If you are planning to catch a sailing today, give yourself plenty of time and keep up with current conditions

Because of choppy water, several sailings were cancelled between Tsawassen and Swartz Bay on Saturday

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Strong winds are causing problems for BC Ferries sailings, leading to cancellations and delays.

And it’s not expected to let up by Sunday; there are three cancellations each way between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.

BC Ferries is assessing the damage done to one of its vessels during the storm on Saturday, the Spirit of British Columbia, and it’s not clear when it will be back in service.

The Victoria-Vancouver route ran on a modified schedule starting Saturday afternoon after the winds subsided. The route was down to only one vessel instead of four at one point, but three boats were later up and running.

Conditions were so bad Saturday that the Queen of New Westminster, which was set to sail at 8 a.m., was held in sheltered waters for a number of hours before returning to dock just before noon.

#BCFHeadsUp It’s difficult to predict when sailings will resume & non-reserved customers will be able to travel as weather & vessel issues are putting considerable pressure on the system today. Continue to check the Travel Advisory here: https://t.co/aY4Rzzo9K4 ^rz — BC Ferries (@BCFerries) April 27, 2019

Astrid Braunschmidt with BC Ferries said Saturday morning the choppy water and wind led to cancellations.

“The winds increasing to a point where it wouldn’t be safe to sail the ship – we did have to cancel some of those sailings,” she said.

Braunschmidt said while delays may be inconvenient, safety is the top priority.

“We can only sail in certain conditions and with those winds being higher than some of those thresholds, we’ve had to cancel sailings.”

If you’re planning to take a ferry over the weekend, you’re reminded to give yourself plenty of time and keep up with current conditions.

“Definitely keep an eye on the website if you’re making travel plans today. Have a look at the current conditions, and any travel advisories that are posted,” Braunschmidt said.

Tune in to NEWS 1130 for the latest.