Ferryman
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 23, 2008 9:41:56 GMT -8
Alright guys, this is probably going to be the last summer that the Queen of Prince Rupert will be running. So we need to plan a trip right now, in order to reserve ourselves a spot sometime in the summer. We'll discuss dates in a moment, so I'll start by putting together costs/schedules for your planning convienience. Cost- Mainlanders start by inserting Mainland-Island Fare (approx. $12)
- Insert a carpool fee for whoever will drive us from Nanaimo to Port Hardy. (approx $20?)
- Insert a cost for a hotel/motel in Port Hardy. (approx $100)
- Northern Adventure day cruise to Prince Rupert. ($125 + 16.25 fuel surcharge). (**if you want a cabin, add the following cost to your total yourself. Inboard cabins [w/out window] are $85 and $105 for an outboard cabin [w/window])
- Insert the cost for a hotel/motel in Prince Rupert here. Approx. $100
- Round trip fare from Prince Rupert to Queen Charlotte Islands fare is $65.90. A cabin (limited) is $60 each way [add yourself].
- Depending on what day, we'll have 5.5 hours to kill in Skidegate. So here's an option fare to include a round trip from Skidegate to Alliford Bay on the Kwuna. (approx $8)
- Return fare was already included above for trip back to Prince Rupert. (chances are this will be an overnight crossing)
- Insert cost for another hotel room another 2 days/nights, as we'll just miss the Southbound Northern Adventure sailing. (approx $200)
- Fare for Southbound trip from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy on the Northern Adventure. $125 + 16.25 fuel surcharge). (**if you want a cabin, add the following cost to your total yourself. Inboard cabins [w/out window] are $85 and $105 for an outboard cabin [w/window])
- Our arrival in Port Hardy will be at 10:30pm, so I think we'll need another hotel room, unless we've slept on most of the day cruise and are willing to make the trek down south again.
- Insert gas tip for whoever is driving ($10-$20)
- Mainlanders gotta pay another $12 for the trip home
- Total (without cabin on Ferries): Islanders: $796.40 + food Mainlanders: $820.40 + food
Schedule- Day 1: Mainlanders should choose an early to mid morning sailing, to get a head start for getting up to Port Hardy. I'm thinking this is a 3-4 hour drive?
- Day 2: We must arrive at Bear Cove terminal the next day at at least 5:30am or 6:00am at the very latest to check in. Departure time is 7:30am and we arrive in Prince Rupert at 10:30pm
- Once we arrive in Prince Rupert, we would find our hotel for the night.
- Day 3: I'm thinking we choose a day where the sailing departs at 11:00am, which means we have to be at the terminal at 9:00am to 9:30am at the latest. Arrival in Skidegate is 5:30pm.
- Assuming we don't want to spend the night here (we still could), we could catch the 6:30pm sailing to Alliford Bay on the Kwuna, and then return on the 7:00pm sailing.
- We'll still have a couple hours to kill once we get back to Skidegate at 7:30pm, and would have to be back at the terminal for our sailing back to Prince Rupert for 9:00pm tp 9:30pm at the latest.
- Day 4 and 5: Once we get back to Prince Rupert at 7:30am, we will have to spend the rest of the day there, along with another day, as we will be arriving in Prince Rupert just seconds after the Northern Adventure Heads south.
- Day 6 we'll be doing the Southbound trip to Port Hardy on the Norad. Departs at 7:30am and arrives at 10:30pm. We must be at the terminal for 5:30 am or 6:00am at the latest.
- Day 7: We all head south on the Island Highway to return home
Alright, so I'm not too happy about having to spend 2 days in Prince Rupert once we get back from the Queen Charlotte Islands. It's difficult to plan a schedule without any sort of date in mind, as the schedules vary on different days. So I chose the dates for times that the majority of the sailings regularily happen on. As per usual, I look forward to what everyone will decide. I'll adjust the schedule up above if we can all agree on a date. In some ways, the faster we do this trip, the better. I just don't have a clue as to what my summer schedule will be like. So if I book this now, it gives me lots of notice to give to my employer.
