The Beautiful Inside Passage

September 6, 2020

Ferry to Prince Rupert

Face masks are required onboard and at the ferry terminal

Sleeping in a comfortable bed with an en-suite bathroom is a luxury we did not take for granted on the ferry. We think the engines were directly below us as the noise and vibration were pretty significant....but, why worry about that?
How times have changed. Decades ago, Barry took this trip and he slept outside on the deck in his tent...and now we worry about sleeping inside on the floor of the lounge. We are getting older!

BC Ferries have done a good job of maintaining a safe environment on board during COVID. Masks are mandatory in all public spaces and enforced with consistent reminders from the staff. As well, social distancing is created with many of the tables and seating areas roped off. If we hadn’t gotten a cabin, we would have been fine sleeping on the floor as every other row is blocked off and each section of 6-8 seats are available to 2 passengers only (or a family of 4).

The cafeteria was only open for short periods of time during the day

As to be expected, services on the ferry are greatly reduced due to COVID. We were lucky that limited cafeteria service had recently been restored. Opening hours were restricted to meal times (the same with the gift shop) and were available briefly. A tip, don’t miss the loud speaker announcement regarding these services, because if you miss it, that’s all there is for several hours. We brought our kettle and cooking bag to our room so we were able to self cater breakfast.

We have tried a variety of ways to make coffee while travelling by bike. The Aeropress makes outstanding coffee. They have just come out with a more compact version, the Aeropress Go, as shown above. Our quest is over..it is perfect for our needs.

The Aeropress Go is a great size and weight for bicycle touring

Lunch and dinner had the same offering of 3 kinds of burgers...beef, chicken and veg. The challenge was finding a place to sit as much of the area has been closed for social distancing.

Passengers without a cabin sleep on the floor between the rows. With the restrictions due to COVID, passengers have more room to stretch out.

A few weeks earlier, there was no gift shop or cafeteria, so you had to bring everything you would need with you for the 22 hour trip. There are two ships that serve this route, the Northern Adventure and Northern Expedition. We were on the older vessel (N Adventure) which is looking pretty tired. There is very limited seating on this modest sized ship with one lounge, cafeteria and outside decks. With a majority of seating blocked off, most people took to the decks to enjoy the view when they could...and that is why we are here after all.

Our route had stops at Bella Bella and Klemtu during the night. When we got up to explore, the ship was a lot quieter as many passengers who are residents of these coastal communities had disembarked.

We woke up to a typical West Coast morning of fog, low clouds and mist. It was quite mystical to be slowly and quietly making our way along the narrow passage with heavily forested hills on each side above the shore. We were transfixed by our beautiful surroundings with countless waterfalls and remnants of past habitation with only the birds and occasionally a whale to accompany us.

Last night, when we entered our cabin, we looked out the window to see a group of dolphins playfully diving through the waves beside the ship. Barry and I were lucky to see killer whales along the shore catching their dinner. Always a thrill.

We heartily recommend this journey to locals and visitors alike. It is beautiful. The ferry’s quiet and slow progress without the onboard distractions of a cruise ship (which also takes this route) gives you an intimate connection with the surroundings and offers an unforgettable journey on a budget. Plus, the ferry offers our tandem Screamer a secure space onboard.

We arrived in Rupert on time (4 pm) and as the only bike on board, we were first to disembark. We explored this charming and historic town which has much historic and economic importance for the northern coast. As we rode through Rupert, people greeted us warmly from their vehicles and walkways.

Prince Rupert has North America’s deepest port and is the shortest distance for container ships to travel from China. Most goods for Canada and much of the United States are shipped to Prince Rupert and transported across Canada by CNR.

Our bike was closely guarded by this dog

Image not found :( — A foggy arrival at Prince Rupert ferry terminal.

Dealing with a bike seemed to rattle the BCFerry workers. We were given conflicting instructions and finally we gave up and walked our bike through the waiting room. It worked.

Prince Rupert is one of the rainiest cities in Canada. For the month of August, they had 30 days of rain and one day of sun.

We had a seafood dinner at Smiles Seafood Restaurant

The Seafood Platter at Smiles. Old-school style and yummy....halibut, salmon, oyster, scallops and shrimps

Today's ride: 8 km (5 miles)
Total: 487 km (302 miles)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesIn 1969 we did the inside passage. Slept on the floor betwèen the seats along with lots of other travellers. At least, we slept briefly as all were up for Neil Armstrong taking the first walk on the moon. Boy, are we old.
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4 years ago