A strong gust of wind caused a safety gate to blow off its hinges and land on the vehicle deck of the Bowen Queen ferry on Sunday morning, putting the vessel out of commission for a few hours.
BC Ferries spokesperson Darin Guenette said nobody on board the ferry and no vehicles were struck during the incident, which happened around 8:45 a.m. while the ship was travelling from Bowen Island to Horseshoe Bay.
The damage resulted in the cancellation of four sailings Sunday, 9:05 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. from Horseshoe Bay and 9:40 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. from Bowen Island, during which time BC Ferries maintenance staff repaired the safety gate. The barrier, separating ferry from sea, is in place across the ends of the vehicle deck and is always closed when the vessel is moving as a safety measure, said Guenette.
BC Ferries resumed sailings to Snug Cove at noon, with the Bowen Queen leaving at capacity, 20 minutes late and eight vehicles behind. Having more horsepower than the Queen of Capilano means the Bowen Queen has better manoeuvrability in higher sea conditions.
“Also, the Bowen Queen has a slimmer hull, which allows it to cut through the water easier (and) with more comfort,” said Guenette. “It does not necessarily mean that the Bowen Queen is able to handle rough weather better than the Queen of Capilano, but it does have some advantages in those conditions.”
The Queen of Capilano is currently undergoing a scheduled maintenance refit and is due to return to the route on Feb. 5.
