April 3, 2010 2:00 PM
Victoria, B.C. - About 25,000 homes remain without power on Vancouver Island as the worst of yesterday’s windstorm is over. Environment Canada has called off the high wind weather warning for the Island and most ferry routes are back on track for the busy holiday weekend.
As of midday, only the Vancouver-Tsawwassen to Nanaimo-Duke Point was running about a half an hour behind.
B.C. Ferries laid on extra sailings Saturday to clear up any backlog of passengers delayed by the recent windstorm. The company put on four extra sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay in anticipation of extra passengers who likely stayed home Friday because of the windstorm. These four extras were in addition to the 26 extras scheduled in advance for the Easter long weekend.
An unusually strong spring storm shut down ferries, destroyed a Mill Bay marina, grounded boats, left almost 100,000 homes on Vancouver Island without power and gave foliage a surprise pruning with 90-kilometre winds Friday.
Thousands of Good Friday travellers were left scrambling when B.C. Ferries cancelled service between Departure Bay in Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. The weather was too severe for even the big ships to keep sailing.
“It’s probably the worst storm we’ve had this year so far in terms of wind conditions,” said Mark Stefanson, vice-president of public affairs for the ferries.
Environment Canada had an extreme wind warning in effect for Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Lower Mainland all day Friday.
The wind and rain were so powerful on the route between Nanaimo and the mainland that the Queen of Coquitlam’s bow doors were damaged and it had to be sent for repairs. Several smaller runs were also cancelled, and many others were delayed.
Numerous boats were grounded or sank.
A 25-foot motorboat sank in the Gorge waterway near Bamfield Park. The Coast Guard confirmed no one was aboard, saying it had no choice but to let the vessel sink. A 20-foot boat also sank in Tsehum Harbour in North Saanich.
The powerful winds resulted in an “unprecedented day” for the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, as rescuers responded to reports of boats sinking, vessels smashing up against rocks and sailors going adrift.
By 5:30 p.m., the centre had dispatched Coast Guard and auxiliary teams to 37 calls, said air co-ordinator Capt. Greg Clarke.
The most common call was from people whose unattended boats broke from their anchors and smashed onto the rocks, Clarke said, particularly in Ganges Harbour on Saltspring Island, Tsehum Harbour and in Mill Bay.
Around 1:35 p.m., rescuers responded to a mayday call in the Georgia Strait near Entrance Island when a sailboat went adrift and sank, tossing six people into the water. All were rescued and taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, suffering from hypothermia, according to the rescue centre. “Some people have gone out sailing despite the weather warnings,” Clarke said — a dangerous move amid the treacherous swells.
Coast Guard officers also had to rescue a man in Mill Bay near Bamberton who feared his liveaboard would break loose from its mooring.
“Our primary mandate today is saving people, not boats or possessions,” Clarke said. “Many people had to leave their boats up on the rocks.”
Trees and branches downed many power lines throughout the Island, with 93,000 people in the dark at the peak.
Hardest hit was the Victoria area, said B.C. Hydro spokesman Ted Olnyk.
Victoria hasn’t seen this much wind damage since the big storm of 2006, said city spokeswoman Katie Josephson in a media release.
About 40 trees came down, with James Bay and Fairfield seeing the most damage. In the 2800-block of Quadra Street, a large birch tree uprooted and crushed a car.
Victoria police officers were busy directing cars around fallen limbs. Const. Kristi Ross said she and her partner helped pick up debris from the road to get traffic moving.
City crews and firefighters were able to clean up most of the mess by the end of the day.
Extra hydro crews from Vancouver were helping to repair the lines, but Olnyk cautioned some power in remote locations may not be restored until Sunday.
As of Friday night, 30,000 to 40,000 people remained without power. Winds are expected to die down overnight.
Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Thousands+still+without+power+Vancouver+Island+worst+windstorm+ends/2756978/story.html
Victoria, B.C. - About 25,000 homes remain without power on Vancouver Island as the worst of yesterday’s windstorm is over. Environment Canada has called off the high wind weather warning for the Island and most ferry routes are back on track for the busy holiday weekend.
As of midday, only the Vancouver-Tsawwassen to Nanaimo-Duke Point was running about a half an hour behind.
B.C. Ferries laid on extra sailings Saturday to clear up any backlog of passengers delayed by the recent windstorm. The company put on four extra sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay in anticipation of extra passengers who likely stayed home Friday because of the windstorm. These four extras were in addition to the 26 extras scheduled in advance for the Easter long weekend.
An unusually strong spring storm shut down ferries, destroyed a Mill Bay marina, grounded boats, left almost 100,000 homes on Vancouver Island without power and gave foliage a surprise pruning with 90-kilometre winds Friday.
Thousands of Good Friday travellers were left scrambling when B.C. Ferries cancelled service between Departure Bay in Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. The weather was too severe for even the big ships to keep sailing.
“It’s probably the worst storm we’ve had this year so far in terms of wind conditions,” said Mark Stefanson, vice-president of public affairs for the ferries.
Environment Canada had an extreme wind warning in effect for Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Lower Mainland all day Friday.
The wind and rain were so powerful on the route between Nanaimo and the mainland that the Queen of Coquitlam’s bow doors were damaged and it had to be sent for repairs. Several smaller runs were also cancelled, and many others were delayed.
Numerous boats were grounded or sank.
A 25-foot motorboat sank in the Gorge waterway near Bamfield Park. The Coast Guard confirmed no one was aboard, saying it had no choice but to let the vessel sink. A 20-foot boat also sank in Tsehum Harbour in North Saanich.
The powerful winds resulted in an “unprecedented day” for the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, as rescuers responded to reports of boats sinking, vessels smashing up against rocks and sailors going adrift.
By 5:30 p.m., the centre had dispatched Coast Guard and auxiliary teams to 37 calls, said air co-ordinator Capt. Greg Clarke.
The most common call was from people whose unattended boats broke from their anchors and smashed onto the rocks, Clarke said, particularly in Ganges Harbour on Saltspring Island, Tsehum Harbour and in Mill Bay.
Around 1:35 p.m., rescuers responded to a mayday call in the Georgia Strait near Entrance Island when a sailboat went adrift and sank, tossing six people into the water. All were rescued and taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, suffering from hypothermia, according to the rescue centre. “Some people have gone out sailing despite the weather warnings,” Clarke said — a dangerous move amid the treacherous swells.
Coast Guard officers also had to rescue a man in Mill Bay near Bamberton who feared his liveaboard would break loose from its mooring.
“Our primary mandate today is saving people, not boats or possessions,” Clarke said. “Many people had to leave their boats up on the rocks.”
Trees and branches downed many power lines throughout the Island, with 93,000 people in the dark at the peak.
Hardest hit was the Victoria area, said B.C. Hydro spokesman Ted Olnyk.
Victoria hasn’t seen this much wind damage since the big storm of 2006, said city spokeswoman Katie Josephson in a media release.
About 40 trees came down, with James Bay and Fairfield seeing the most damage. In the 2800-block of Quadra Street, a large birch tree uprooted and crushed a car.
Victoria police officers were busy directing cars around fallen limbs. Const. Kristi Ross said she and her partner helped pick up debris from the road to get traffic moving.
City crews and firefighters were able to clean up most of the mess by the end of the day.
Extra hydro crews from Vancouver were helping to repair the lines, but Olnyk cautioned some power in remote locations may not be restored until Sunday.
As of Friday night, 30,000 to 40,000 people remained without power. Winds are expected to die down overnight.
Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Thousands+still+without+power+Vancouver+Island+worst+windstorm+ends/2756978/story.html
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