Traveling on the Wing

Seaplanes are a part of life on the coast. The planes are used to transport people, mail and goods between communities all over coastal BC, as well as to the US. Campbell River is a hub for seaplane travel, with routes radiating out to communities on the islands as well as along the more remote central and northern mainland coastline.

It is not unusual for Ed or Shelley to hop on a mail run to get out to a property. These mail runs are scheduled year-round and are crucial for the more remote communities. Seats are often available to people looking to get out to these areas, and pick up can be scheduled or arranged for the next mail day. Of course, charter flights are also common.  Fishing lodges, wilderness tours, logging camps and fish farms all book charter flights to get people, and goods, to and from their remote locations.

Float planes aren't just for servicing remote communities however. Many business people are finding that float plane is a quick and economical way to travel between even large urban centres these days. Harbour to harbour flight back and forth between Victoria and Vancouver is very common, even for people looking to visit for the week-end. With the cost and time of ferry/car travel, harbour to harbour flights are becoming a great alternative for getting quickly to your chosen destination.

Children here grow up seeing float planes land and take-off on a regular basis. There is nothing quite so spectacular as a plane coming down over your head as it comes in to land on the water beside you.

Come to the coast and you will soon see that these wonderful planes are an integral and daily part of life.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

BCO Coastal Hidden Gems: Telegraph Cove

Telegraph Cove is a name that is familiar to many people, but not as many people know where it is located and what really is there. It has made a name for itself as one of the premier whale watching destinations in BC, and offers visitors whale watching tours and a whale museum.

But there is so much more at Telegraph Cove. The small community is built around a historic boardwalk that was at one time part of a fishing and cannery village in that location. Visitors can stay in small accommodations right on the boardwalk, where you will find a coffee shop and the natural museum alongside historic buildings and artifacts from bygone days.

There are two marinas and RV parks in Telegraph Cove, as well as private rentals and homes. The area is the launch point for many whale watching businesses, as it is located close to the Robson Bight ecological reserve where orca whales are frequent visitors.

Telegraph Cove is approximately 210 km north of Campbell River and just south of Port McNeill, on the east coast of Vancouver Island

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

Accessing Remote Properties

"So, how long does it take to drive there?" "Can I take the ferry there?"

BC Oceanfront transportation

If there is one thing we know at the BCO office, it's that remote properties mean different things to different people. Whenever someone tells Ed they are looking for remote property, the first thing he works to clarify is just how remote they mean.

Bute Inlet

 

BC Central Coast properties, such as Jervis Inlet, Bute Inlet or Phillips Arm, are logistically the most isolated. These are water access only properties, which can be reached by boat or float plane. While there may be some logging roads in the vicinity, there is not any possibility of road access from an urban area to anywhere near the property. If you own your own boat or float plane, then getting there is relatively straight-forward. Otherwise there are water taxis and float plane charter companies that can provide transportation - for a fee of course.

Phillips Arm

 

Many other properties, although in a more populated area, are still water access properties. The Discovery Islands or further north in the Broughton Archipelago on the east side of Vancouver Island and Kyuquot and Barkley Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island are examples of these types of properties. In these cases you can often drive to the nearest community and then use a public boat launch to travel by boat. Again there are charter options for all these properties.

Kyuquot

Another important factor to keep in mind is that travelling to these properties will be weather-dependent. While coast regulars do get used to travelling in poor weather conditions, there are still days that even charter planes and water taxis can't run. If you are using personal transportation, the weather factor will also depend on the size and type of boat you are using.

Remote properties are enticing and appealing to many people, for many different reasons. It's just important that logistics come into play when actually moving forward on purchasing a remote property, and a big logistic is how to access the properties.

