High winds in Northumberland Strait leave some P.E.I. ferry crossings cancelled

Northumberland Ferries shut down the operations of one of its two ferries Thursday due to high winds on its run between Nova Scotia and P.E.I.

MV Saaremaa, a temporary replacement ferry leased from Quebec's provincial ferry service,is less suited to the sometimes rough conditions on the Northumberland Strait than the MV Confederation, which will complete its runs as normal.

The weather conditions mean there will be onlyfour return crossings between Wood Islands and Caribou on Thursday.

Environment Canada has issued a strong wind warning for the Northumberland Strait. In the eastern half, winds are expected to blow at about25 knots diminishing to 15 late in the afternoon.

The Saaremaa was brought into service on the strait to replace the MV Holiday Island, which caught fire during a run in 2022. The ferry was beyond repair, and had to be scrapped.

The permanent replacement for the Holiday Island is not expected to be ready before 2028.