Strong winds and rough seas caused numerous ferry cancellations over the Presidents’ Day weekend for the Steamship Authority, with the impact extending into Tuesday. Vineyard businesses also felt the effects of the disruptions.
By Tuesday afternoon, more than 70 ferry trips on the Vineyard route had been canceled since Sunday.
“Decisions to cancel service will be made closer to the scheduled departure times, so please monitor our website for updates if you are planning to travel,” the Steamship Authority posted online. All cancellations over the past few days were due to adverse weather conditions. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for Dukes County and other areas until 5 p.m. Tuesday, with gusts reaching nearly 50 mph from Sunday to Tuesday. Winds are forecasted to be around 31 mph on Wednesday.
At the Palmer Avenue parking lot shuttle stop to Woods Hole on Tuesday morning, passengers were frustrated after hearing on the driver’s radio that several trips, including the 8:15 a.m. ferry to Vineyard Haven, had been canceled. Half of the passengers left the shuttle to catch a later ferry, while the others, unable to board earlier trips, took the bus back to the parking lot.
Despite the disruptions, Patriot Party Boats continued operations, with only a few trips canceled on Tuesday morning. Passengers could opt to use this service from Falmouth to Oak Bluffs.
