Winds play havoc in Georgia Strait

Derek Spalding / Times Colonist
December 15, 2012

About two dozen surfers hit the waters off Cordova Bay on Saturday. Southeast wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour battered much of eastern Vancouver Island until mid-afternoon Saturday, forcing cancellation of several ferry sailings and floatplane flights.

Strong winds reaching nearly 100 km/h in some areas of the Georgia Strait cancelled several B.C. Ferries sailings and floatplane flights Saturday.

Vessels were held back due to adverse weather on seven different ferry routes, including boats travelling between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Harbour Air cancelled all its flights to and from the Island.

Environment Canada says winds held steady at about 75 km/h throughout parts of the Strait, gusting up to 93 km/h at times.

“I can see that being a bit of an issue for traffic on the water,” said David Wray, meteorologist with Environment Canada.

High southeast winds battered much of eastern Vancouver Island Saturday before letting up around 3 p.m. Environment Canada issued wind warnings for most communities, stretching from Campbell River to Victoria.

The 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. sailings in both directions between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay were cancelled. Similarly, four routes were cancelled between Nanaimo and the Lower Mainland.

The 10:30 a.m. and the 12:30 p.m. sailings in both directions between Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay were held back.

Four runs between Powell River and Texada were cancelled before 10 a.m., and the Queen of Burnaby did not sail at 10:10 a.m. or noon between Comox and Powell River.

Sailings between Hornby Island and Denman Island were also held back early Saturday morning.

B.C. Ferries was also kept busy with a rescue just offshore near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal.

The Coastal Renaissance was held back, waiting out heavy winds around 2:30 p.m. when the crew received a distress call from a sinking sailboat, said spokesperson Deborah Marshall.

Rescue boats from Sea Island (Vancouver Airport) and Point Roberts were sent out, the Canadian Coast Guard said.

Two people were taken to shore, while two others stayed with rescuers in an attempt to save the 37-foot vessel, according to the coast guard.

“We got two of them off, and the other two had elected to stay with the boat,” Marshall said.

No one was injured in the incident that further delayed ferry travellers. The 3 p.m. sailing left about half an hour behind schedule.