For the 6th September we had booked a ferry for the route called The Inside Passage, from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy at the Northern Eastern tip of Vancouver Island. It was the most expensive thing we’d done all trip and was going to take 16 hours so fingers were crossed for a smooth sailing and lots of wildlife viewing.
We checked in at 5.40am for our 7.30am sailing and were boarded pretty quick. Just enough time to scoff our cereal quickly in the van in the queue. We left Prince Rupert in a misty haze with the sun just coming up. Very atmospheric!
We pootled South in amongst islands and we had a side window seat looking starboard.
The captain kindly announced any major wildlife sightings – which always seemed to be on the port side. We missed one humpback whale but saw the next two sightings, which were amazing.
Then some dolphins, but they were too quick for photos.
We docked at Bella Bella for about an hour but at least had the entertainment of spotting bald eagles in the surrounding trees while there. We spotted seven adults and two juveniles! Also one seal and many jumping fish. Wow!
And then we were off again.
We put our names down to a tour of the bridge and in the evening we were called to do it. We got to see all the navigational screens and instruments and while up on the bridge saw a huge humpback whale.
The second captain giving the tour also happened to be a massive TT fan.
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The evening passed quickly chatting to other holiday makers and passengers and before we knew it we were docking in Port Hardy.
Ooh we slept well after that. The next morning we had a pootle around Port Hardy and I reminisced about being here three years ago on kayak expedition. We left from here to paddle around Cape Scott and to Coal Harbour. What a great trip!
