B.C. Ferries is adding two night sailings Sunday from Vancouver Island to the mainland in expectation of close to 700 extra vehicles and about 3,600 more passengers seeking to cross the Strait of Georgia.
The Spirit of Vancouver Island will leave Swartz Bay for Tsawwassen at 11 p.m. and the Coastal Renaissance will leave Departure Bay in Nanaimo at 11:40 p.m.
“These are to make sure we carry all the traffic,” said B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall.
The decision was based on increasing business this summer and an expected surge of mainlanders heading home after their holidays, based on figures from the same weekend in 2016.
Extra sailings were needed a year ago on the so-called “turnaround weekend” in August but they were not announced; publicizing the sailings this year will give customers a chance to plan. There will be no extra sailings to the Island, she said.
Spirit of Vancouver Island accommodates about 360 vehicles and 2,100 passengers and crew, and Coastal Renaissance about 310 vehicles and 1,600 passengers and crew.
The two ferries will "deadhead" back to their home ports, carrying no passengers or vehicles.
