After gale force winds and a power outage caused delays earlier this week, foot passenger ferry service from Nanaimo to Vancouver has finally gotten afloat.
The false start earlier in the week meant sailings did not depart until Wednesday, Aug. 16, with the first sailing at 10 a.m. from Nanaimo. The Sthuqi set out on its inaugural sailing to Vancouver with 189 passengers, and the return trip, departing Vancouver at noon, had 126 onboard, said officials.
Rupesh Amin, Hullo co-founder, said adjustments were made over the past two days in preparation for the start of business.
B次元官网网址淚t was just giving ourselves some time to be thoughtful and methodical in terms of going over all of our systems, our procedures, our processes, and making [minor mechanical] tweaks and adjustments where we needed to to make sure that the team was ready to properly manoeuvre and sail the vessels,B次元官网网址� Amin told media after the noon sailing arrived in Nanaimo.
Speaking to the B次元官网网址 Bulletin last week, Alastair Caddick, Hullo CEO, said decisions to cancel sailings arenB次元官网网址檛 taken lightly and wind and weather conditions and wave height are factors considered by the companyB次元官网网址檚 marine experts.
B次元官网网址淐ertainly, safety is the No. 1 priority for our operations,B次元官网网址� he said.
Passengers who were on the noon sailing were pleased with the ride, including Julie Watkins, from Courtenay, who booked a premium seat.
B次元官网网址淚t was very smooth, there was hardly any change, just a couple of little [instances], it felt like you were on a horse and that was only for a few minutes B次元官网网址� comfortable, spacious, it was lovely.B次元官网网址�
Garth Ross from Nanaimo, who had comfort seating, also enjoyed his trip.
B次元官网网址淚t was smooth, clean, fast, surprisingly fast, we were booking along,B次元官网网址� Ross told the B次元官网网址 Bulletin. B次元官网网址淕reat views of both Vancouver and Nanaimo, good first impression.B次元官网网址�
Amin said Hullo will work to regain consumer confidence after the rough start.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 really just building up that trust through demonstrating to everyone that we have safety and reliability at the forefront of our minds, weB次元官网网址檙e never going to do anything that jeopardizes that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd we will demonstrate through the service and the consistency of the service and reliability of the service that weB次元官网网址檙e here to stay.B次元官网网址�
Hullo announced earlier this week that it was cancelling half its scheduled sailings through Aug. 30, moving to two round-trips a day, as a B次元官网网址渄eliberate and measured approachB次元官网网址� to ensure long-term viability. Amin said the decision on when to return to a full schedule is forthcoming.
B次元官网网址淎nd really, thatB次元官网网址檚 because the biggest feedback that weB次元官网网址檝e had is that guests want to know well in advance if there are potential cancellations,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd with the conditions that weB次元官网网址檙e looking at B次元官网网址� we said, letB次元官网网址檚 make sure that we can take the two most popular sailings B次元官网网址� Beyond that, weB次元官网网址檒l be back up to four and then weB次元官网网址檒l slowly move into a fuller schedule.B次元官网网址�
For more information or to make an online reservation, go to .
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