BC Ferries is warning travellers to expect another busy day on the waters, with high traffic volumes anticipated to close out Easter Weekend.
The Crown corporation has issued a travel advisory Monday, in the wake of chaotic traffic conditions at some terminals on Good Friday.
“We encourage customers to allow extra time for travel to help navigate the heavy traffic safely and recommend that customers with flexibility in their schedules, travel at off-peak times to avoid the rush,” notes the advisory.
BC Ferries spokesperson Astrid Braunshmidt said the company had extra boots on the ground Monday to help deal with the crowds.
“In addition to have extra sailings planned for this weekend we do have extra staff on, right across our operation. We also have additional traffic control measures in place at all the major terminals,” she said.
By noon on Monday, some routes were already seeing high volumes, with the Nanaimo/Duke Point–Tsawwassen ferry booked solid through 5:45 p.m.
WATCH: Good Friday travel chaos at Tsawwassen BC Ferry terminal
Other major routes, such as Swartz Bay–Tsawwassen and Nanaimo/Departure Bay–Horseshoe Bay, showed one- and two-sailing waits at midday.
You can check current conditions on the BC Ferries website.
BC Ferries added 89 additional sailings over the course of the long weekend and returned the Spirit of Vancouver Island to service after its mid-life upgrade.
However, some passengers complained about missing reservations and what they described as a lack of organization on the ferry company’s part when traffic snarled outside the Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay terminals on Friday.