My recent adventure to Vancouver brought me to the Sunshine Coast – specifically in and around Powell River! After landing in Abbotsford it was no easy trek to get to our destination, our first stop was to get to Horseshoe Bay – so we can hop on our first ferry to Langdale!
When we arrived at Horseshoe Bay, it was breathtaking, we visited the ticket booth and realized we had some time to kill! Something I was not aware of is that ferry tickets are not sold in advance for certain routes – for our route we needed to wait until the ferry we wanted to get on was the next one up, we arrived around 12pm wanting to buy tickets for the 2:30pm ferry however due to there being a 12:45pm ferry we needed to wait until this ferry was departed in order to buy tickets for the 2:30pm ferry! This is something to note as it can save you some time!
Because we had some time to kill and were admittedly quite hungry we decided to check out the area adjoining the dock called The Village! There are so many small shops, independent restaurants, fast food, coffee shops and more! We opted to try out a restaurant called Olive and Anchor – full blog on our experience here coming soon! Once we were done eating we walked around a little and took in the scenery near the boardwalk! Once our boarding time was getting closer, we decided to grab some coffee from Blenz Coffee. I got an iced chai tea latte with an added shot of espresso and it was really great!
We got our tickets and boarded the first ferry! This was by far the most chaotic and busy boarding port I visited all weekend – so definitely plan ahead and be sure to get your spot! Once we were on the ferry, time flew by because we were absolutely mesmerized by the surrounding views! This ferry was around 40 minutes and it went quickly, but if you are feeling for a snack I would recommend their nanaimo bars! Very soon we were on our way to board our second ferry from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay!
The drive to Earls Cove was just over an hour and we needed to make a few short stops, fill up on gas, etc. and before we knew it we were there! Luckily once you purchase tickets for one ferry they are valid for the second, so this ferry was essentially free! There was a small cafe here where we relaxed for a bit before boarding – once we departed this was by far the superior route – the views were uninterrupted, the ferry was not busy and the sun was beginning to set, it was truly a sight to see!
I would highly suggest bringing your binoculars and staying on the front deck from time to time – just in case you are in luck and able to see some whales! We were able to spot two orca and it was the perfect icing on top of the cupcake! After docking at Saltery Bay, we were staying about 25 min up the coast in Powell River! It is no doubt a long but eventful journey to get to Powell River, but so worth it!
Sincerely, Celine
SincerelyCeline 