Washington State Ferries - Start of spring sailings between Anacortes and BC delayed due to COVID-19

Washington State Ferries has delayed service between Anacortes, WA and Sidney, BC for one month.
©SueFrausePhoto

Washington State Ferries is delaying the start of its international service between Anacortes, WA and Sidney, BC on Vancouver Island due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. The one-month delay in the start of the spring service means the ferries won't resume running until April 28, 2020. 

Note: This does not affect domestic service. WSF will continue to make its regularly scheduled domestic stops in the San Juan Islands.

Reservations made on sailings to Sidney through April 28 will automatically be canceled. Customers may make new vehicle reservations for dates after April 28 -- but be advised this date is subject to change. 

Washington State Ferries: Sailings canceled between Anacortes - Sidney, BC Nov. 12 to Dec. 8

Walk-on passengers board the MV Chelan in Sidney, BC.
©SueFrausePhoto

If you're planning on taking a ferry between Anacortes and Sidney, British Columbia on Vancouver Island, note that service is canceled November 12 to December 8, 2019.

The only two ferries in the Washington State Ferries fleet certified to sail international waters, the Elwha and Chelan, will be out of service at that time for required maintenance. Simply put, that means international service to Sidney, British Columbia is canceled for 27 days.

WSF crew will be doing maintenance work on the two boats as it's the lowest ridership of the year. Service will resume on December 9 before the busy holiday season and continue through January 4, 2020. There is no ferry service between Anacortes and Sidney during the winter schedule, January through March 2020.

All vehicle reservations for the Sidney, BC route will be canceled during the four-week period, and no-show fees will be waived. Or customers may choose to change or cancel their reservations without penalty at www.takeaferry.com.

Other ways of traveling to Vancouver Island include BC Ferries (Tsawwassen/Swartz Bay), Black Ball Ferry Line, Kenmore Air and Clipper Vacations.

Washington State Ferries: Anacortes-Sidney ferry returns with spring sailing schedule

Washington State Ferries in Sidney, BC with Mt. Baker in the background. Photo by Sue Frause.

Yet another sign of spring, along with Daylight Savings Time and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, is when Washington State Ferries switches to its spring sailing schedule. During the winter, there's no ferry service between Anacortes, WA and Sidney, BC on Vancouver Island. 

On Sunday, April 6, WSF's spring schedule goes into effect and the international sailings between the US and Canada will include one round-trip sailing per day (the summer schedule begins June 15 and includes two round-trip sailings per day).

In addition to the return of the Anacortes-Sidney route, additional changes go into effect on April 6 with WSF's spring schedule :

• Weekend inter-island service in the San Juan Islands
• Three boats serving the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route on Saturdays and Sundays
• Four mid-afternoon sailings on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route will leave 15 minutes earlier to better match the schedule of the second ferry. It will join the route on Mother's Day, May 11.
• The last sailing departing Coupeville leaves 5 minutes earlier, at 9:10 PM
• New this year are round-trip tickets available between the San Juan Islands and Sidney, BC

Passengers boarding Washington State Ferries M/V Chelan in Sidney, BC. Photo by Sue Frause.

The Whale, narrated by Ryan Reynolds, opens across Canada

THE WHALE, a Canadian documentary about Luna the orca, is opening on Nov. 18, 2011 at five movie theatres across Canada. The film was directed by producer Suzanne Chisholm and journalist Michael Parfit of Mountainside Films in Sidney, BC. The couple chronicled Luna the orca's adventures in both print and on film for several years. The G-rated film began its US run in September 2011 in the Seattle-Tacoma area and recently played at The Clyde Theatre in Langley on Whidbey Island, WA.

The film is narrated by actor Ryan Reynolds, who hails from Vancouver, BC. He's the film's executive producer, along with Scarlett Johansson and Eric Desatnik. Following the screenings in Canada on opening weekend, there will be Q&A sessions. Here's the first Canadian review of the film, which will be showing at these five theatres (click here for a chance to win free tickets):

Ottawa - The Mayfair Theatre: Post-screening Q&A at Friday evening show (7:30) with Canadian Federation of Human Societys Chief Executive Officer Barbara Cartwright. Intro to film by WWF-Canada oceans expert Andrew Dumbrille. Click here for show times and tickets.

Toronto - AMC Yonge & Dundas: Post-screening Q&Q at Friday evening show (7:30) with WWF-Canada Endangered Species officer Jarmila Becka Lee. For show times and tickets, click here.

Vancouver - Empire Granville 7: Post screening Q&A at Friday evening show (6:55) with co-director Michael Parfit; WWF-Canada VP of Pacific Conservation Darcy Dobell; and WWF-Canada Marine Science Planning Officer Hussein Alidina. For show times and tickets, click here.

Sidney, BC - Star Cinema: Post-screening Q&A with co-director Suzanne Chisholm at Friday evening show (7:15), and post-screening Q&A with co-director michael Parfit at all shows on Saturday. For more info, click here.

Victoria - The Caprice Theatre, Langford: Post-screening Q&A with co-director Suzanne Chisholm at Saturday, Nov. 19 matinee (2:00) and evening show (7:00). For more details, click here.

Washington State Ferries: Anacortes to Sidney boat back on route

The spring sailing schedule for Washington State Ferries begins Sunday, March 27. Welcome news for both Skagit County in Washington and Vancouver Island, as the international route between Anacortes, WA and Sidney, BC begins again today.

There's one round-trip sailing per day between Anacortes and Sidney. It departs Anacortes at 8:30 AM; stops in Friday Harbor and departs at 9:55 AM; arrives in Sidney at 11:10 AM. The Vancouver Island departures leave Sidney at 12:05 PM; stops in Friday Harbor, departing at 1:55 PM; arrives in Anacortes at 3 PM. To make reservations, log onto www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.

Businesses in Anacortes are concerned about the state cutting back the nine-month season of the Anacortes-Sidney ferry to seven months. See a video report on KING-5 about the proposal. Vancouver Island is also keeping tabs on the situation, especially now that the Victoria Express is no longer sailing between Port Angeles, WA and Victoria, BC.

The spring sailing schedule is in effect through June 18, 2011.

Washington State Ferries en route from Sidney, BC to Anacortes, WA
Photo by Sue Frause

Anacortes - Sidney ferry service resumes between Washington state and Vancouver Island

Passengers walk off Washington State Ferries in Sidney, BC. Sue Frause photo.

Washington State Ferries (WSF) resumed its sailings to Sidney on Vancouver Island April 1 following its annual 12-week winter hiatus. 

To celebrate,  WSF, the City of Anacortes, Sidney, the Sidney Sister Cities Association and the Sidney Business Association hosted a day of celebration.

When traveling to Sidney, remember to bring your passport or other valid identification when traveling to Canada.