Two more overnight sailings were canceled shortly after 3 p.m.
BC Ferries canceled six Saturday flights between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay due to high winds in the Strait of Georgia.
Affected flights include 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. departures from Swartz Bay and 8 a.m. and noon departures from Tsawwassen.
Shortly after 3 p.m., the last two Spirit of British Columbia flights, the Tsawwassen departure at 7 p.m. and the Swartz Bay departure at 9 p.m., were canceled.
The 8:45pm departure from Departure Bay and 10:10pm departure from Horseshoe Bay were also canceled due to wind.
BC Ferries said it will work to redirect customers with reservations to other routes and will refund fees and fares if reservations are cancelled.
The cancellation was announced after Environment Canada issued multiple high wind warnings for Vancouver Island as a Pacific front crosses British Columbia’s southern coast.
The National Weather Service warned of southeasterly gusts of 80 km/h in the Strait of Georgia south of Nanaimo, with gusts of up to 90 km/h expected Saturday evening as the second wave of the Pacific front hits. .
Strong southeasterly winds are expected across much of eastern Vancouver Island, from Parksville to Victoria, until at least Sunday morning.
Southeasterly winds of 70 km/h are expected to start Saturday in the Tokyo metropolitan area and the southern Gulf Islands, reaching maximum gusts of 100 km/h and continuing into the night.
A severe storm warning has been issued and Environment Canada advises that visibility could be reduced to 1.6 kilometers during periods of heavy rain.
The report said that high tide on Sunday morning could cause minor flooding in coastal areas, with the potential for injuries and damage from wind-blown objects.
BC Ferries sailing and departure information can be found at bcferries.com.
mjlo@timescolonist.com
