The upcoming impacts to BC Ferries sailings in and out of Snug Cove were announced this week.
The marine transportation company will be performing work on the Bowen ferry terminal starting in the new year. While a full terminal replacement is planned for 2030, to make it until then various parts of the structure need upgrading, including the ramp and walls.
Originally slated to begin this month, BC Ferries pushed the $3.7 million project into the new year to avoid sailing disruptions during the holiday season. The overnight work is now scheduled to begin on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024 and last approximately three-months through the end of March.
While most sailings will continue to run during the project, BC Ferries advised that two per day would have to be cut – either the first and last sailings of the day or the final two sailings of the night – and some weekends would see all sailings cut for either one or both days. Resident feedback was conducted during the fall, and in the end it’s a mix of both which were chosen for cancellation.
Starting Jan. 8, the last boat to leave Horseshoe Bay for Bowen Island from Tuesday through Thursday, and Sunday, will be at 8:20 pm, with the second-last boat at 6:50 pm. The usual 9:30 and 10:30 pm sailings will no longer be running. The last boat headed for the mainland will leave the island at 8:55 pm. The first boat to leave Bowen at 5:20 am will remain in service.
On Friday and Saturday, the 9:30 pm sailing will leave Horseshoe Bay, and there will be no 5:20 am off Bowen, the first sailing from the island will be 6:20 am. The last boat leaving Bowen will be at 10 pm.
The Monday schedule remains fully unchanged, which means the 9:30 and 10:30 pm sailings will leave Horseshoe Bay at night and the 5:20 am will leave Bowen in the morning. The last sailing from Bowen is at 11 pm.
Each month will have at least one weekend day of full berth closures, with February having two. Those dates are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 20, Saturday, Feb. 3 and Sunday, Feb. 4, and Saturday, March 9.
BC Ferries says Bowen residents will receive discounted parking in Horseshoe Bay on days with two cancellations, and free parking on weekends with full cancellations. The company added passenger-only water taxi service and shuttle bus service on Bowen will be utilized during the cancelled sailings, both daily and during full closure weekends.
