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Ferry
Systems to see BC's Coastline
British Columbia's coastal region seems to be endless. You can
either experience the wilds of the west coast or discover the endless
islands and fiords in and along its countless passages. BC's Pacific
Ocean region stretches from Washington State in the south to just
north just north of Prince
Rupert at the Alaska panhandle The question comes right down
to how do you see this awesome scenery?
Least
Expensive Way is Using BC Ferries
One of the easiest and least expensive ways has to be the using
BC Ferries. Operating safely and effectively for over 40 years,
BC Ferries can assist you on getting to most communities located
along the west coast of Canada. With BC Ferries you will have a
choice of various routes that will show you some of North America's
most beautiful and remote areas along the Pacific.
All
You Need Is Your Camera
For those who love ocean scenery, all you need is your camera. The
sunrises and sunsets along the water are breathtaking. If you're
lucky while you're on BC Ferries, you'll spot pods of killer whales
skimming along the water surface. Watch bald eagles soar and then
dive for salmon. The nature and scenery opportunities are truly
one of a kind.
Touring
Holiday around BC
One of the biggest things that BC Ferries has going for is large
number of possible ferry routes available. If you're on a touring
holiday there a lots of access points to the ferry terminals utilizing
British Columbia's highway system. With this in mind, depending
on how much time you have, there is number of circle routes available
that really lets you experience BC's Coastline.
Sunshine
Coastal Circle Route
A trip you might want to consider is the Sunshine Coast circle route.
Close to Vancouver and Victoria this trip has so much to offer.
Just the recreation alone from catching a fish outside of Gibsons
to canoeing at Powell
River, then sea kayaking and scuba diving at Lund,
then a round of golf at any one of Vancouver Islands fabulous golf
courses. This trip requires that you four ferry routes circling
through the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Powell
River, Comox, Nanaimo,
then back to either West
Vancouver or Delta.
Southern
and Northern Gulf Islands
British Columbia is home to a number of small islands between Vancouver
Island and BC's mainland. A large number of these islands can be
reached by using BC Ferries. There is the Southern Gulf Islands;
you access these from various terminals on Vancouver Island or Tsawwassen
terminal in Delta, Kuper and Thetis Islands from Chemanius, Gabriola
Island from Nanaimo Harbour terminal. From Horseshoe Bay terminal
in West Vancouver
Bowen Island
can be reached for a nice day trip. Then there is the Northern Gulf
Islands; Texada
Island is reached from the terminal in Powell
River, Quadra
Island and Cortes
Island from Campbell
River and Alert
Bay and Sointula from Port
McNeill.
Take
a Day Trip to Victoria
You don't need a car to experience BC Ferries. One of the easiest
ways to discover the BC coast is to take a day trip Vancouver to
and from Victoria utilizing the public transit system of by using
Pacific Coach Lines daily service. The trip is beautiful and if
you leave early enough from Vancouver allows for connection on visiting
Butchart Gardens or having high tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria.
Inside
Passage Route
BC Ferries also serves the northern communities of Bella
Coola and Prince
Rupert. The trip is just excellent making for an all day ferry
adventure starting in Port
Hardy going north or Prince
Rupert heading south to Port
Hardy. From Port
Hardy you can also go to Bella
Coola about half way up the coast. The ferry stops off and visits
the smaller communities of Shearwater (Denny Island), Bella Bella,
Klemtu and Ocean Falls on the way in and out of Bella
Coola.
Enter
BC's Heartland
You can later make a driving circle route by getting off at Bella
Coola and traveling east on Hwy 20 to Williams Lake. Once at
Williams Lake the Cariboo and enter the rest of British Columbia's
heartland are at your grasp. You can eventually take a circle route
back to the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island.
Prince
Rupert and the Haida Gwaii
One of the ways you can visit the Haida Gwaii-Queen Charlotte Islands
is to travel BC Ferries Prince
Rupert to Skidegate. Take the Yellowhead Hwy 5 at Prince
George or BC Ferries from Port
Hardy to get to Prince
Rupert. The ferry crosses Hecate Strait, a very exciting piece
of the Pacific Ocean off of British Columbia, normally in 7 hours.
(There is an overnight trip once a week that takes at least 9 hours)
Once on Haida Gwaii there are some great trips to be found along
coast with easy day trips out of Masset or Queen Charlotte City
to some of the best ocean beach areas in British Columbia.
Going
to Alaska
If you are going to Alaska, another ferry system that operates in
BC is the Alaska Marine Highway. There are scheduled sailings that
leave Prince
Rupert and sail into Alaskan waters making for a coastline adventure.
If you want this makes a nice extended trip if you return to British
Columbia via the Alaska Highway.
Are
you coming from Washington State?
BC Ferries is not the only ferry system that operates in southern
British Columbia waters. If you are coming from Washington State,
there are a few options. By car, you need to take the Coho ferry
out of Port Angeles. It arrives in downtown Victoria on a daily
schedule. Another way is to drive to Anacortes and take your car
aboard the Washington State Ferries that travels to Sidney situated
north of Victoria. This trip travels through the beautiful San Juan
Islands.
Passenger-only
ferries to Washington State
Besides car ferries there are also passenger-only ferries from Washington
State. The Victoria Clipper from Seattle and Victoria Express from
Port Angeles.
Pedestrian
Traffic Only
There are a few non BC Ferries operating along the British Columbian
coast offering non vehicle ferries to various coastal communities.
One route is aboard M.V. Centurion VII to False Bay on Lasqueti
Island. You load the private passenger ferry at French Creek located
just north of Parksville on Hwy 19A.
Information
on Ferry Systems
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