A mechanical issue forced BC Ferries to cancel two sailings between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland Friday morning, a week before a planned service disruption on the Bowen Island route. The company said the 6:15 a.m. departure from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo’s Departure Bay was cancelled, as was a return trip scheduled for 8:40 a.m. Additional sailings leaving Horseshoe Bay at 11:05 a.m. and Departure Bay at 1:20 p.m. were “at risk” as well, BC Ferries warned in a service notice. “We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of these cancellations,” the notice reads. Cancellations are also coming Oct. 3 to and from Bowen Island. BC Ferries announced those schedule changes Thursday night, blaming them on “essential maintenance work” required on the vessel servicing the Horseshoe Bay-Snug Cover route. The affected sailings are the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. departures from Horseshoe Bay and the 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. departures from Snug Cove. A 12-passenger water taxi will be available for foot passengers during the cancelled sailings, the company said. “Customers will load the vessel from the public docks adjacent to the Horseshoe Bay and Snug Cove terminals. Water taxi tickets can be purchased at the Horseshoe Bay terminal ticket booth,” the service notice reads. “We appreciate your patience and understanding.” BC Ferries said two additional sailings are also being offered that evening—at 8:25 p.m. in Snug Cove and 8:55 p.m. in Horseshoe Bay—but warned the 5:45 a.m. departure from Horseshoe Bay and the 6:15 a.m. departure from Snug Cove on Oct. 4 could be cancelled as well. The maintenance work that prompted the changes involves a “necessary Right Angle Drive exchange,” according to Thursday’s notice.
