Editor:
As summer 2017 approached, with large numbers of tourists, summer staff travelling to the Sunshine Coast and snowbirds returning here, I was fully expecting the BC Ferries schedule would also have more frequent and regular services between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay Ferry terminals. How naive I was!
There is still only a 6:20 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. ferry, no 7:30 a.m. ferry, so if people have to get to work, attend an appointment or event in Vancouver for 9 a.m. or even 10 a.m. (as you can’t count on the 8:30 a.m. ferry being on time), there is no other choice except to get up at 5 a.m. and travel to the ferry, arriving at least 30 minutes early so you have a chance to get on the 6:20 a.m. sailing, which is generally at capacity. You will arrive at Horseshoe Bay, 7:15 a.m. if the ferry is on time, two hours before most services and stores are open.
And to add to the confusion of BC Ferries’ schedule, there are no standard seven-day-a-week daily scheduled sailing times one can count on. Scheduled times show “Daily except Tues./Wed., Tues./Wed. only, Saturdays except ...”
BC Ferries, life does not work like this. Many people rely on ferry service to go to work or to school at the same time every day, have medical appointments, have visitors, need to coordinate airline travel with ferry schedules. One should not have to resort to staying in a hotel or taking a float plane because we can’t afford to take a chance of the ferry sailing being late or cancelled. Forget the on time scheduling silly ideas that BC Ferries administration is coming up with. Get back to hourly scheduling and sailings, which are responsive and benefit users for a change.
Cathy Kiss, Sechelt
