Service notice - Sailing Cancellations & Alternate Service - August 19 - September 7, 2026
Posted:
Monday, August 17, 2026
Re-issued: Friday, August 21, 2026 at 9:45 am
Due to an issue affecting the stern tube shaft seal on the Northern Sea Wolf, regularly scheduled sailings between Bear Cove (Port Hardy) - McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) – Shearwater - Ocean Falls - Bella Coola have been cancelled through to September 7, 2026.
Alternate service will be available for travel between Bella Coola - Ocean Falls – Shearwater - and Bella Bella while the vessel undergoes repairs. A vehicle-only tug and barge and passenger-only water taxi will provide service on a modified schedule during this period.
Reservations for both services are mandatory and must be booked separately. Customers travelling with a vehicle will require a reservation for their vehicle on the tug and barge and a separate reservation for themselves on the water taxi.
Due to differences in vessel speeds, departure and arrival times for the tug and barge will differ from those of the water taxi. Customers travelling with a vehicle should plan to be separated from their vehicle for a period of time during their journey.
The vehicle-only tug and barge will depart and arrive from BC Ferries terminals, and regular reservation check-in times apply. A shuttle bus service is being sourced to provide service between the tug and barge and water taxi locations in Bella Coola. This Service Notice will be updated as further information becomes available.
|
Date
|
Route
|
Tug & Barge
|
Water Taxi
|
|
Departure
|
Arrival
|
Departure
|
Arrival
|
|
Aug 25-26
|
Bella Coola to Ocean Falls
|
Tuesday
7:00 pm
|
Wednesday
7:30 am
|
Tuesday
6:00 pm
|
Tuesday
8:30 pm
|
|
Ocean Falls to Shearwater
|
Wednesday
8:00 am
|
Wednesday
12:30 pm
|
Tuesday
9:00 pm
|
Tuesday
10:30 pm
|
|
Shearwater to McLoughlin Bay
|
Wednesday
1:00 pm
|
Wednesday
2:30 pm
|
Tuesday
11:00 pm
|
Tuesday
11:30 pm
|
|
Aug 27-28
|
McLoughlin Bay to Shearwater
|
Thursday
12:00 pm
|
Thursday
2:30 pm
|
Thursday
1:00 pm
|
Thursday
1:30 pm
|
|
Shearwater to Ocean Falls
|
Thursday
3:00 pm
|
Thursday
7:30 pm
|
Thursday
2:00 pm
|
Thursday
3:30 pm
|
|
Ocean Falls to Bella Coola
|
Thursday
8:00 pm
|
Friday
6:30 am
|
Thursday
4:00 pm
|
Thursday
6:30 pm
|
|
Sept 2 - 3
|
Bella Coola to Ocean Falls
|
Wednesday
7:00 pm
|
Thursday
7:30 am
|
Wednesday
6:00 pm
|
Wednesday
8:30 pm
|
|
Ocean Falls to Shearwater
|
Thursday
8:00 am
|
Thursday
12:30 pm
|
Wednesday
9:00 pm
|
Wednesday
10:30 pm
|
|
Shearwater to McLoughlin Bay
|
Thursday
1:00 pm
|
Thursday
2:30 pm
|
Wednesday
11:00 pm
|
Wednesday
11:30 pm
|
|
Sept 4 - 5
|
McLoughlin Bay to Shearwater
|
Friday
12:00 pm
|
Friday
2:30 pm
|
Friday
1:00 pm
|
Friday
1:30 pm
|
|
Shearwater to Ocean Falls
|
Friday
3:00 pm
|
Friday
7:30 pm
|
Friday
2:00 pm
|
Friday
3:30 pm
|
|
Ocean Falls to Bella Coola
|
Friday
8:00 pm
|
Saturday
6:30 am
|
Friday
4:00 pm
|
Saturday
6:30 am
|
We appreciate the patience of our mid-coast customers as we are actively working to contact customers who were reserved on a cancelled sailing to confirm them on an alternate sailing, if possible. We expect these sailings to be open for booking later today, Friday, August 21.
We recognize the impact this adjusted service may have on customers and the communities we serve and apologize for any inconvenience experienced while vessel repairs are being completed.
For assistance with adjusting travel plans, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast BC has also provided information on options to rebook or reroute travel:
Ferry to Bella Coola Cancelled? Here's How to Rebook or Reroute - CCCTA - Industry
For up-to-date sailing and departure information, visit bcferries.com, follow @BCFerries on X or phone 1-888-223-3779 for further assistance.