii to the Southern Gulf Islands — tied up in dock.
Most sailings on the three major routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland were cancelled, with only a handful of trips taking place in the morning.
Spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said wind strength, direction and speed, and the state of the seas — such as high waves — are considered when deciding whether to sail. These factors can all make it difficult to dock and to leave port.
Winds could push a large vessel into a berth, damaging the ship and the berthing structure, she said. Rough seas could lead to unsafe conditions for passengers.
If a vessel collided with docking infrastructure, that could result in millions of dollars in damages, she said.
B.C. Ferries also takes into account the size and horsepower of the various vessels on specific routes, Marshall said.
For example, the larger Coastal and Spirit class vessels have the most horsepower, and the Coastal Inspiration was able to sail midday because of its additional horsepower and better ability to manoeuvre, she said.
The corporation announced several cancellations Monday night in anticipation of the storm and added more to the list Tuesday morning.
That decision was taken after consulting with a meteorologist, Marshall said.
Environment Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan said the day unfolded much as expected.
He said the conditions were part of a “long-duration” event set to last until late Tuesday evening before tapering off.
Wind at Trial Island was measured at about 85 kilometres an hour during the afternoon, Castellan said, while speeds of 137 km/h were recorded at Haida Gwaii.
The high winds led to power outages up and down Vancouver Island and on the Gulf Islands. As of 5:45 p.m., more than 19,000 B.C. Hydro customers in the region were without power.
Here's a look at some of the #BCStorm damage our crews are facing in the #Comox area. Remember, if you see a fallen power line or damaged pole, it's an emergency. Please dial 911 to report. Find the latest outage updates here: https://t.co/l0LnpO4sQk pic.twitter.com/KzZKlhplMz
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) January 6, 2021
The utility said crews were working to restore power as quickly as possible, but due to ferry cancellations, customers on Cortes and Quadra Island would be without power overnight.
Marshall said no ferry cancellations were expected on Wednesday because the storm is predicted to pass through and the winds will die down.
Castellan said that the coming days should bring some showers, but nothing like the region has seen recently.
“At least or the next four days we’re going to see no big storms and even some sun, so it will be a huge change from the last almost four weeks.”
cjwilson@timescolonist.com
jwbell@timescolonist.com
