Islanders flocked to local grocery stores Wednesday morning, worried that the sinking of the ferry would mean a shortage of groceries in coming days.
At Bayiew Market in Port Clements, owner Linda Berston said "there's a little panic buying going on. People would rather be safe than sorry." Milk, bread and produce are the most popular items. Ms Berston said her store did about three times a much business Wednesday morning as usual, and she now expects the rest of the week to be much quieter.
In Masset, it's the same story at Delmas Co-op.
" (It's) pretty crazy, it's like the first day of our sale," said Curtis Vanhoven manager of the grocery store. He says business is up "Fifty percent more, maybe more than that."
"They're panicking," he said, "I think they are worried its going to continue on."
As we posted this story, we have had no word from BC Ferries about plans to restore service. The Queen of Prince Rupert is undergoing its refit in Vancouver and may not be available right away. However, it is expected Ferries will come up with a plan quickly.