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Furious passengers who blockaded a ferry when they were stranded on Galiano Island say they are the victims of cost-cutting by B.C. Ferries.
The ferry had too few crew to accommodate the passengers, so the captain refused to let them board.
"As a passenger, it's absolutely outrageous, and the crew are extremely frustrated because it's a cost-cutting measure by the ferry corporation to not give crew time," said Kit Grauer, one of the passengers left behind.
The 50 or so passengers crowded on to the loading ramp on Saturday, shouting for an explanation and refusing to let the Queen of Nanaimo leave for about 30 minutes.
The 5:40 p.m. sailing was the last of the day to Tsawwassen. "The captain came down and basically said that people were going to be blackballed from going on ferries for ever and ever if they didn't get off the ramp," Grauer said.
When the protesters wouldn't budge, B.C. Ferries called in Galiano's lone RCMP officer, who quickly diffused the scene.
"He just said, 'come on, let's get off the ramp' and everybody did," Grauer said. No charges have been laid.
Some of those stranded stayed on Galiano for the night and others took a ferry to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island.
Grauer, who has a cottage on Galiano, said she has been unable to board the ferry three times already this summer.
She said passengers were also stranded on Canada Day and the day after, because B.C. Ferries didn't plan for the extra holiday volume.
Island residents say space is always tight and passengers who haven't paid extra to reserve regularly get left behind.
"It happens all the time," said Susan Friend, owner of Hidden Ridge Bed and Breakfast. "I tell all my customers to make sure you have reservations both ways or don't even bother."
Dave Elliot has travelled to the island dozens of times over the past 20 years. He's seen numerous passengers turned away, despite space available.
"You'll see guys yelling and cursing like there was no tomorrow," Elliot said. "It's almost funny, but you're sure glad it isn't you."
Said Chuck Garland, owner of Rocky Ridge Bed and Breakfast: "It seems to happen more since the ferries cut staffing."
Under its licensing regulations, the ferry was only allowed to carry 584 passengers on Saturday night.
If one more crew member had been on board, the ship could have carried 167 more people, according to crew members.
B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said the boat was not fully staffed because only about 200 passengers usually take the late Saturday ferry.
She said three Island weddings probably caused the jump in traffic. "We did not have enough workers to safely transport to full capacity," she said. "We apologize to anyone who was inconvenienced.
"Obviously, we should have been on a higher licence last night. Certainly it's something that operations is going to be revisiting."
Brian Hollingshead, a member of a ferry advisory committee, said the passengers were stranded because of "bad judgment" by B.C. Ferries.
"That to me is almost an unforgivable thing on the islands, because you don't have a ferry two hours later. And it's just the wages for crew; there's nothing else to save in doing it."
By Joe Couture, Vancouver Province
Published: Sunday, July 06, 2008
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