Victoria Clipper left Seattle for first time in 17 months after pandemic delays

The Victoria Clipper will now operate on a four-day schedule with additional trips around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

SEATTLE – The Victoria Clipper set sail on Friday after 17 months of business interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FRS Clipper resumed its fast ferry service from Seattle to Victoria, British Columbia on September 17th.

The Victoria Route is the bread and butter of the organization. But even though the Canadians relaxed the rules for Americans last month, there were no mutual agreements on the US side.

Sea crossings were also given special attention and restrictions, preventing the Port Angeles Black Ball Ferry from resuming the voyage. Washington State Ferries has canceled the Sidney run for all of 2021. The clipper will serve the route on weekends.

“It has a great symbolic effect when the boat is put into operation,” said Lisa Helps, Mayoress of Victoria, BC, who cheered the ship in the rain on Friday.

The mayor said Victoria’s burgeoning tech industry needed it too.

“The Seattle-Victoria connection is really important economically, socially, and culturally.”

This point was confirmed by Alexya Skrlac, who runs the On Gelato store on Government Street in Victoria.

“We have never had a summer without cruise ships and without tourists from other parts of the country,” she said.

Paul Nursey, President and CEO of Destination Victoria, said tourism had dropped to 30% normal in 2020 and dropped to around 60% normal this summer.

In addition to all COVID-19 protocols, the province and, as a result, the city have issued a vaccine mandate for most of the companies.

“It provides security for hotels, restaurants and nightclubs,” said Nursey. He said the return of the clipper was key to a recovery.

“We know the numbers are going to start slowly, but at least we have that option now,” he continued.

Paul Lavallee was one of the first passengers on Friday and saw his mother Marlene for the first time in two years. “Great welcoming committee,” he laughed after hugging his mother, who could be seen cheering at the port.

On Government Street, Skrlac said it would continue to give hope with a side of ice cream until tourists return.

“We hope they come back and then soon the pandemic will end and people will be vaccinated,” she said.