Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2019 14:58:40 -0700
Reply-To: Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Victoria BC
In-Reply-To: <CAG12aivjpwaZnREGFio9QE2D5+j2zr4CpizQFACoFGWz4YyNhw@mail.gmail.com>
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I have been 3 times to Vancouver Island and all 3 times we had excellent
experiences with MV Coho at Port Angles and Victoria.
We had a reservation for an 8:00 am but we arrive the evening the day
before and came to the dock and asked if we can park on the dock for the
night for the next day departure. The answer is YES but they ask why we
won't get in tonight at 8:00 pm?, we will squeeze you in.... :-)
we save camping/parking fee in town... 6 times.... :-)
On Tue, Apr 23, 2019 at 2:22 PM Rick Cooper <rickdcooper@gmail.com> wrote:
> Gabriel, I've lived in Victoria now for 40 years and I don't know about a
> 100 year old ferry. What are you referring to?
>
> Perhaps you are talking about the MV Coho, run by Black Ball Ferries out of
> Port Angeles, WA. The Coho is an older ship but I wouldn't think it to be
> 100 years old. But I'm glad you mentioned ferries since Stan asked about
> ferries and I wanted to share my thoughts.
>
> There are three ferries systems that ply these waters. First is BC
> Ferries, which runs every one or two hours between Victoria (actually
> Swartz Bay, 25km north of Victoria) and Vancouver and almost as frequently
> to the various local Gulf islands. The ferries to Vancouver are big,
> mostly quite new and the facilities and service are fine.
>
> Second is Washington State Ferries which plies a route between Anacortes,
> WA and Sidney, a lovely little town about 20km north of Victoria. I think
> this service only runs during the summer but WA Ferries have their own
> ambience and I love taking them.
>
> But my favourite is the third option, Black Ball Ferries. It has only one
> ship, the aforementioned MV Coho. Black Ball Ferries has been operating
> this line for many decades and the Coho is an older but reliable ship that
> does the round trip from Port Angeles to Victoria and back once daily
> during the winter and twice daily during the summer. Because it's an older
> boat, it is kind of funky, but the staff are both friendly and efficient.
>
> Unfortunately, all of these ferry systems have discovered that you can ding
> an additional $15 from each customer by having an online reservation
> system. Since most people use it, it has become difficult to get on a
> sailing without a reservation. I traveled the Coho last Spring and managed
> to get on both ways without a reservation, but I was in line at least an
> hour before sailing. You take your chances. You will have to go through
> Customs at the ferry terminal. My experience has always been positive but
> Roger is correct: do NOT bring guns into Canada or you may well spend a
> couple of days sitting in our local jail until your case gets before a
> judge. We don't much like guns up here now that there is not a lot of game
> left for hunting.
>
> As for Victoria, the restaurants Gabriel mentioned are all still open and
> are good choices. I second his recommendations about the Hoh Valley and
> Olympic National Park generally. But come on over to the Island, it has
> some wonderful parks and beaches and many miles of logging roads if you
> don't mind shaking up your rig on rough roads.
>
>
>
>
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