It was a completely understandable result of sitting in long lineups for several hours in the heat. Hundreds of travellers trying to get to Powell River from Earls Cove last week on two tiny ferries were steaming mad.
A head-shaking video surfaced of massive lineups at Earls Cove on Saturday, July 23, during a weekend when ferries were shuffled around while Queen of Burnaby was repaired. The footage showed cars backed up for kilometres as some travellers saw their five-hour trip stretched up to as many as 14 hours.
Everyone who lives in Powell River is painfully aware of the dependency we have on BC Ferries and how delays and disruptions not only affect our travel plans but also our connection to outside services such as specialist doctor appointments and out-of-town supplies.
The real question is what long-lasting effect such a difficult week with ferry service will have on Powell River tourism? Despite several letters to the editor predicting disastrous results to tourist retention, it is one story we heard from optimistic travellers that sticks out.
A family of four from the Netherlands was some of the many travellers caught in the long lineups last week. Despite being stuck for six hours, they decided to walk up and down the line of vehicles to chat with other tourists and people from the area.
According to the family, they very much enjoyed learning about the destination they were waiting so patiently to travel to. They described the experience of finally getting on the ferry as a triumphant moment and enjoyed Powell River immensely once they arrived here.
Have recent ferry problems been detrimental to Powell River? Undoubtedly. Do we need to fix a broken transportation system for one of the most beautiful destination spots in BC, Canada and potentially the world? Definitely.
But BC Ferries cannot ruin Powell River. It cannot stop people from wanting to come here and experience all we have to offer. No matter how mad some recent travellers were, to not return to this area again would be a huge mistake.
Last week was all about dramatics, sounding off and giving BC Ferries a piece of our minds. We must continue to fight against a broken ferry system, but, in the meantime, we are here in the middle of paradise. That will be the lasting impression most travellers have.
When a flight gets postponed or cancelled, the vast majority of people still remember the amazing trip they went on.
Jason Schreurs, publisher/editor
