The Queen of Surrey's debut back from its upgrade to the Langdale - Horseshoe Bay ferry sailing route did not go as smoothly as planned.
Shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, the crew discovered a problem with a fire main. According to BC Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall, a flex joint coupling burst and water got into the lounge. Engineers isolated and repaired it while the crew cleaned up the water in the lounge. Engineers are continuing to check out the cause of the burst, she said.
The Queen of Coquitlam sailed in its place for the 2:30 departure from Langdale. Once the problem was fixed, the Surrey left Langdale for its first sailing at 4:30 p.m.
The $40 million midlife refit included mechanical and safety improvements to the 25-year-old ferry and upgraded passenger amenities, BC Ferries announced Tuesday. The technical upgrades included "main engine and shaft upgrades, extensive steel replacement, electrical upgrades and installation of new emergency evacuation equipment." The service upgrades included modernizing the elevators, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and improving washrooms, the gift shop, food service facilities, the interior design and passenger seating areas - with seats facing each other. Other than the seat design, the Surrey looks the same as the Coquitlam, which Sunshine Coast travellers and commuters have been riding during the seven-month upgrade.
The Surrey underwent sea trials earlier in June before reopening to passengers this week. The work on the Surrey took place at Washington Marine Group's Vancouver drydock in North Vancouver.
BC Ferries held a celebration in the Surrey's honour Wednesday afternoon onboard the ferry - an "under the sea" promotion with door prizes and tickets under certain seats for claiming prizes, Marshall said. Prizes included single-trip passes for the Langdale - Horseshoe Bay route, T-shirts, water bottles and travel coffee mugs.
Wednesday morning, the same day the summer schedule started, the Surrey was delayed because they were doing drills and due to heavy traffic, Marshall said.
The Queen of Esquimalt will run the extra sailings on the Langdale - Horseshoe Bay route this summer from Thursdays to Mondays. The Coquitlam is heading to the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay for the summer to run as the third Nanaimo ferry.
