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Post by Scott on Mar 10, 2006 0:02:36 GMT -8
Does anyone know why the ferry goes from Prince Rupert to Skidegate instead of Prince Rupert to Masset? I was just looking at a map, and if the ferry just went to Masset, the route would probably be almost half the distance it is now.
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Post by hergfest on Mar 10, 2006 1:43:43 GMT -8
Skidegate is a bigger city? Also the Alliford Bay ferry leaves from there, so they can use the same terminal.
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Post by Mike C on Mar 10, 2006 13:55:35 GMT -8
Another note: The only airport in the entire Queen Charlottes is in Sandspit, 20 min ferry ride from Skidegate. Also, Queen Charlotte City is near Skidegate, and it's the biggest city in the Queen Charlottes.
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Neil
Voyager 
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Post by Neil on Mar 10, 2006 22:47:51 GMT -8
When BC Ferries started service to the Charlottes back in the late '70s, they did put into Masset. They had a tug and barge operation, the only one they've ever operated, and it took 12 hours. You could put your car on it, but you had to find your own way over, as there were no passengers carried. It ran twice a week. When they started proper ferry service, I guess Skidegate made more sense, being more in the general center of the Charlottes population, although Queen Charlotte City is certainly not a city in any sense of the word. I think Masset is bigger, but it is way at the northern end of Graham Island, and as mainlander said, Sandspit is the main landing field, so, its sensible to be nearer to it. If anyone gets a chance to take the ferry over, don't just go for the ride. The Charlottes are really gorgeous, and Naikoon Park, east of Masset, is an incredible place to camp. Miles of fantastic beach, and on a clear day, you can see the mountains in southern Alaska.
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Koastal Karl
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Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 10, 2006 22:51:42 GMT -8
Yeah I would like to go one day just to see the Charlottes. Looks like an interesting place.
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Doug
Voyager
Lurking within...the car deck.
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Post by Doug on Mar 11, 2006 0:23:51 GMT -8
I would like to go to the Queen Charlottes one day too. Just curious but does anyone know of any access to the west side of the islands?
I kind of get the thought of "desolation" when I think of the islands...but apparently there is a lot of old rain forests there.
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Post by Shane on Mar 11, 2006 6:05:35 GMT -8
I would love to go there too.
Im really into ghost towns, logging and native history, and Queen Charlotte Islands has all of that!
For ghost towns, there is also alot of old native villages(I mean ALOT, like one every mile of the coast, read "Queen Charlotte Islands: Places and Names" by Kathleen E. Dalzell.)
There is also some modern ones too.
And all of you know about its logging and native history.
Queen Charlotte Islands: Places and Names is an amazing book, I recomend it to anyone who wants a good book on BC coastal history.
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Post by Shane on Mar 11, 2006 6:21:06 GMT -8
I would like to go to the Queen Charlottes one day too. Just curious but does anyone know of any access to the west side of the islands? I kind of get the thought of "desolation" when I think of the islands...but apparently there is a lot of old rain forests there. There is at least one way to the west coast by road. Back in the 60's/70's there was a large mining town called Tasu on the west coast and a large logging camp called Sewell Inlet on the east coast of the island. Tasu was only accesable by plane(Its was too dangerous to sail on the west coast of the Charlottes. They decided to build a road between the two towns. The road followed an old prospectors portage known as Thlcaggins Cass(Which was originaly used by natives to haul canoes over the island to villages on the west coast.). In the 60's and 70's it was used to haul equipment to Tasu and to allow residents to go between the towns. The road went from Sewell Inlet to Newcombe Inlet(on the west coast) where there was a dock. From there a water taxi and barge sailed from Newcombe Inlet to Tasu. But Sewell Inlet and Tasu have since been abandoned, so Im unsure of the conditions of the road. |
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Mar 11, 2006 10:31:03 GMT -8
Despite the relative absence of good roads, there's still a lot to see where the road does take you. Graham Island is fairly flat in a lot of places, and some of the rainclouds that constantly soak Prince Rupert pass over the Charlottes without dumping. Most of the impressive forest land is on Moresby Island. You've got an excellent chance of seeing a lot of wildlife on Graham, and the feeling to the place is more like peaceful isolation rather than desolation.
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Post by Scott on Mar 11, 2006 11:46:28 GMT -8
Can you drive very far at all on Moresby Island? Or do you have to take a boat or plane to see most of it? There is a big National Park at the south end, but it doesn't look accessible except by boat or plane, at least by the map I have.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,196
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Post by Neil on Mar 11, 2006 23:39:13 GMT -8
Boat and plane are about it, for the most part, except around the north end. Some logging roads extend down a bit, but I don't know what condition they're in.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 12, 2006 8:48:59 GMT -8
Haida-Gwaii is in my vacation plans for sometime in the next 5 years.
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Post by tyty on Mar 12, 2006 10:06:18 GMT -8
Just a word of advice. If you're going to go to Haida Gwaii, go in the summer.
It is MISERABLE in the winter, and with only three sailings per week, weather delays can really make for a nightmare.
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Post by Shane on Mar 12, 2006 20:17:13 GMT -8
Well, how many people are going to go in the winter anyway?
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Post by Curtis on Mar 12, 2006 23:41:29 GMT -8
If you go on the QPR in Force 5 or higher waves that would be quite the ride you'd be like you aren't on a Disneyland style ride anymore a ride like that would be scarred in you mind forever
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Post by Shane on Mar 14, 2006 6:58:10 GMT -8
Doesnt the QoPR have a bar on her?
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Mar 14, 2006 15:21:27 GMT -8
Nope, just a Cafeteria!
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Post by Shane on Mar 14, 2006 22:24:03 GMT -8
Ah, the North has a bar though.
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Post by Curtis on Mar 14, 2006 22:33:23 GMT -8
Yeah probably
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Doug
Voyager
Lurking within...the car deck.
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Post by Doug on Mar 14, 2006 22:34:31 GMT -8
The North has a bar kind of mixed in with the buffet. As for the Rupert; I heard she does, but I guess they don't use it anymore (or when it's not busy).
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Post by Retrovision on Mar 14, 2006 22:49:56 GMT -8
The North used to atleast; it's in the Bannermans' book The Ships of British Columbia.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Mar 15, 2006 7:59:28 GMT -8
re Bars:
The Q-North has a bar: the Dogwood-Bar, located right at the side of the Evergreen-Buffet. I've touched it, seen it, smelled it, etc.
The ChillyWack has a temorary bar set up in a corner of the cafeteria during the DiscoveryCoast season. At least they did as of 1999, when I touched it, seen it, smelled it, etc.
I've also heard that the Q-Nanaimo has an unofficial outdoor beer garden on the top deck on summer friday nights....but you have to know a union member to get in.
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Post by Retrovision on Mar 15, 2006 9:35:50 GMT -8
I've also heard that the Q-Nanaimo has an unofficial outdoor beer garden on the top deck on summer friday nights....but you have to know a union member to get in. lol. yeah, so I've heard. it's right besides the public joint-smoking lounge: at the aft end of the ship, the "throw a body overboard and no one will know" end of the ship  |
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Post by kylefossett on Mar 15, 2006 16:39:35 GMT -8
the bowen queen when doing route 9a is just one big floating beer garden on friday nights
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Post by Shane on Mar 15, 2006 18:00:13 GMT -8
Are you serious.
That would be crazy, Lots of drunk guys+Lots of beer+A small ferry=Riot!
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