Near-record sub-zero temperatures struck the Gulf Islands this week, and despite relatively little snowfall the impact of the season’s first significant winter weather was felt across the region.
Adverse weather and unsafe docking conditions caused delays and cancellation of several ferry sailings, as BC Ferries fought rough seas and high winds on the Vesuvius-Crofton and Fulford-Swartz Bay routes — and the Tsawwassen ferry was unable to land at Sturdies Bay on Galiano Island Thursday night through Friday morning.
Most areas on Salt Spring saw around two to four centimetres of snow on Thursday evening, and slick roads put a few drivers into ditches; but it was the wind and dangerously cold temperatures — measured as low as -12 Celsius on some parts of the island — that caused the most grief.
As icy winds swept through Ganges Harbour Thursday afternoon, islander Norm Edwards sourced funds from a number of local businesses to quickly cover temporary moorage and electricity costs for local liveaboard residents who could bring their vessels to Kanaka Wharf or the Breakwater Dock to ride out the storm in relative safety.
On land, BC Transit buses meanwhile went to limited “main road” service late Thursday, with several routes taking well into Saturday to come fully back online. Emergency crews contended with an early-cold-snap RV fire Thursday, but Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Dale Lundy said despite the biting cold, firefighters’ response was unhindered.
“Most of our equipment is kept indoors, so we don’t have to worry about pumps freezing and that sort of thing,” said Lundy. “Any apparatus we have outdoors, we drain all the water out. But we haven’t had to chain up our trucks.”
Lundy said the cold proved a good reminder of the importance of being mindful of space heaters and other things that might start fires — as well as tending to exposed pipes and water lines that might freeze.
The emergency shelter at Island Community Services (ICS) announced activation of its Emergency Weather Response (EWR), which increased overnight shelter capacity to 34, according to ICS operations manager Rob Wiltzen, who said individuals had a warm dinner, a safe, supervised place to stay overnight and breakfast for community members needing shelter while temperatures remain low.
“For us it meant we needed to convert the downstairs of the main building into a temporary overnight shelter,” said Wiltzen. “That means staffing, bedding and nutrition for another site.”
On Monday Wiltzen said seven people accessed the EWR program, so there was still capacity; anyone in need should contact the shelter office at 250-537-9971 ex. 244 with any questions or to arrange an intake.
Other ICS programs weren’t impacted, he added, as the EWR program is only for overnight and not during the day, when other programs would be running and using that space.
A slow warm-up occurred in the past few days, with a high probability of snow expected for Tuesday evening, changing to rain on Wednesday.