Ferry Tales: The Reason For The Season

The haul out dates for the 2019 Guemes ferry have been posted - February 24 through March 18. Many Islanders are not pleased. Some are scrambling to make plans to be elsewhere at that time. But what about everyone else? Islanders with jobs in town? Children off to school?

Ferry Manager, Rachel Rowe has been getting some inquiries about this decision. 

Late February is a miserable time weatherwise - cold, wet and windy - for passengers and school children to walk onto the ferry and off to distant parking. Who in their right mind would schedule a haul-out and passenger-only service on the Strait Arrow into the most miserable weather of the year?

In a survey LineTime conducted last year, the top two favored months for a haul-out for permanent residents was July and October. For part-timers and visitors, March and October were favored, presumably because they wouldn’t be here then.

In a recent email to an islander, Rachel Rowe said, “May and August are typically not good months for the haul out because they are during our peak season and the wedding season for the resort.” Seriously wedding season? and Peak Season doesn’t start till the third week of May. What about April to mid-May? Not during peak hours, more daylight, better weather. Still wedding season?

The resort has options, expensive as they may be. Weddings have been held during haul-outs and break-downs by barging buses, tents, and wedding guests. Not all Islanders can afford that option.

While we can understand her not wanting to give up the Summer Surcharge (extra $1000 a day) for car traffic, why is she favoring one individual running a business for his profit over literally everyone else? Why subject every rider - young and elderly - to crossing in miserable weather so one man can make a bit more money?

 

-Commentary by MJ Andrak

Tags: ferry