Ferry services in British Columbia's south coast resumed Monday afternoon following a fierce storm that shut down all routes between Vancouver Island and the mainland in the morning.

There's a long lineup at the Tsawwassen terminal Monday afternoon, after ferry services resumed.
(CBC)

BC Ferries is advising the public to be patient because delays are expected throughout the evening as many people are scheduled to return home after a long holiday weekend.

"Fortunately this happened early in the day on a holiday Monday," said Deborah Marshall, the company's media relations director. "If it was around five o'clock in the afternoon it would be a different story because it's often busier later in the day on holidays."

Wind gusts reaching close to 90 km/h and rough water conditions made it difficult for ships to set sail. At one point, no ferries on any routes were coming or going.

By early afternoon, there was a break in the weather — the rain stopped pounding and the winds began to ease, allowing weary passengers to bask in some sunshine.

Wind and waves washed through the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal Monday morning as a major storm shut down ferry service on several routes.
(CBC)

By 3 p.m. PT, ferry service had resumed on all major routes — including Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen-Duke Point as well as Horseshoe Bay — and commuters began to pour in.

"Certainly it has caused some inconveniences for customers but I think most of them understand, with the weather there is not much we can do about it," Marshall said.

Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay is one of the busiest routes and four extra sailings have been added to help clear the backlog Monday night, she said.

Meanwhile, there are several major roads on Vancouver Island and the southern interior affected by the storm.

On Vancouver Island, Highway 19 near Telegraph Cove is closed in both directions because of a mudslide. Officials said it may be noon Tuesday before the highway is re-opened.