Some Howe Sound Queen travellers can share in celebratory cake on the vessel’s last day of service on Tuesday, June 4.
Cake will be served on the sailings departing from Crofton at 3:35 and 4:50 p.m., and on those leaving Vesuvius at 4:15 and 5:30 p.m.
The 55-year-old Howe Sound Queen has served on the Crofton-Vesuvius Bay route since 1992.
On Wednesday, June 5, the MV Quinitsa will commence service on the route.
“Although the MV Quinitsa can carry about eight fewer vehicles, it has a significantly greater weight capacity,” explains a BC Ferries press release. “This will result in fewer overloads or empty deck space when loading many large, heavy vehicles.”
Numerous overloads have occurred on the Vesuvius-Crofton route in the past year due to increased traffic and more heavy commercial vehicles using the ferry.
To help relieve the pressure, BC Ferries added sailings and adjusted some sailing times to the route beginning April 1.
“Further adjustments were implemented on May 1 to move dangerous goods sailings to less popular times, which frees up higher demand sailings for regular customers,” the ferry corporation added.
The Howe Sound Queen has been sold via an online auction for a price of $210,000, with the final price to be approved by the ferry corporation.
The vessel was built in Quebec in 1964 and purchased by BC Ferries in 1971. It served Bowen Island until it was transferred to Salt Spring in 1992.