MOTHERSHIP SEA KAYAKING ADVENTURES
VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
The travel planning information presented on this page is specific to the Mothership sea kayak adventure trips. In addition to this information please visit our Travel Planning to Vancouver Island page for additional information on travel planning to British Columbia.
TRAVEL PLANNING TO VANCOUVER ISLAND
Our Mothership sea kayaking trips depart from the village of Port McNeill on the northeastern end of Vancouver Island. Guests must plan to arrive in Port McNeill for the evening prior to the trip departure date.
If you are travelling to Port McNeill by air and you wish to depart on the evening of your trip’s last day, we advise that you do not make flight departure reservations for any earlier than 6:00 pm. Please be aware that delays (due to weather or other circumstances) of our return to Port McNeill could cause you to miss flights. Check with the airline or your travel agent into their missed flights policy.
If you travel to Port McNeill by vehicle, there will be time on the last day of your trip to travel onto other Vancouver Island destinations, or return to Nanaimo to board a late ferry to the mainland.
If you use motor coach service for travelling to Port McNeill you will need to plan on spending the evening in Port McNeill and make the connection the following morning.
GETTING TO VANCOUVER ISLAND & PORT MCNEILL
There are three travel options for getting to Port McNeill; driving, flying, or motor coach service.
DRIVING
If you are driving you will be taking a ferry to Vancouver Island from Vancouver, BC or Seattle, WA. Sailing time from Vancouver to the Island is approximately 1hr. 40 minute to 2 hours, depending on routing.
Driving from the USA, the quickest route to Vancouver Island is from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal (just south of Vancouver) to Duke Point (Nanaimo). On the north side of Vancouver there is ferry service from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo). A driving guide is included in your pre-trip information package. Ferry Information
VEHICLE RENTALS
If you are flying into Vancouver, BC and planning to rent a vehicle for your visit to Vancouver Island, you may want to consider the Island Link Express Bus service.
Island Link Express Bus offers service between the Vancouver International airport and Nanaimo. Pick-up at the Vancouver airport is 4-times daily at 9:00am, 11:15 am, 1:30pm and 3:45pm. The one-way adult fare is $27.50. Once you are in Nanaimo National Car Rental and Budget BC are your best choices in car rentals.
This option of travel to Vancouver Island is a considerable cost savings over renting a car in Vancouver.
Island Link Express Bus
/www.islandlinkbus.com
Toll Free: 1-877-954-3556
If you prefer to rent a vehicle in Vancouver most major car rental companies offer onsite rentals at the Vancouver Airport.
HIGHWAY DISTANCES & DRIVING TIMES
Victoria – Port McNeill: 463 km/287 miles. 6 hours driving time.
Nanaimo – Port McNeill: 352 km/219 miles. 4.0 hours driving time.
Vancouver – Port McNeill: Approximate travel time from Vancouver to Port McNeill by vehicle (including ferry travel time) is 8 hours.
For current British Columbia road conditions or travel advisories visit the Ministry of Transport website; www.drivebc.ca
AIR SERVICE TO PORT MCNEILL
The quickest, way to get to Port McNeill from Vancouver is to fly into Port Hardy, which has the closest commercial airport. The Port Hardy airport is only a 20-minute taxi ride to Port McNeill . There are two airlines offering service between Vancouver airport (YVR) and Port Hardy airport (YZT). It is recommended that you allow at least two hours between connecting flights in Vancouver.
Pacific Coastal Airlines
Pacific Coastal offers an extended summer schedule, featuring many more flights to and from Port Hardy than they do in the off-season. Contact them directly for more information.
Telephone: 1-800-663-2872.
Eagle Air
Telephone: 1-866-949-5151.
SEA PLANE AIR SERVICE
Two sea plane companies offer scheduled service from the Seattle, WA area directly to Port McNeill.
Kenmore Air
Operates scheduled flights from Kenmore, WA (just north of Seattle) to Port McNeill regularly throughout the summer. Departure from Kenmore is at 9am, arriving in Port McNeill at 12:00pm. Departure from Port McNeill is at 12:30pm, arriving in Kenmore around 3:30pm.
Telephone: 1- 800-543-9595
MOTOR COACH SERVICE
Motor coach service is available from Seattle WA, Vancouver BC, and from most locales on Vancouver Island to Port McNeill. Please note that there is only one daily bus to Port McNeill. Motorcoach Information.
WEATHER REPORTS
Current weather conditions for the western Johnstone Strait area from Environment Canada.
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