The fast foot-passenger ferry that connects Nanaimo and Vancouver will become a love boat next week.

Ahead of Valentine鈥檚 Day, Hullo will host a 鈥榟igh-speed speed dating鈥� event on Thursday, Feb. 1.

In a press release, Hullo said it recognizes making connections isn鈥檛 always easy and the event will allow singles from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island to mingle. Xander France, Hullo marketing and sales director, said all 42 spots have been filled, with 21 from Vancouver and 21 from Nanaimo.

鈥淲e have a full house for the evening and an agenda full of activities,鈥� he said. 鈥淥bviously, the main focus is on getting people to date and to date the people that we鈥檝e put on the vessel. There鈥檚 going to be some games, interactive activities and some food and [mocktails] and a few other fun things planned.鈥�

The event was inspired by customers and their reasons for travelling on Hullo ferries.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of people that date on both sides of the Salish Sea, and need a fast and affordable way to do it,鈥� said France. 鈥淭here was also this cool idea 鈥� some people said, 鈥楬ey, I鈥檝e exhausted the fish in my sea,鈥� and 鈥楬ow about you open up a new sea, and let us go fish in a different pond?鈥欌��

The ferry will pick up singles from Vancouver at 5:30 p.m. and from Nanaimo at 7:30 p.m. The vessel will return Vancouver residents to downtown Vancouver before heading back to Nanaimo on the 9:30 p.m. sailing.

The event will be filmed and shared to social media, the press release noted, and marketing agency King Ursa will assist Hullo with the event.

Hullo ferries began sailing last August and France said the community has been incredible, but there is still room to grow. He said the company anticipates it will soon be able to announce plans to up its spring sailing schedule from four round trips per day to six on the five busiest travel days of the week.

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