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The coast of British Columbia is a great place for travellers that enjoy ferry trips (like us). Ferries regularly ply the waters from Seattle all the way up to Alaska, including short distance trips to the various islands in the San Juan Islands of Washington State and the lesser-known and more rugged Gulf Islands of British Columbia. In fact, due to the ruggedness of the coast, there are no coastal roads for the majority of its length, making ferry travel an attractive option for visiting this part of the world. One of the most talked about ferry trips offered by B.C. Ferries is the world famous Inside Passage Ferry trip from Port Hardy, Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert, on the British Columbia mainland. This ferry actually connects with the Alaska Marine Highway (run by Alaska State Ferries) up to Alaska, but we chose not to go that far. From Prince Rupert there is another ferry that travels to the Queen Charlotte Islands, about 10 hours West of Prince Rupert by ferry. Another lesser known ferry trip is the Discovery Coast Ferry trip, from Port Hardy to Bella Coola, also on the mainland. From Bella Coola, there is a road that connects to the mainland road system, allowing travellers to continue their travels.
We chose to take the Inside Passage Ferry trip, alighting at Prince Rupert where we would start our bicycle tour of the Yellowhead Highway. The 17 hour trip departs early in the morning, and arrives late at night. The weather is generally wet and foggy, so not always ideal for photo taking, but the scenery is quite beautiful. The ferry goes through narrow inlets where the mountains literally come down to meet the sea. On our trip there was a low cloud (fog) most of the way, so it was difficult to see the mountains. We did see plenty of wildlife though - dolphins, whales, and eagles. We also saw an unusual sight - a large house being towed up the Inside Passage by a tugboat, followed by a matching garage (see photo)!
The ferry itself is quite large and there is plenty of seating. There is an open deck area at the front and rear of the ferry, and a cafeteria in the centre. Note that prices are very high on the ferry - we recommend bringing your own food. There are plenty of tables to eat at and the benches by the window are roomy enough to sleep on. There are no rules against eating your own food.
The ferry arrives in Prince Rupert around 11:30 pm. It almost always rains in Prince Rupert Prince Rupert itself seemed like a pleasant town, other than the constant rain. It is actually located on an island, Kaien Island, which is connected to the mainland via a bridge. The main industry seemed to be fishing, and many of our neighbors at the campground were recreational fishermen (and women). There are also a few good bicycle shops in town. It is a good place to stock up on supplies because it is the last major town for about 750 K's until Prince George.
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The aft of the ferry is a good place to hang out and enjoy the views as it is sheltered from the wind. If you're lucky you'll see a whale or some dolphins like we did! |
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The mountains come right down to the sea, although it was foggy and hard to get good views on our trip. Here we are going through a narrow passage. In some places it is so narrow you feel like you can reach out and touch the trees. |
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Here is another photo of a narrow passage we went through. There are thousands of islands that make up the Inside Passage. That combined with the fog would make it an easy place to get lost. |
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At one time there were many vibrant communities along the Inside Passage, a few of which remain as ghost towns. This town is one of them. With only 1 resident remaining the town is falling into disrepair. At one time it must have been a beautiful place to live. |
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Last updated 05 November 2000