Details — Transportation
- Travel to Vancouver Island by BC Ferry
Most hikers don’t fly. They get to Vancouver Island by vehicle / passenger ferry.
The best ferry if you are driving directly to the Nootka is out of Horseshoe Bay, a half hour north of downtown Vancouver on the TransCanada highway. If driving from the US, another good option is the ferry from Port Angeles, Washington to Victoria, BC
A ferry to Vancouver Island is a beautiful trip – a big highlight for Nootka hikers who have never been on an ocean ferry.
- Vancouver, BC — Vancouver Island
- Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay
- Horseshoe Bay to Duke Point
These ferries makes 10 – 15 crossings each day. You may wait a couple of hours to get on if you have a vehicle. The ferries are busy in summer. Waits can get very long on Sunday afternoons, Friday evenings and holidays.
Tsawwassen (about 1 hour south of downtown Vancouver but fairly close to the airport) to Swartz Bay, a half hour drive north of Victoria, is the ferry to take if you want to go to Victoria.
Make for Horseshoe Bay if you want to bypass Victoria and get up Island as quickly as possible.
Generally you don’t need to book in advance for a ferry though if you are on a tight schedule you may want to phone in a reservation. 888 223-3779 in BC or 250 386-3431 if calling from outside the Province. BC Ferries web site.
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- Port Angeles, Washington – Victoria, BC
- Coho
- Victoria Star (passengers only)
The best ferry from the US is the (seasonal) automobile ferry, the Coho out of Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. (US 1-800-833-6388, Canada 1-800-972-6509)
The Coho is convenient & very inexpensive (especially if you are driving a vehicle). Passengers pay US$7 one way. Most vehicles cost US$29 one way.
Bit of trivia — Millennium terrorist Ahmed Ressam was caught exiting the Coho ferry with a trunk load of explosives. He was en route to Los Angeles where he planned to blowup LAX.
If you don’t have a vehicle, there’s another (admittedly more expensive option) – the Victoria Star (passenger only) ferry. It costs US$12.50 one way, $25 return from Port Angeles.
Tip: If you have time, visit Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics, close to Port Angles.
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- Seattle, Washington – Victoria, BC
- Victoria Clipper (passenger only)
- The Princess Marguerite III
Out of Seattle, you could take a high-speed catamaran, one of the Victoria Clipper ships. Check the schedule at their web site.
Prices vary slightly, but most hikers will pay US$69 one way / US$115 return. You might get a cheaper fare if you telephone & ask about specials:
- (206)448-5000 (Seattle)
- (250) 382-8100 (Victoria)
- (800) 888-2535 (North America)
The Princess Marguerite III
The same company, Clipper Navigation, Inc., offers a vehicle ferry between Seattle and Ogden Point, Victoria. Maybe you can find the fare & schedule on their web site. We couldn’t.
