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Traffic to Vancouver Island to be heavy for BC Summer Games, BC Ferries warns travellers

Advises travellers to plan ahead
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More than 3,000 athletes and other visitors are expected to visit the Cowichan Valley during the BC Summer Games, July 19-22. (File photo)

More than half of the approximately 3,000 people that are coming to the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island to attend the BC Summer Games on July 19-22 are expected to travel by ferry.

BC Ferries is advising its customers that the ferry terminals at Duke Point and Departure Bay in Nanaimo and Swartz Bay in Victoria will be very busy the afternoon of July 22 as the athletes and other visitors return home.

The busiest runs are expected to be the 4:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. sailings from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, the 5:45 p.m. sailing from Duke Point to Tsawwassen, and the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. sailings from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen.

Customers travelling the afternoon of July 22 with a specific sailing time in mind may wish to make a reservation.

Customers travelling without reservations on July 22 should consider travelling before 4:45 p.m. or after 7 p.m.

Foot passengers may want to think about alternate sailing times and/or arrive early as these sailings are expected to reach passenger capacity.

“We are proud to be a corporate sponsor of the BC Summer Games and look forward to welcoming all the athletes, coaches and supporters from around the province to the Cowichan Valley for the weekend,” said Janet Carson, BC Ferries’ vice-president of marketing.

“We wish all the participants success in their individual events and hope they have a memorable experience at the BC Summer Games.”