Article content

B.C. Ferries is in turmoil on its Southern Gulf Island routes. And travellers are paying the price in extra costs and hassles. The situation could grow more tense as this August long weekend approaches.

The latest: B.C. Ferries is telling would-be customers that certain ferry runs between the Gulf Islands and Vancouver can’t be reserved for cars, since, ostensibly, they’re full.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or B.C. Ferries turmoil: When 'full' actually means half empty Back to video

But some of those same ferry runs are cruising almost half empty, as we discovered Sunday night.

Is “chaos” too strong a word for this situation, in the peak of summer travel, from a semi-privatized corporation, which has been getting hammered for its suspect service?

Background:

The aging Queen of Nanaimo, which serves the Tsawwassen to Gulf Islands run, yet again went into the repair shop late last week.

And it hasn’t returned yet. Maybe Wednesday. Maybe. It’s being replaced by the much smaller Bowen Queen.

I won’t bore readers with all the details of the fallout, but when I talked to B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall, she apologized Monday for what happened Sunday (which travellers tell me is happening at other times as well).