There was no repeat Monday of the cancelled ferry sailings and delays seen Saturday and Sunday on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route.
Mechanical problems in the engines of B.C. Ferries’ Coastal Celebration caused multiple sailing delays and cancellations over the weekend.
The B.C. Ferries vessel on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen ferry route was pulled out of service on Sunday morning due to an engine water leak. The vessel’s 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. sailings were cancelled.
Spokesperson Reet Sidhu said a water leak in an engine led to “an unexpected mechanical issue” that crews were able to diagnose and repair in time for the vessel’s 2 p.m. sailing.
Sidhu said the issue was unrelated to another mechanical problem on a separate engine on the Coastal Celebration that caused a sailing delay of almost one hour on Saturday.
Last year, the Coastal Celebration, which was built in 2008, faced problems with its propulsion system and had its propeller blade seals replaced at a dry dock in North Vancouver.
About 90,000 vehicles and 270,000 passengers are expected to travel on B.C. Ferries over the Labour Day long weekend, which is historically less busy than the B.C. Day long weekend, but tops the Canada Day long weekend.
Thursday, Friday and Monday are expected to be the peak travel days, said Ceilidh Marlow, senior communications adviser at B.C. Ferries.
“It’s certainly going to be busy,” she said. “We’re doing as much as we can to prep for it, as we have for every long weekend this summer.”
Marlow said reservations for some sailings are already selling out, but said some spots are available in the early mornings and late evenings.
“As reservations are selling out quickly, last-minute travel without one is becoming increasingly difficult,” she said. “We encourage travellers to plan ahead, consider off-peak times, or opt to walk on as foot passengers when vehicle reservations are not available.”
Reservations can be made at bcferries.com/book-sailings.
