Mechanical problems with a ferry on the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route Wednesday morning caused some major delays for travellers, but Public Affairs Manager Darin Guenette says crews are catching up after rushing to put another ferry into service.
The Spirit of British Columbia ferry had a fuel pump problem which forced cancellation of the 7am sailing from Tsawwassen, and the 9 am sailing from Swartz Bay.
Guenette says to deal with the traffic back up a ferry that wasn't scheduled to sail today was activated out of Swartz Bay:
" What we were able to do was activate the Coastal Renaissance, which wasn't expected to sail today, so we got together a crew. It sailed an extra round trip starting around 10:30 from Victoria and it went on that route. So it picked up traffic on both sides , did a round trip, and then shortly after the Spirit ended up starting anyways."
While the Spirit of British Columbia is back in service, it's running almost an hour behind schedule and it will be hard to make that up.
The issue is impacting the 5 and 9 pm sailings out of Swartz Bay, as well as the 3 and 7 pm from Tsawwassen.
Guenette apologizes for the inconvenience caused for travellers, adding the ferry corporation never cancels sailings without good reason.