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Post by Balfour on Feb 23, 2008 10:45:02 GMT -8
There is a good Hostel in Prince Rupert which would be much cheaper than a hotel. Also the hostel owner operates a shuttle to the ferry terminal to connect with the early morning departure of the NorAd.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 23, 2008 10:48:05 GMT -8
Chris I would count on a little more time from Nanaimo to Port Hardy. Mind you some of the Island highway didn't go as far and the construction slowed things down. Always seems to be construction somewhere on that route with the road down to one lane. The two lane sections can be very slow when you get stuck behind cars pulling trailers or logging trucks. We took two side trips on the way up or down almost everytime. Telegraph Cove is great to see. Sometimes a cruise ship is moored there and/or visiting yachts. Kelsey Bay (the old southern terminus) is the other stop I have made. I usually stopped in Courtenay or Campbell River White Spot or when in more of a hurry A & W drive through.
Booking early gets you into one of the better motels for not much more than the scuzzy ones. Tour groups tend to book up the best ones. It is not unusual for all of them to be totally booked. There is a camp ground if some would prefer that. You can leave your car at a couple of the motels free and camp ground free, if you have booked there. I have only done it for the round trip though not adding the QC portion. The shuttle van that takes you to the ferry had a $5 or $8 fee. If there is going to be a group it would be a good idea to warn them so maybe they pick you up first or send a van especially for you. You can also order a cab for more money. Have a granola bar or something because there isn't anything to eat at the terminal and you have to check in so early that there is quite a wait until you board. The cafeteria didn't open up until just before departure at 7am. After getting up at 5am that was a long wait first thing in the morning. Hopefully they have changed some of this (ie openning earlier or some coffee at the terminal). If they presell food packages on the ferry still you may want to consider that. It saved a fair bit. But maybe that was only for the buffet on the QoftN.
The Pioneer Inn (not the best place) or the campground are the closest to the ferry. The Quartermaster Inn and the Glen Lyon Inn beside it in Port Hardy on the marina were by far the nicest for not much more and not in the middle of no where like the Pioneer Inn. They fill up first with tour groups.
If you are going to spring for a cabin they are first come first served on the ferry. Less of an issue on the Nor Ad then the QoftN because only a few of the outside cabins had unobstructed views. Once all the reservations are allocated you can still purchase a cabin once you are on board. One cabin at least lets you store all your backpacks/stuff in a secure place so you don't have to cart it all over the ferry with you.
Cheaper than driving and staying overnight was the bus. It drove all night though and arrived in time for the ferry. So someone wanting to take the trip and prepared for the pain could do that to save some money. Some German hikers I met on one trip had done that.
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Post by BreannaF on Feb 24, 2008 5:23:08 GMT -8
One quick observation on the itinerary: While I understand the theme of a trip like this is to experience the Northern ferries and the QoPR in particular, it seems like such a shame that after spending the time, money, and effort to get all the way to the Queen Charlottes, that a person would only spend a few hours there.
It's just that this isn't the kind of excursion that the average person is going to do every day, or even every year. It seems like it would be a shame if the answer to "What did you do this Summer" is that you managed to get to the Queen Charlotte Islands for a few hours.
Offhand, I'm not sure just how the schedules fit in here, but it would at least be worth looking hard to see if any of the 2 days spent in Rupert on the way back could be spent on the Island instead.
Just a thought........
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 24, 2008 17:04:30 GMT -8
I agree with BryanK, that spending $750+ to go to the QCI, and spending 5 hours there is a little pointless.
When I did the NorAd to Prince Rupert last summer, it took us 9 hours to drive up from Victoria, stopping for dinner in Courtenay (Timmy's, I think). Subtract 2 hours to go from nanaimo, and you get the idea of the time involved. Up until Campbell River, the Island Highway is all 4 lane freeway. After, it slows to 80km/h for the most part and turns into single lane and it's fairly twisty.
