High winds and large waves have forced B.C. Ferries to cancel at least six Queen of Capilano sailings.
The 2:55 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 4:35 p.m., 5:10 p.m. and 5:45 sailings were all cancelled, with the potential for more cancellations into the evening.
"The safety of our passengers and crew is of primary importance to us. We don’t take the decision to cancel sailings lightly, as we know customers rely on us to get to their destinations. We will resume service as soon as it is safe to do so," reads a press release on the B.C. Ferries website.
Videos of the 2:20 p.m. Capilano sailing from Horseshoe Bay show waves crashing over the front gate and flooding the deck of the ferry as it approached Snug Cove. One video appears to show the front gate washing open.
The ferry waited in the ferry dock for more than an hour after that sailing before leaving the island empty.
Environment Canada has a gale wind warning in effect for Howe Sound. As of 4 p.m. the wind from the south east was blowing at 37 knots an hour with gusts up to 45. The wind is expected to die down some this evening.
Earlier today, Bowen Island Municipality reported that a tree had fallen on power lines and taken out a power pole along Cowan Point Road, closing the road between Blue Sky Circle and Seymour Bay Drive.
B.C. Hydro outages map shows power outages in the Bowen Bay area, Cowan's Point and a third just off Grafton Road. Crews are on-island.
Julie Vik posted this video of the waves out at Cape Roger Curtis at around 3 p.m.
