Editor:
BC Ferries is the main connection to Vancouver, in fact the only way residents on the Coast can access the city. The BC Ferries Team are courteous, helpful and kind to all travellers, a credit to your training program and accountability.
As ‘Coasters’ we accept the recurring ferry delays, missed sailings due to volume of travellers and a variety of areas where we as residents are requested to be tolerant.
However, July 14 sailing at 9:25 p.m. between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale was intolerable. I understand the close off is 10 minutes before departure. We arrived 14 minutes before departure. However, if the person in front of me takes two to three minutes to complete their transaction, we were the one car remaining for the 9:25 p.m. sailing, with nine minutes remaining, 17 per cent deck space available, are told to wait until the 11:30 p.m. sailing, it creates hardship for all. The transaction for a loaded experience card takes less than a minute. The “tower person” decided the one car remaining (us) would need to wait two hours. The return sailing from Langdale at 10:30 p.m. had 70 per cent deck space available. Clearly, the unload from Horseshoe Bay and load at Langdale would not cause delays on either side.
As we willingly tolerate delays, medical emergencies, extra loading time, cancelled ferries, on a daily or weekly basis, it seems inappropriate for a “tower person” to cause this kind of hardship to locals and vacationers. This behaviour leaves a bitter taste for all. We are both seniors. Unloading the car at 12:45 a.m. downstairs in the dark left us both questioning the validity of the decision of one person in the tower. Perhaps they need more training on the realities of ferry travel? Or is this simply a power trip by a person with authority?
Carol McDermott, Gibsons