Google maps gives an estimate of 6.5 hours from victoria, which I found in my experience to be way off. I go to school with a guy who goes up to Port McNeil a few times a month. It takes him 5.5 hours, and that's averaging about 160 on the freeway, and 120 on the rest of the highway.
I would love to go on this trip, but since I am going to school during the summer, I am going to have to play it by ear, unless it happens in the last few weeks of June, since I have a break between terms then.
I just looked at the Greyhound website, and to go by bus to Port Hardy from Victoria, one way, is $77.50. From Nanaimo, it's $62.10. From Victoria it's a 10 hour bus ride, from Nanimo it's 7.5.
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 24, 2008 17:46:16 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 24, 2008 18:30:39 GMT -8
I'm not going for this proposed trip, for the reason noted above, the the short time on Haida Gwaii, vs the costs involved.
For me, here's what I have planned:
1) Summer 2010 for a family vacation to include a trip on the NorEx from Hardy to Rupert, and then over to the QCI on the NorAd. - spend approx 1 week on Haidi Gwaii, including lots of beach time at Naikoon park. - I've never been to QCI, and I see this as a once-a-decade type of trip for my family.
2) I've never been on the QPR ferry, and time is running out. - I'm beginning to think through the idea of a September 08 trip, as a footie on the QPR. Hopefully she'll do some inside passage overnight trips, while Norad goes for a refit/repair. - The main point of the trip for me would be to experience the QPR ship, for the first & last times. - I've got time to think this through for a few more months.
I'm also toying with the idea of a 3 day Q'Chilliwack Route-40 footie trip; for the voyage that includes Klemtu. It would involve 2 nights of short naps in the recliner chair, and living out of a small backpack, but to see the mid-coast close-up, and to see Klemtu, would be worth it. - If that happens, it could be sometime this summer.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Feb 24, 2008 21:51:49 GMT -8
I second some of the sentiments above. That's a lot of money just for the sake of riding the Queen of Prince Rupert, and I can guarantee you, the islands are a lot more interesting than the ferry ride. Spend a few days, camp in Naikoon Park, get to know the place a bit- you won't regret it. Your memories of the 'Charlottes/Haida Gwaii will probably be more significant than memories of the ferry.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 24, 2008 21:53:38 GMT -8
Chris, I think your prices for the cabins are a little off.
According to the BCF fares site, for day cruise service, the inboard cabins are 85.00 and the outboard cabins are 105.00. I think you might have been looking at the overnight service.
Also, another idea could be to go up on the NorAd and to the QCI and back on the QPR, and then drive down through the interior. Might be pricier, but it would avoid the 2 day layover in Prince Rupert, and enable the trip to be done in 5 days if necessary. The drive can be done in 20 hours if there is more than 1 person willing to drive, and they don't mind driving at night.
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Ferryman
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 24, 2008 22:23:16 GMT -8
Alright, I'm glad I have some input on this. I've been down in Port Coquitlam all weekend and just got home, and while I was driving down there I was thinking that everyone would rather spend the 2 day layover on the Charlottes. That should have been a no brainer to me (like D'UH! everyone is saying to me).
Thanks for the correction Nick, I'll edit the initial post. As I was writing that post, I accidently hit the "back" button on the internet browser, which completely erased what I had wrote originally. So I was impatient as I was re-writting it, and was rushing through picking out fares on the BCF website.
This would no doubt be considered part of my summer vacation days off from work, so I may as well make this well worth it especially at this cost as some people have already mentioned. If we can all decide on a date to do this, it gives a better idea of the schedule we'll have. It would be most ideal if we could spend a day or two in the Charlottes and return to Rupert on the Rupert. But would somehow be able to just jump on the Norad a few hours later without having to get another hotel for the night in Rupert. But with how the schedules are set, I doubt that it would work.
