A day trip today, Vancouver to Victoria and back; some might not find it self-evident that Victoria is on Vancouver island but Vancouver isn’t. There are a bunch of ways to get there; herewith a little photo-essay on the best.

You could drive 50km to the ferry terminal, spend 90 minutes on the ferry, and then take another long drive to Victoria. There’s nothing wrong with the ferry ride, but it gets boring fast. Or you could struggle out to Vancouver airport, go through all the slow painful airport bullshit, fly a few minutes to Victoria airport, and struggle into town. Or you could do this.

Harbour Air seaplane in Vancouver

Harbour Air claims to be the world’s biggest all-seaplane airline. They leave from the Vancouver inner harbour, right downtown, fly 35 minutes at 2500 feet, and land in the Victoria inner harbour, today it was a three-block walk to the conference centre.

That altitude makes for a heck of a view. The world has enough shots of downtown Vancouver, so instead here’s lumber making its way up the Fraser river.

Lumber being towed up the Fraser River, Vancouver

Once you get out over the water, there’s lots of eye candy.

The Straight of Georgia from a seaplane
· · ·
The Straight of Georgia from a seaplane

Not only is this a pleasant way to fly, it’s safe. If the plane completely loses power, well, you coast down and there you are, floating.

Finally, on the way home today, I took a shot that has to include our house. The arrow points at where it should be but no, I can’t see it.

Vancouver from the air, Cambie and King Edward

author · Dad
colophon · rights

October 07, 2004
· The World (148 fragments)
· · Places
· · · Vancouver (157 more)
· · · Victoria
· · Travel (51 more)
· Arts (11 fragments)
· · Photos (980 more)

By .

The opinions expressed here
are my own, and no other party
necessarily agrees with them.

A full disclosure of my
professional interests is
on the author page.

I’m on Mastodon!