Traveling to Your Broughton Cruise Adventure with Jeanette Taylor

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Important points:

• Columbia III will be moored at the Discovery Harbour Marina in Campbell River (250) 287-2614.
• Board the vessel punctually between 4:00 pm and 4:15 pm. Not earlier, not later.
• The Columbia III returns to Port McNeill at approximately 2 pm on the last day of the tour. A complimentary shuttle bus will return you to Campbell River by about 5pm.
• The Columbia III cell phone number is 250-202-4745

Our Campbell River to Port McNeill Coastal History Adventure begins in the town of Campbell River, located about 160 miles north of Victoria on the east side of Vancouver Island. Here the Columbia III will await your arrival.

Getting to Campbell River

There are a number of ways of getting to Campbell River. The simplest is to fly directly from either Vancouver or Seattle to Campbell River's regional airport. (CYBL) Flying time from Vancouver to Campbell River is approx 45 minutes. Other ways include the combination of either car and ferry or bus and ferry. Ferry crossing time from Vancouver to Vancouver Island is approx. 2 hours. Driving time from Nanaimo to Campbell River is 1.5 hours, or from Victoria to Campbell River is 3.5 hours.

By Air

From Vancouver

-Pacific Coastal Airlines runs numerous daily flights to Campbell River 1-800-663-2872 or 604-273-8666 (in Vancouver).

-Central Mountain Air: daily flights to Campbell River 1-888-865-8585 or 250-847-5000

-Air Canada: acts as a booking agent for Pacific Coastal Airlines and Central Mountain Air if an Air Canada ticket has been purchased to a connecting airport (i.e., Vancouver). 1-800-247-2262 (in Canada) or 1-800-776-3000 (in USA)

From Seattle

-Kenmore Air Seaplanes has direct flights to Campbell River 1-800-543-9595 or 425-486-1257 (in Seattle).

From Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta

-West Jet has daily flights to Comox (a town 45 minutes south of Campbell River by road) 1-888-937-8538.

By Surface

Ferry service to Vancouver Island

From Vancouver

-B.C. Ferries: year round vehicle and passenger service - Routes include: North Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay), South Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to South Nanaimo (Duke Point) and South Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Swartz Bay (near Victoria) 1-888-223-3779 or outside B.C. 250-386-3431.

From Washington State

-M.V. Coho: vehicle and passenger ferry service from Port Angeles WA to downtown Victoria B.C.
-Washington State Ferries: vehicle and passenger service from Anacortes WA to Sidney B.C. (near Victoria) 1-888-808-7977 or 206-464-4600 (Seattle).
-Victoria Clipper: passengers-only, from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria B.C. 1-800-888-2535.

Bus Services

In Vancouver Area

-Vancouver airport shuttle: hourly service from airport to downtown bus station 1-800-668-3141

-Greyhound Canada: service from Vancouver's downtown bus station to Campbell River. Ferry crossing included. 1-800- 661-8747 or 604-681-3526 (in Vancouver).

On Vancouver Island

-Island Coach Lines (a division of Greyhound Canada): frequent service between Victoria, Nanaimo, and Campbell River 1-800-318-0818 or 250-287-7151 (in Campbell River).

In Campbell River

-Campbell River Taxi/Airporter 250-287-8294
-Bee Line Taxi 250-287-8383

Car Rental Providers

-Budget Car Rentals 1-800-268-8900 or 250-923-4283 (in Campbell River)
-National Car Rentals 1-800-227-7368 or 250-923-1234 (in Campbell River)

Guest Information

Visiting Vancouver Island

Many of our guests like to explore Vancouver Island before or after their adventure on the Columbia III. Please contact Tourism Vancouver Island (250)754- 3500 or www.tourismvi.ca for ideas and information. Accommodation throughout B.C. can be arranged through 1-800-435-5622 or HelloBC.com.

Campbell River

For those guests who wish to arrive prior to our departure, or stay later after our trip, many hotels and bed & breakfasts are available in Campbell River. Further information is also available from the Campbell River & District Chamber of Commerce: (250) 287-4636.

Parking:

There is a variety of parking available. Please ask for directions at the boat when you arrive.

Contacting Columbia III

The Columbia III can be contacted at 250-202-4745. The Mothership office can be reached at 1-888-833-8887 or 250-202-3229. In the case of an extreme emergency, the boat can be contacted directly by calling the Canadian Coast Guard in Victoria 1-250-363-6333. Ask them to send a message to MV Columbia III (quote this number: MMSI# 316-003-614) sailing in the Discovery Islands area. We are often off the boat so expect a response to take 12 hours. The ship's phone is not for guest use. See our website for more contact information.

