BC Ferries passengers will be stranded for at least another day on the Vancouver Island following the major windstorms over the weekend.
Donald Smith, a Port Hardy resident, said he has spoken to people who have spent the past three nights in motels waiting to make the trip back to Prince Rupert.
“People are fine, they’re ok, but they want to go home Christmas,” he said.
The latest update on the BC Ferries website says the Northern Expedition will depart on Dec. 18 at 6:00 a.m., making its scheduled stops in Bella Bella and Klemtu before arriving in Prince Rupert at 6:00 a.m. on Dec. 19.
Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries’ executive director for public affairs, said BC Ferries will have a revised schedule for service to Haida Gwaii available by this afternoon.
READ MORE: Mechanical issue delays BC Ferries sailing to Prince Rupert
“It’s unfortunate with the weather at this time of the year because we know so many people are doing Christmas shopping and then getting organized for the holidays,” Marshall said. “So we’re trying to get this service going as quickly as we can.”
The Northern Expedition was originally scheduled to depart from Port Hardy at 6:00 p.m. on Dec. 15, but hurricane force winds and large waves delayed the ferry’s departure.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is of primary importance to us,” said the BC Ferries notice. “We don’t take the decisions to delay sailing lightly, as we know customers rely on us to get to our destinations.”
READ MORE BC Ferries stories here
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