Traveling to Your Campbell River - Port McNeill Coastal History Adventure with Jeanette Taylor

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Important points:

Columbia III will be moored at the Discovery Harbour Marina in Campbell River (250) 287-2614.
Board the vessel punctually between 6:00 pm and 6:15 pm. Not earlier, not later.
We serve snacks the first night but not dinner. We suggest you have dinner before boarding.
The Columbia III will arrive in Port McNeill at approximately 2 pm on the last day of the tour.
Upon our arrival in Port McNeill, a complimentary shuttle bus will return you to Campbell River by approximately 6 pm.

Our Campbell River - Port McNeill Coastal History Adventure begins in the town of Campbell River (map), located about 160 miles north of Victoria on the east side of Vancouver Island. Here the Columbia III will await your arrival at the Discovery Harbour Marina.

Getting to Campbell River

There are a number of ways of getting to Campbell River. The simplest is to fly directly from either Vancouver or Seattle to Campbell River’s regional airport. (CYBL) Flying time from Vancouver to Campbell River is approx 45 minutes. Other ways include the combination of either car and ferry or bus and ferry. Ferry crossing time from Vancouver to Vancouver Island is approx. 2 hours. Driving time from Nanaimo to Campbell River is 1.5 hours, or from Victoria to Campbell River is 3.5 hours.

By Air

From Vancouver

-Pacific Coastal Airlines runs numerous daily flights to Campbell River 1-800-663-2872 or 604-273-8666 (in Vancouver).

-Central Mountain Air: daily flights to Campbell River 1-888-865-8585 or 250-847-5000

-Air Canada: acts as a booking agent for Pacific Coastal Airlines and Central Mountain Air if an Air Canada ticket has been purchased to a connecting airport (i.e., Vancouver). 1-800-247-2262 (in Canada) or 1-800-776-3000 (in USA)

From Seattle

-Kenmore Air Seaplanes has direct flights to Campbell River 1-800-543-9595 or 425-486-1257 (in Seattle).

From Calgary, Alberta

-West Jet has daily flights to Comox (a town 45 minutes south of Campbell River by road) 1-888-937-8538.

By Surface

Ferry services to Vancouver Island

From Vancouver

-B.C. Ferries has year round vehicle and passenger service - Routes include: North Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay), South Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to South Nanaimo (Duke Point) and South Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Swartz Bay (near Victoria) 1-888-223-3779 or outside B.C. 250-386-3431.

From Washington State

-M.V. Coho has a vehicle and passenger ferry service from Port Angeles WA to downtown Victoria B.C.
-Washington State Ferries has vehicle and passenger service from Anacortes WA to Sidney B.C. (near Victoria) 1-888-808-7977 or 206-464-4600 (Seattle).
-Victoria Clipper has passengers-only ferry service from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria B.C. 1- 800-888-2535.

Bus Services

In Vancouver Area

-Greyhound Canada has service from Vancouver's downtown bus station to Campbell River. Ferry crossing included 1-800- 661-8747 or 604-287-7151 (in Campbell River).

On Vancouver Island

-Island Coach Lines (a division of Greyhound Canada) has frequent service between Victoria, Nanaimo, Campbell River, and Port McNeill 1-800-318-0818 or 250-956-3556 (in Port McNeill).
-The Airport Shuttle Bus: will transport people anywhere on Vancouver Island 250-286-3000

In Campbell River

-Campbell River Airporter 250-286-3000
-Campbell River Taxi 250-287-8294
-Bee Line Taxi 250-287-8383

Car Rental Providers

-Budget Car Rentals 1-800-268-8900 or 250-923-4283 (in Campbell River)
-National Car Rentals 1-800-227-7368 or 250-923-1234 (in Campbell River)

Guest Information

Visiting Vancouver Island

Many of our guests like to explore Vancouver Island before or after their adventure on the Columbia III. Please contact Tourism Vancouver Island (250)754- 3500 or www.islands.bc.ca for ideas and information. Accommodation through out B.C. can be arranged through 1-800-435-5622 or HelloBC.com.

Campbell River

For those guests who wish to arrive prior to our departure, or stay later after our trip, many hotels and bed & breakfasts are available in Campbell River. Further information is also available from the Campbell River & District Chamber of Commerce: (250) 287-4636.

Parking

There is a variety of parking available. Please ask for directions at the boat when you arrive.

Contacting Columbia III

The Columbia III can be contacted at these cellular numbers:1-888-833-8887 and 250-202-3229. In the case of an extreme emergency, the boat can be contacted directly by calling the Canadian Coast Guard in Comox (250) 339-3613. Ask them to send a message to MV Columbia III (quote this number: MMSI# 316-003- 614) sailing in the Discovery Islands area. We are often off the boat so expect a response to take 12 hours.

The ship’s phone is not for guest use.

Meals

We are happy to accommodate any personal dietary needs including vegetarian and vegan. Wine will be served with the evening meal. If you would like an alternative to alcohol please let us know on your medical form. Please notify us of any food allergies or needs on the medical form well in advance of your departure date.

Medical, Allergies, and Other Concerns

Mail us your completed Medical Form ASAP. Your tetanus vaccination must be up to date (less than 10 years old) before you leave. Be sure to bring enough of your required medications as you will be far from any drug stores. We may encounter minor ocean swells so if seasickness is a concern, please bring anti nausea medication. But rest assured, we travel in very sheltered areas and overnight in calm, protected bays. We do our best to avoid swells and waves!

Weather, Clothing, and Packing

Our skipper and certified guides will not take you in any weather conditions that are dangerous to you or the group. We will likely encounter some wind and waves (the ocean is not always flat!), but nothing that would compromise the safety of the group.

