Winds pummel Island, cut power
Sailings delayed, thousands lose power on Island
Fierce winds drove sailboats onto rocks, dragged down power lines and forced the cancellation of Victoria’s lighted ship parade on Saturday.
British Columbia’s coast is being pummelled by wind and rain as back-to-back storm systems move across the province this weekend.
Environment Canada issued warnings and special weather statements for the southern B.C. coast, forecasting gusts of up to 110 kilometres an hour. Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast for the next several days.
Thousands experienced power outages on the south Island Saturday, including about 4,800 customers in Saanich.
In Victoria, resourceful shoppers at the Fairfield Thrifty Foods used their mobile phones to light a path through the aisles when the power went out.
Tim Johnston, owner of C-Tow Marine Assistance Ltd., said two small sailboats, up to 25 feet in length, were torn from their moorings in Oak Bay and crashed onto the rocks near Glenlyon Norfolk School.
“One is absolutely demolished; there’s nothing left of it,” said Johnston, noting that the only thing that would get him out on the water in such conditions is a person in distress.
James Neilson was called to check on his sailboat at Oak Bay Marina, where kind neighbours helped add a little extra security to his boat.
“It was just honking out there,” said Neilson of the wind gusts over the water. “I was getting seasick just standing on the dock.” The boards were like a rollercoaster.
Neilson drove his three daughters to the Salish Sea sculpture on the rocks near the marina to watch the storm.
“We stepped outside in the wind from the car knowing full well we would take a salty soaking blast right in the face,” he said. “Squeals of delight and laughter with all the girls.” His sensible wife remained warm and dry in the car.
B.C. Ferries cancelled multiple sailings due to high winds, said B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall.
Cancellations are not expected south of Nanaimo today, she said, but weather could force interrup- tions on some northern crossings.
“We are closely monitoring the weather on all routes,” she said.
The weather also forced the cancellation of the Lighted Ship Parade in Victoria’s Inner Harbour and the Ogden Point Light Up.
“Just a bit too windy,” organizer Greater Victoria Harbour Authority said via Twitter.
In the Comox Valley, residents remained under a boil-water advisory after intense rainfall caused turbidity levels to rise in Comox Lake and the Puntledge River.
Courtenay residents were warned to stay away from the Puntledge River that flows through the city until the end of this week as storm after rainy storm and flood conditions threaten the community.
B.C. Hydro spokesman Steve Watson said the utility remained on high alert with a virtual emergency operations centre set up for potential flooding.
However, lower than expected temperatures Saturday provided some temporary relief.
“The good news is some of all this precipitation is falling as snow, so that gives us some reprieve for today,” Watson said.
“The bad news is it fell as snow and some of it will melt as the freezing level rises into Tuesday. So it depends how one looks at it. Today it was a good thing.
“Rivers will continue rising and we’ll see what [today] brings.”