After gale force winds and a power outage caused delays earlier this week, foot passenger ferry service from Nanaimo to Vancouver has finally gotten afloat.

The false start earlier in the week meant sailings did not depart until Wednesday, Aug. 16, with the first sailing at 10 a.m. from Nanaimo. The Sthuqi set out on its inaugural sailing to Vancouver with 189 passengers, and the return trip, departing Vancouver at noon, had 126 onboard, said officials.

Rupesh Amin, Hullo co-founder, said adjustments were made over the past two days in preparation for the start of business.

害羞草研究所淚t was just giving ourselves some time to be thoughtful and methodical in terms of going over all of our systems, our procedures, our processes, and making [minor mechanical] tweaks and adjustments where we needed to to make sure that the team was ready to properly manoeuvre and sail the vessels,害羞草研究所� Amin told media after the noon sailing arrived in Nanaimo.

Speaking to the News Bulletin last week, Alastair Caddick, Hullo CEO, said decisions to cancel sailings aren害羞草研究所檛 taken lightly and wind and weather conditions and wave height are factors considered by the company害羞草研究所檚 marine experts.

害羞草研究所淐ertainly, safety is the No. 1 priority for our operations,害羞草研究所� he said.

Passengers who were on the noon sailing were pleased with the ride, including Julie Watkins, from Courtenay, who booked a premium seat.

害羞草研究所淚t was very smooth, there was hardly any change, just a couple of little [instances], it felt like you were on a horse and that was only for a few minutes 害羞草研究所� comfortable, spacious, it was lovely.害羞草研究所�

Garth Ross from Nanaimo, who had comfort seating, also enjoyed his trip.

害羞草研究所淚t was smooth, clean, fast, surprisingly fast, we were booking along,害羞草研究所� Ross told the News Bulletin. 害羞草研究所淕reat views of both Vancouver and Nanaimo, good first impression.害羞草研究所�

Amin said Hullo will work to regain consumer confidence after the rough start.

害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 really just building up that trust through demonstrating to everyone that we have safety and reliability at the forefront of our minds, we害羞草研究所檙e never going to do anything that jeopardizes that,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd we will demonstrate through the service and the consistency of the service and reliability of the service that we害羞草研究所檙e here to stay.害羞草研究所�

Hullo announced earlier this week that it was cancelling half its scheduled sailings through Aug. 30, moving to two round-trips a day, as a 害羞草研究所渄eliberate and measured approach害羞草研究所� to ensure long-term viability. Amin said the decision on when to return to a full schedule is forthcoming.

害羞草研究所淎nd really, that害羞草研究所檚 because the biggest feedback that we害羞草研究所檝e had is that guests want to know well in advance if there are potential cancellations,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd with the conditions that we害羞草研究所檙e looking at 害羞草研究所� we said, let害羞草研究所檚 make sure that we can take the two most popular sailings 害羞草研究所� Beyond that, we害羞草研究所檒l be back up to four and then we害羞草研究所檒l slowly move into a fuller schedule.害羞草研究所�

For more information or to make an online reservation, go to .

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