Meals

We are happy to accommodate any personal dietary needs including vegetarian and vegan. Wine will be served with the evening meal. If you would like an alternative to alcohol please let us know on your medical form. Please notify us of any food allergies or needs on the medical form well in advance of your departure date.

Medical, Allergies, and Other Concerns

Mail us your completed Medical Form ASAP. Your tetanus vaccination must be up to date (less than 10 years old) before you leave. Be sure to bring enough of your required medications as you will be far from any drug stores. We may encounter minor ocean swells so if seasickness is a concern, please bring anti nausea medication. But rest assured, we travel in very sheltered areas and overnight in calm, protected bays. We do our best to avoid swells and waves!

Weather, Clothing, and Packing

Our skipper and certified guides will not take you in any weather conditions that are dangerous to you or the group. We will likely encounter some wind and waves (the ocean is not always flat!), but nothing that would compromise the safety of the group or a beginner kayaker.

For maximum comfort, a layering system of lighter "quick-dry" and warmer fleece clothing works best. Merino wool is excellent as well. Avoid cotton which stays wet for a very long time. Waterproof raingear is essential. When getting in and out of the skiff on shore excursions your feet WILL get wet. We suggest a pair of sturdy water sandals/ shoes or rubber boots. Proper protection from the sun is essential so bring sun glasses, a sun hat, sun block and lip screen. Bring a water bottle. Staying hydrated in the outdoors is very important.

Consider bringing the items listed on the packing list we provide.

We have waterproof bags (dry bags) onboard that you can use for your cameras or other small items on our skiff excursions if you like. Large Ziploc bags work as well. Hard suitcases are difficult to fit into the small storage compartments on the Columbia III, so if possible, bring your things in soft duffel type bags.

NOTE: Although not required, if you'd like to express your appreciation to the guides through a gratuity, such recognition would be enthusiastically received. The industry standard for tipping is approximately 10 percent of the trip cost. All tips will be equally distributed among your crew

Packing List

• sun hat / warm hat
• fleece jacket
• windbreaker or shell
• waterproof rain gear (jacket and pants)
• t-shirts, shorts, swimsuit (depending on the season!)
• warm Layered clothing
• shore Shoes (for walking or hiking)
• sturdy water sandals/shoes or rubber boots
• toiletries
• medications, prescription and non prescription
• day pack
• sunglasses, spare pair of eyeglasses
• sun-block, lip Screen
• insect repellent
• water bottle
• binoculars, journal, sketchbook (optional)
• waterproof bag
• a good book

Reading/resource list annotated by Jeanette Taylor, updated May 2017:
Some of the books are out-of-print but should be available through libraries. Favourites are marked with asterisks (*):

The Age of Exploration

• The Voyage of Sutil and Mexicana 1792, John Kendrick; a translation of the Spanish explorers' account of their voyage through Georgia Strait up to the Broughtons.
• The Voyage of George Vancouver, 1791-1795, Volume I, George Vancouver, Hakluyt Society; a reprint of Vancouver's journals edited by W. Kaye Lamb of the BC Archives.
• *Early Maritime Artists of the Pacific Northwest Coast, 1741-1841, John Frazier Henry; a well-illustrated and informative synopsis covering both the explorers & their art.

Fiction

• *Woodsmen of the West, A. Grainger; an account of working for gypo loggers around Minstrel Island in 1905, based on the early experiences of one of BC's first foresters.
• *Seagull's Cry, Maud Emery; told from the perspective of a woman's life as a handlogger's wife in the Toba Inlet area. (This is south of our destinations, but relevant for the coast).
• **I Heard the Owl Call My Name, Margaret Craven; a haunting account of a young priest's posting to the Kingcome Village; another BC coast classic.

