For those of us lucky enough to be healthy, it is a pain to wait in the ferry line up, frustrating to see it leave in front of you half full and maddening to be loaded on first and off loaded last so you end up in another overload. But if that is the worst thing happening to you, life is good (although is surely doesn't feel great at that time)

For those with serious health issues, the notice Paul posted is truly awful. Nothing about tickets to get us loaded properly in the summer when the Cortes line in Campbell River is not used, nothing about guaranteed loading on the last connecting ferry, really nothing at all of what was mentioned/suggested at the ferry meeting that the FAC kindly hosted in late May.

For those with serious health problems there is a way: I think this one is extremely important and I don't know if many people know about it - it was by chance that I found out about it:

One can get something called "medical assured loading" for medical trips off-island. It involved a bit of bureaucracy - you have to get your practitioners to phone and send emails to BC ferries with your vehicle descriptions, reason for travel, etc. (which they have happily done for someone I know)

You get a letter from BC Ferries that gets you on the ferry, at the head of the line. You have to show up 1/2 hour ahead of time. (for the whole summer or longer if needed)

What a difference it makes when you get a chemo treatment in town and only want one thing: to get home! No, it doesn't help the rest of us, but it sure is nice to know that the people that REALLY need to get home, actually get here in decent time.