Accomadation is still something I haven't had a chance to look into. I'd be willing to campout in a tent, but am leary of the unpredictable weather of the North Coast. Normally I'm known for my Champagne tastes with a budget for beer for accomadation. But as long as I have a nice clean bed to sleep in (without bedbugs) and a little bit of privacy, I'll be happy.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 24, 2008 23:08:24 GMT -8
I wish the QPR would do a repositioning cruise from Tsawwassen to Port Hardy. I spent a day on the Charlottes but that wasent really enough time. I would like to see more of the Charlottes but it costs so much to take your car up there. Best place in Port Hardy is the Quaterdeck and Glen Lyon Inn. I would rather sleep on the ferry than at Thunderbird Inn in Port Hardy if that was at all possible. Prince Rupert the Moby Dick Inn is pretty nice and the Charlottes we stayed at the Sea Raven Motel. Not the greatest. But you aint gonna find a first class hotel on the Charlottes!
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 24, 2008 23:10:17 GMT -8
Accommodation in Queen Charlotte City...
There are two hostels, as follows:
The Bunkhouse 559-8383 Premier Creek Hostel 559-8415
Last year I stayed at the adjacent Premier Creek Lodging hotel and it was fine. The hostel appeared to be okay.
You should also know the following about return trips from QCI to Rupert on the QPR. The Thursday and Friday night departures get into Rupert the next morning in time to connect with the southbound departure of the NorAd. Understand though that this connection alternates between Friday mornings one week and Saturday mornings the following week. The following is quoted from the official (non Ghost) schedule:
Thursday depart 11:00 pm arrive Friday 7:30 am # Friday depart 11:00 pm arrive Saturday 7:30 am # # To provide a connection southbound with Prince Rupert to Port Hardy schedule, arrival time Prince Rupert shall be 6:00 am, on the following days: Saturdays June 14, 28, July 12, 26, Aug. 9, 23, Sept. 6, Fridays June 20, July 4, 18, Aug. 1, 15, 29.
Another possibility if you drive is to take a side trip and go for a ride on the Francois Forester across Francois Lake which is south of Burns Lake which is about half way between Prince Rupert & Prince George on Hwy 16. This barge like ferry is maybe the second largest inland ferry in BC carrying close to 50 cars. The crossing time is about 15 minutes.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 24, 2008 23:18:39 GMT -8
OK, I've figured out a schedule.... It's in the middle of June, but if that's OK, this might work. June 14 (sat) Travel up island to Port Hardy. Arrive at night, stay at Quatse River campground (I've stayed there before, it's about 10 minutes from Bear Cove terminal). websiteSunday take the NorAd to Prince Rupert, depart at 0730, arrive at 2230. Spend the night somewhere in Prince Rupert. Monday Find something to do in Prince Rupert. Perhaps take the Nicola for a day trip (is this even possible?) depart for QCI at 2100 aboard QPR. Tuesday Arrive skidegate at 0600. Find something to do on QCI, not too hard from what I have heard. Would be good to have a vehicle, since there are many backroads and little explored areas to see. There's a few campgrounds to stay at, Naikoon prov. park is probably best, but it's far away from the terminal if we don't have a vehicle to use. Wednesday Continue exploring QCI Thursday Continue exploring QCI Depart for Prince Rupert at 2300 aboard QPR. Friday Arrive at Prince Rupert at 0600 Depart Prince Rupert at 0730 on NorAd. Arrive Port Hardy at 2230 Stay overnight at Quatse River again Saturday travel down island home. OK, I know there are many issues with this, the biggest one for me is that both trips on QPR are in the dark. Also, I'm not sure how much there is to do on QCI without a vehicle. 3 days might be a little excessive. OK, so what does everyone think?
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 24, 2008 23:37:12 GMT -8
Another option would be to go north on the NorAd on Wednesday June 18, West to QCI on Thursday (this would depart Prince Rupert at 1100, so it would be daylight). Stay on the islands until Monday June 23, when we would depart at 1100 again for Prince Rupert, and then drive south through the interior (driving time from Prince Rupert to Vancouver is about 20 hours).
This would allow more time on QCI and would be daylight sailings, but we would have the added expense of taking a vehicle on the inside passage, and driving through the interior. Also, if we are going to spend that much time on the islands, we might as well take a vehicle over and be able to see more while we're there.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 25, 2008 7:27:02 GMT -8
You can sleep on the ferry for if you are doing the roundtrip south but I don't believe you can if you are going to the Charlottes. In PR there is the taller hotel that used to be a Coast Inn (or Howard Johnson?) that was better than the Thunderbird but things may have changed since I was last there.
