BC Ferries says that water taxis will shuttle passengers between Campbell River and Quadra Island while it fixes a ramp at Quathiaski Cove.
The Powell River Queen, the ferry that normally services the route, is expected to remain docked in Campbell River until 8:30 p.m., according to Deborah Marshall, executive director of public affairs for BC Ferries.
Foot passengers can travel between Campbell River and Quadra Island on two water taxis, which have capacities of eight and 12 people respectively, according to a notice on the BC Ferries website.
Vehicles will have to stay behind until the mechanical problem is sorted out. Marshall said that a part needed for the repair is currently being transported by road from Nanaimo “as quickly as legally possible,” and it’s expected to arrive by 5:30 or 6 p.m.
“What we will do is install that new part and then do some testing on the dock before we can put that back in service,” she said.
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Customers taking the water taxis will be charged the foot passenger fee, Marshall said. The service will continue until 10 p.m. if needed, but the ferry company is aiming to get the Powell River Queen moving again before then. At that point, the ferry will shuttle until traffic is cleared, Marshall said.
The vessel serving the Quadra-Cortes route will also be on stand-by to make sure everyone gets home, she said.
The hang-up is due to a mechanical problem involving a cylinder for the ramp at Quathiaski Cove, Marshall said.
“We certainly apologize to our customers,” she said. “We know it’s an inconvenience when we have a service disruption but we do have a team that’s working very hard to get that dock back in service as soon as possible.”
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