Coho ferry restarting service between Victoria, Port Angeles

Victoria -

The Coho ferry is set to return to Victoria for international sailings starting Monday, Nov. 8.

The ferry service says that two sailings will depart from Victoria to Port Angeles, Wash., daily.

Sailings will depart from Victoria at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily, while sailings will depart from Port Angeles at 8:20 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.

"Thank you for all your support over the past year and a half while we've been closed," said the ferry service in an update on its website Wednesday.

"We have missed our COHO friends and family, and can't wait to get back to service," reads the update. "We look forward to seeing you soon!"

Reservations for the ferry open on Oct. 25, according to the Black Ball Ferry Line, which operates the Coho.

Last week, when the U.S. announced that it was reopening its land and sea borders to vaccinated Canadians starting Nov. 8, Black Ball said it was unsure if it would restart service soon.

Anyone looking to enter Canada, whether it is a Canadian returning to the country or an American looking to visit, needs to show proof of a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of entry.

The test, which costs upwards of $120, is discouraging some travellers, according to Victoria resident who spoke with CTV News Vancouver Island last week.

Meanwhile, the Clipper ferry, which briefly restarted service in September before announcing it was suspending sailings just one month later, cited the mandatory PCR test as one reason why it was experiencing low ridership levels, along with a surge in COVID-19 cases on both sides of the border, and the fact that the U.S. marine border was still shut to Canadians at the time.