The following letter was sent to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and copied to Coast Reporter.
Dear Minister Stone:
I, with some out-of-town guests, arrived at the Horseshoe Bay terminal at 6:45 on the evening of June 7. We were told the 7:50 p.m. to Langdale was full, and we would be on the 9:45. Fine so far. We thought we could pay, park in the lot, and get something to eat. Didn't happen. We could barely see the toll booth from the waiting line we were put in, outside the terminal.
Nearly the whole ferry load waited in the outside lanes until 9:15, with no access to shade, access to water, access to toilets. No way of leaving our vehicles. For three hours, and no explanations. People were thirsty, hungry, tired and needed port-a-potties badly. Many children and parents were distraught.
At about 8:30 p.m. there was one nearly inaudible message on the PA stating that the ferry was running late, and would be in at about 10:15. As locals trying to get home, we have accepted a whole winter of deck resurfacing, ramp updates, one lane loadings, one deck loadings, and very late ferries, but what could we possibly say to out-of-province vehicles in the lines who had no idea what was going on?!
We finally and very slowly cleared the toll both at 9:20. The ferry eventually arrived at 10:18. We drove on at 10:45, and arrived home in Gibsons at 11:49 p.m.
During that entire trip home, no one from the bridge or from the chief stewards' office made an attempt to offer an explanation or an apology for anything that had occurred. We tolerate a lot on these runs, but this was inexcusable even by BC Ferries standards. The utter contempt and disregard was stunning.
Chris Wilkinson, Gibsons