 

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

BCO Coastal Gem: Port Neville

Central to all outdoors activities and wildlife, Port Neville is a picturesque mainland inlet that provides relatively well-protected areas for outdoor activities, including excellent salmon and halibut fishing, crabbing and prawning. Port Neville is situated in Johnstone Strait on a portion of the mainland of British Columbia that extends towards and is the closest geographically to Vancouver Island. This location  puts one in the heart of some of the most dramatic coastal wilderness. 

 

There are properties on both sides of the inlet, with a government dock at historic Port Neville itself. Until 2010 there was a post office at Port Neville, one of the longest working post offices in BC.

 

The inlet and the waters of Johnstone Strait are known for their abundance of wildlife. There is a tremendous variety of mainland wildlife such as deer, cougars and bears including resident Grizzly bears who can be viewed seasonally at the head of the inlet as they feed on returning salmon. Marine wildlife includes sea lions, seals, dolphins and orca whales. 

 

Access to Vancouver Island is approximately 20 minutes away by boat - 9 miles southeast and across Johnstone Strait to Kelsey Bay, just north of Sayward, which provides moorage, boat launching facilities, a local grocery store, service station, restaurants, school, and RCMP detachment. The Port Harvey Marine Resort, situated to the north of Port Neville between East and West Cracroft Islands, offers a general store, moorage and a licensed restaurant.

 

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

 

Travelling the West Coast

For travellers in the Nootka Sound region, transportation options are limited to water and sky generally. One of the most interesting trips is to travel aboard the MV Uchuck III, a refitted Minesweeper that has been on the west coast for more than 50 years.

The Uchuck provides regular transportation of goods between a number of the small, water-based communities in the Nootka Sound region. The trips generally begin in Gold River. Year round the Uchuck visits the Nootka communities every Tuesday, and makes the trip to Kyuquot every week as well. In the summer there are also tourist cruises offered in the region.

Not only locals use the service. This is a very popular route with hikers looking to get to the Nootka Trail, and with kayakers who want to access the region. Watching a wet launch is quite common on the Uchuck, where kayakers are dropped into the water in their kayaks ready to go.

Travelling on the Uchuck is a wonderful opportunity to see many of the small west coast communities in Nootka Sound, as well a great way to experience the amazing West Coast of Vancouver Island.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle .... Pass It On!

The Campbell River Seawalk

We are incredible fortunate in Campbell River to have many walking trails. Whether you like to walk along rivers, through forests or around lakes, Campbell River offers trails for all interests. One of the most popular walks, and one of the things that makes Campbell River so special, is the Seawalk.

The Seawalk stretches from the south end of Campbell River through to downtown. It is a paved walkway, used by dog walkers, families, roller bladers and cyclists. The 5.5km Seawalk provides many unobstructed views of Discovery Passage and the beaches of Campbell River. It is wheelchair and stroller friendly, and well marked for both pedestrian and bicycle use.

You can find people on the Seawalk at any time, on any day. It is a wonderful trail to showcase the access to Campbell River's waterfront, one of the best public waterfront's on the island.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

BCO Coastal Gems: Read Island

Overshadowed by its larger island neighbours Quadra and Cortes, Read Island sits in the heart of the Discovery Islands. Well known now for its easy access beaches and the large provincial park at its southern tip, Read Island has a vibrant if small community that includes a community centre and a public school.

Originally settled by farmers, Read has been home to logging camps, fishermen, fish farms and homesteaders throughout its history. While the year round population is quite small, there are many seasonal visitors who maintain residences, as well as some lodges. The island is water access only, and there is no ferry service.

Amazing water ways, beautiful beaches, stunning rock formations, old abandoned orchards, wildlife and so much more await someone who ventures to Read Island. To truly immerse in the history of the island one can find a number of books that reference Read Island along with the other Discovery Islands. A good one to start with is Tidal Passages. Read about the first farmers, the logging camps, the scandals and the families that formed Read Island into the community it is today. Some of the history exists only in the shape of the land, while other parts are visible in the place names.

 

Read Island is one of those locations that make the coast such a magical place to explore, we hope you get a chance to visit!

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!