General Histories

• *Tidal Passages, A History of the Discovery Islands, Jeanette Taylor.
• *Spilsbury's Coast, Pioneer Years in the Wet West, Howard White and Jim Spilsbury; memoirs of a traveling radio repairman, with accounts of the many colourful characters he knew as a travelling radio salesman/technician.
• *Evergreen Islands, Doris Andersen; a concise history covering Quadra to Alert Bay.
• Working in the Woods, Ken Drushka; one of the best books on coastal logging in BC.
• *The Curve of Time, M. Wylie Blanchet; the adventures of a single mother with her large family cruising the coast in the 1930s and '40s. This is a BC classic.
• Seven-Knot Summers, Beth Hill; tales of the coast based on her own experiences and those of an earlier generation of coastal boaters in the 1920s to 1940s.
• Upcoast Summers, Beth Hill; ramblings among the island communities.
• *Full Moon Flood Tide, Proctor/Maximchuk; the stories of Billy Proctor, sharing tips and local wisdom from a man who has lived his whole life in the Echo Bay area.
• Tide Rips and Back Eddies, Proctor/Maximchuk; this duo's newest book brings us more stories, sketches and paintings inspired by Billy's life on the coast.
• *Heart of the Raincoast, A Life Story, the biography of Billy Proctor, by Alexandra Morton.
• *The Columbia is Coming, Doris Andersen; a well-researched, engaging account of the Columbia Coast Mission, which served the remote islands and inlets from Powell River to Alert Bay. (Our ship, Columbia III, is one of the last built for this mission.)
• Two Wolves at the Dawn of Time, Kingcome Inlet Pictographs, 1893-1998, Judith Williams; a braided account of the Kingcome Inlet First Nation and the pioneering Halliday family.
• *Dreams of Freedom, Bella Coola, Cape Scott, Sointula, Sound Heritage Series Number 36, Gordon Fish. An engaging account, based on oral history, of three utopian communities.
• *Sointula, Island Utopia, Paula Wild, a well-researched and compelling narrative about this attempt at a Finnish farm/fishing commune in the early 1900s.

Aboriginal History

• Kwakwaka'wakw Settlements, Galois; a geographer's compendium of every mention of Kwakwaka'wakw sites; a great reference book.
• *Chiefly Feasts, Aldona Jonaitis; a beautifully illustrated guide to the complex potlatch system of the Kwakwaka'wakw people.
• Down From the Shimmering Sky, Peter Macnair et al; beautifully illustrated book about Pacific Northwest coast First Nations art; from a Vancouver Art Gallery exhibition.
• Cedar, Hilary Stewart; line drawings and text describe the many uses of cedar in traditional First Nations culture.
• Artifacts, Hilary Stewart; line drawings and photos describe the uses of stone tools.
• *Totem Poles and Tea, Hughina Harold; a memoir re Anglican Church mission in the 1930s at Mimquimlees, Village Island (which we'll visit).
• Guests Never Leave Hungry, Spradley; the biography of Jimmy Sewid, a powerful and charismatic chief who was raised at Mimquimless on Village Island.
• Paddling to Where I Stand, Agnes Alfred, Qwiqwasutinuxw Noblewoman, Edited by Martine J.Reid, Translated by Daisy Sewid-Smith. Life in the Broughtons/Alert Bay region through a woman's perspective.
• *Smoke From Their Fires, Clellan Ford, Archon Books, the biography of a Kwakwaka'wak chief, spanning colonial settlement to the 1940s. Gives an appreciation of the complexity of the potlatch system.
• Standing Up with Ga'axsta'las, by Leslie A. Robertson and members of the Kwagu'l Gixsam clan. The biography of an Alert Bay woman, 1870 to 1951, who opt out of the potlatch system. It was written in collaboration with descendants. Regrettably, the author weighed down her otherwise fascinating subject with academicese in places.

Natural History

• Wild Flowers of the Pacific Northwest, from Alaska to Northern California, Lewis J. Clarke; a well-illustrated and exhaustive list.
• Plants of Coastal BC, including Washington, Oregon & Alaska, Pojar & MacKinnon; easy to use, well-researched and comprehensive.
• Listening to the Whales, Alexandra Morton. Who better to tell us this story!

Web Sites & Blogs

• U'Mista Cultural Centre and Museum in Alert Bay
• *Emily Carr, To the Totem Forest (scroll through this exhibition of Carr's work for historic images of the Kwakwaka'wakw villages we'll see)
• Museum at Campbell River
• Pictographs (paintings on rock), from Jeanette's blog, The Writer's Study
• Edward Curtis photographs of Kwakwaka'wakw people
• Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Smithsonian. Listen to a few of the songs on this CD, (which is available for purchase), for a sense of Kwakwaka'wakw music & language
• Kingcome Inlet, Google Earth
• *Photographs and brief descriptions of some of the Kwakwaka'wakw villages, offered the Simon Fraser University

Audio / Visual Programs

• Contemporary Kwakwaka'wak art & issues, as described by artist Marianne Nicolson, creator of the large pictograph in Kingcome Inlet. (She opens with discussion of this picto)
• Destruction of the Alert Bay Residential School
• Mungo Martin demonstrates how to cut slabs from a cedar tree, 1963.
• 1951 documentary about potlatching, at Fort Rupert
• Dances of the Kwakiutl 1951
• North Vancouver Island history blog
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