The boat tour of Haida Gwaii is on my to-do list but I have no idea what it costs.
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Ferryman
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Post by Ferryman on Feb 25, 2008 8:42:15 GMT -8
Nick,
One small issue I feel like pointing out, based on past experience with camping. The only problem I see about camping at the Quatse River campground is that the Norad departs Bear Cove at 7:30am. We would have to be checked in with our reservations by 5:30am-6:00am, which means we would all have to start getting ready by 4:30am ish, to take down all of the tents, etc, in the dark.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 25, 2008 9:46:40 GMT -8
I love to camp but hate the hurried pack up in the mornings. We were all packed ready to go just to get up the next morning and dress. We even waited to shower until we were had our cabin on the ferry.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 25, 2008 10:33:25 GMT -8
If we were rich you could take the Inside Passage trip then over to the Charlottes come back to Rupert then drive out to Prince George, down to Williams Lake out to Bella Coola and take everyones favorite ferry back to Port Hardy on a 12 hour cruise on the Wack!! ;D
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Feb 25, 2008 13:44:35 GMT -8
Nick, One small issue I feel like pointing out, based on past experience with camping. The only problem I see about camping at the Quatse River campground is that the Norad departs Bear Cove at 7:30am. We would have to be checked in with our reservations by 5:30am-6:00am, which means we would all have to start getting ready by 4:30am ish, to take down all of the tents, etc, in the dark. That's a good point, Chris. I should have thought of that. When we did it we had a trailer, so packing up wasn't that big of deal (more like hitch up and go...).
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Post by Nickfro on Feb 25, 2008 15:35:06 GMT -8
Another option would be to take the QPR sometime between April and June, as the schedule lists the QPR in service (not the NorAd) during that period. Of course that would make you have to stay in Prince Rupert for a couple of days as she always does at least one Queen Charlottes crossing between Inside Passage crossings. Just a thought for those that may want to ride the QPR but not in the summer period.
You could also shorten the trip by transferring to the Nimpkish (northbound) at Bella Bella and driving back to the Lower Mainland from Bella Coola. Of course the Nimpkish option would require you to take your vehicle on board.
For example: leave Port Hardy on Saturday at 6pm, leave Bella Bella on Sunday at 2am, arrive Bella Coola on Sunday at 1145am. Fares for this option: $176 car, $36.55 car fuel surch, $88 passenger, $18.30 pass fuel surch = $318.85 Total. Of course the car amount can be divided up between the number of people on that trip, making the 'per person' costs lower. You also won't need multiple hotel bookings with these departure times, making the total cost cheaper. I wonder, though, how much fun one would have on a small boat like the Nimpkish for 9+ hours.
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 25, 2008 17:59:08 GMT -8
Another option for a two or three day layover in Rupert would be to go north on the AMHS to say Ketchikan. Then your trip would really be international in scope. You will want to check out the AMHS's 'backpackers' staterooms'.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Feb 25, 2008 19:09:58 GMT -8
You will want to check out the AMHS's 'backpackers' staterooms'. .....do you mean the stern outside-deck? aka "tent city" ?
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Post by WettCoast on Feb 25, 2008 19:42:20 GMT -8
You got it! ;D
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Feb 25, 2008 20:39:47 GMT -8
Or you could do what me and Scott did. Go the last day of the Ruperts Northbound Inside Passage schedule then take her to the Charlottes too, come back on her then take the Nor Ad back along the Inside Passage. The schedule change allowed us to do that last year but not sure if it is the same this year.
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Feb 26, 2008 8:33:15 GMT -8
I'm still debating how I might be able to get in on this trip.
I'm just wondering, would we need to make reservations for individual passengers ahead of time, or just for a vehicle or two, and then carpool the rest of us into them.
I would also be more for the camping out option, just for the hopes of cutting down on expenses a little bit.
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