When Ferries are Cancelled

Jerry and Dede McCormick are glad to be home after being temporarily stranded without a car in Sidney after cancellation of the international ferry run recently.- Louise Dustrude photo

Remember a couple weeks ago when Washington State Ferries cancelled the Sidney BC run so they could move the Chelan to the Kingston/Edmonds run for a couple days? Louise Dustrude shares this story of how some people were affected by that…

How many people do you suppose were inconvenienced — or worse — when the international ferry was canceled for two days?

Dede and Jerry McCormick of Friday Harbor and her sister and husband, Tanya and Bob Hart of Reno, had walked on the ferry for a short two-day trip to Vancouver Island, and they were as surprised as anyone when they showed up for the 5:55 pm ferry home from Sidney and learned it was out for at least two days and maybe longer.

To complicate matters, all the hotels and B&Bs were full because of B.C. Days, and prices quoted for the short trip to San Juan Island included $1000 for a water taxi or $500 for a charter flight — which wouldn’t be available until three days later!

Fortunately, they found a good Samaritan through their B&B who would transport them to Roche Harbor in his 21-foot fishing boat for $300. And even more fortunately, Haro Strait was calm enough to make the trip.

Dede estimates there were 30 to 40 other walk-ons, including families with children, who got off in Sidney when they did, and she wonders how they fared.

Jerry acknowledged cheerfully, “We bought round-trip tickets with our credit card, but they told us they would take off the charge for the return trip — $6.00 each!”

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