Trip 221 - July 12 & 16, 2021 (Monday and Friday)BC Ferries TripHorseshoe Bay to Nanaimo - Departure Bay (and back) Page 3 of 3
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Location of Departure Bay Ferry
Terminal:
City of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Liked: Fine water and mountain views. Of Note: Very windy on the sun deck in the front of the ship, the cost of the ride is expensive, sailing waits are possible (unless you have a reservation, which costs extra). Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Backroad Mapbook (5th edition) Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal Coordinates: Page 11 (North Vancouver) A6. Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook (9th edition) Departure Bay (Nanaimo) Ferry Terminal Coordinates: Page 19 (Nanaimo) C2. Related Websites: BC Ferries - Official Website, Queen of Cowichan Ferry Info - BC Ferries. Other Ferry Trips: Francois Lake Ferry Trip, Bowen Island Ferry Trip. The first two pages of this trip report cover the sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo - Departure Bay on BC Ferry Coastal Renaissance. This page shows the return sailing we took on July 16th on BC Ferry Queen of Cowichan, which is an older ship. 50. It's now Friday, July 16, 2021, and we are back at Nanaimo - Departure Bay Ferry Terminal for our return trip to Horseshoe Bay. Nanaimo also has Duke Point Ferry Terminal with service to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in Delta.
51. We did not have a reservation, so had to wait for the next sailing. Which turned out to be ok, as we have already sailed on Coastal Renaissance (the ship we just missed), and the next ship was an older Queen of Cowichan, and it was interesting to compare the two. Here we are boarding the Queen of Cowichan.
52. It's a somewhat complicated boarding procedure. Just past the entry point, a crew member faces the traffic and points to his left or to his right. To his left (your right) is a vast area, and it's easy to see where to go. But, to his right (your left), there is a ramp right next to the wall, and the ramp is not very obvious at first as it makes a right hand curve and soon disappears out of sight, so there was some confusion when he pointed us that way, but we figured it out. Something to remember when boarding Queen of Cowichan.
53-55. Leaving Departure Bay.
Here is our video of Queen of Cowichan Leaving Nanaimo-Departure Bay.
56. Let's check out the inside of Queen of Cowichan.
57. Turned out to be rather uninspiring after Coastal Renaissance. If what's inside the ship is important to you, Coastal Renaissance is definitely the ship to take. Queen of Cowichan felt more cramped and not as well designed or decorated. The progress is obvious with Coastal Renaissance.
58-59. Checking out the upper vehicle deck.
60-61. The views turned out to be much better sailing back to Horseshoe Bay, perhaps because the sun was shining in the right direction.
62-63. Speaking of Coastal Renaissance.
64-65. Closer to the end of the sailing, we got this fine zoomed photos of downtown Vancouver and the Lions Gate Bridge.
Here is our video of Downtown Vancouver seen from Queen of Cowichan.
66-68. Here is one of the more peculiar places to live in Metro Vancouver - Passage Island. You need a boat to get here, and then pretty much have thousands of people look at your house on a daily basis as they pass by in all kinds of ships and boats.
69. A busy sea: our Queen of Cowichan, a sailing boat to the right, a tug with a barge to the left, and Queen of Capilano (Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island) BC Ferry straight ahead.
Here is our video of this area.
One More.
More ihikebc videos are on our YouTube Channel. 70-71. Gulf Islands looking good.
72. Approaching Horseshoe Bay.
73. Docking at the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal next to Queen of Surrey.
74. And we are back on the road.
If you have an option and would like a better overall sailing experience, Coastal Renaissance is the ship to take. But, if you just want to check out the views and/or get from point A to point B, either one of these ships will do the job just fine.
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