Lengthy waits and ferry delays are to be expected on the May long weekend.

But BC Ferries had a pretty good excuse when one of its vessels stopped Saturday morning near its terminal in Nanaimo, B.C.

The Queen of Oak Bay paused outside of Departure Bay to let a black bear swim past, the ferry operator said on Twitter.

A photo shared online showed a police vessel nearby.

I ❤️BC!!! All <a href="https://twitter.com/BCFerries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bcferries</a> traffic stopped outside Nanaimo this morning for a black bear swimming across the channel, w police escort. <br>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/saturdayvibes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#saturdayvibes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcferries?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcferries</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/departurebay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#departurebay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/beautifulbc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#beautifulbc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sharethecoast?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sharethecoast</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/movingspiritpilates?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#movingspiritpilates</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/northshoreliving?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#northshoreliving</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/northvancouverpilates?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#northvancouverpilates</a> <a href="https://t.co/OxUC0zN4BB">pic.twitter.com/OxUC0zN4BB</a> —@TheMovingSpirit

BC Ferries seemed keen to, ahem, bear the extremely B.C. news.

We're bear-ly through the weekend and it's already paws up. ^oj <a href="https://t.co/2A2KjaTdeA">pic.twitter.com/2A2KjaTdeA</a> —@BCFerries

Shortly after it tweeted the update, the bear puns ensued.

This is so pure that it's almost un-bear-able. —@k8_irl Both the bear and BC Ferries had their right bearings😁 —@BruceDevitt I can ‘bear’ the next rate hike knowing you did this. —@sewsweetpink

We can only paws-tulate that the humour is bear-ied in there somewhere.

BC Ferries has 15 extra sailings on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay route over the long weekend.