For maximum comfort, a layering system of lighter "quick-dry" and warmer fleece clothing works best. Merino wool is excellent as well. Avoid cotton which stays wet for a very long time. Waterproof raingear is essential. When getting in and out of the skiff on shore excursions your feet WILL get wet. We suggest a pair of sturdy water sandals or shoes, or rubber boots. Proper protection from the sun is essential so bring sun glasses, a sun hat, sun block and lip screen. Bring a water bottle. Staying hydrated in the outdoors is very important. When aboard the mothership, comfortable casual clothing is nice to change into after paddling.

Consider bringing the items listed on the packing list we provide.

We have waterproof bags (dry bags) onboard that you can use for your art supplies, cameras or other small items on our shore excursions if you like. Large Ziploc bags work as well. Hard suitcases are difficult to fit into the small storage compartments on the Columbia III, so if possible, bring your things in soft duffel type bags.

Packing List

sun hat / warm hat
fleece jacket
windbreaker or shell
waterproof rain gear (jacket and pants)
t-shirts, shorts, swimsuit (depending on the season!)
warm Layered clothing
shore Shoes (for walking or hiking)
sturdy water sandals or shoes (for kayaking)
toiletries
medications, prescription and non prescription
beach towel
day pack
sunglasses, spare pair of eyeglasses
sun-block, lip Screen
insect repellent
water bottle
sports gloves (for use while paddling)
binoculars, journal, sketchbook (optional)
waterproof bag
a good book

Suggested reading list annotated by Jeannette Taylor:

Some of the following books are out-of-print but should be available through libraries:

The Age of Exploration

Madness, Betrayal and the Lash, Stephen R. Brown; a history of Capt George Vancouver’s voyage to the Pacific northwest coast.
The Voyage of Sutil and Mexicana 1792, John Kendrick; a translation of the Spanish explorers’ account of their voyage through Georgia Strait and the Broughtons.
The Voyage of George Vancouver, 1791-1795, Volume I, George Vancouver, Hakluyt Society; a reprint of Vancouver’s journals edited by W. Kaye Lamb of the BC Archives.
Early Maritime Artists of the Pacific Northwest Coast, 1741-1841, John Frazier Henry; a well illustrated and informative synopsis of early exploration.

Fiction

Woodsmen of the West, A. Grainger; an account of working for gypo loggers around Minstrel Island in 1905 by a man who later became one of BC’s first foresters.
Seagull’s Cry, Maud Emery; a fiction account of a woman’s life as a handlogger’s wife in the Toba Inlet area.
I Heard the Owl Call My Name, Margaret Craven; a haunting account of a young priest’s posting to the Kingcome Village; another BC coast classic.

General Histories

River City, A History of Campbell River & the Discovery Islands, Jeanette Taylor.
Tidal Passages, A History of the Discovery Islands, Jeanette Taylor.
The Quadra Story, Jeanette Taylor.
Spilsbury’s Coast, Pioneer Years in the Wet West, Howard White and Jim Spilsbury; the biography of a traveling radio repairman with a knack for describing the many colourful characters he served throughout the Discovery Islands before World War II.
Evergreen Islands, Doris Andersen; a concise history of each of the island communities from Quadra to Alert Bay.
Working in the Woods, Ken Drushka; one of the best books on coastal logging in BC.
The Curve of Time, M. Wylie Blanchet; the adventures of a single mother with her large family cruising the coast in the 1930s and ‘40s; a BC classic.
Seven-Knot Summers, Beth Hill; tales of the coast as seen through the journals and photos of the Barrows, who cruised the coast from the 1920s to 1940s.
Upcoast Summers, Beth Hill; historical ramblings about coastal communities.
From Fijord to Floathouse, Myrtle Siebert; a family history that gives a charming account of coastal life for settlers in the 1920s.
Full Moon Flood Tide, Proctor/Maximchuk; the stories of Billy Proctor, a man who has lived his whole life in the Echo Bay area, where his concerns of the latter years have turned to salmon stock preservation.
Desolation Sound, A History, Heather Harbord, 2007; an illustrated history of Desolation Sound and surround area.
The Columbia is Coming, Doris Andersen; a well-researched and very readable history of the Columbia Coast Mission, which served the remote islands and inlets from Powell River to Alert Bay.
Two Wolves at the Dawn of Time, Kingcome Inlet Pictographs, 1893-1998, Judith Williams; an interwoven account of the Kingcome Inlet First Nation and the pioneering Halliday family.

First Nations

Kwakwaka’wakw Settlements, Galois; a geographical compilation of info on all the Kwakwaka’wakw (formerly called Kwakiutl) sites of northern Vancouver Island; a good reference book.
Chiefly Feasts, Aldona Jonaitis; a beautifully illustrated guide to the complex potlatch system of the Kwakwaka’wakw.
Down From the Shimmering Skys, Peter MacNair et el; fabulous art book for the art of First Nations of the Pacific Northwest.
Cedar, Hilary Stewart; line drawings and text describe the many uses of cedar in traditional First Nations culture.
Artifacts, Hilary Stewart; line drawings and photos describe the uses of stone tools.
Totem Poles and Tea, Hughina Harold; the story of two Anglican Church mission women who lived on a float house at Mimquimlees, Village Island, in the 1930s to look after children with TB.
Guests Never Leave Hungry, Spradley; the biography of Jimmy Sewid, a powerful and charismatic chief who was raised at Mimquimless.
Sliammon Life, Sliammon Lands; a history of the Mainland Comox First Nations people of the Church House and Desolation Sound area.

Web Sites

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