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Campbell River Boat Launching and Truck/trailer Parking.
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Peter & Judy



Joined: 03 Dec 2014
Posts: 546
City/Region: Olds
State or Province: AB
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Mistaya
Photos: Mistaya
PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:17 pm    Post subject: Campbell River Boat Launching and Truck/trailer Parking. Reply with quote

We are now prepping for our cruise in Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands and we are looking to launch at Campbell River. There are several marinas there and we are looking for first hand advise related to launching our boat and parking our truck and trailer somewhere for about two weeks. We would appreciate any advice that anyone could give us. I am also considering launching at Heriot Bay on Quadra Island. Off Quadra I would have to pay for the ferry, but I could park for free.

Thank you in advance for your advise.

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Peter & Judy Haase
Buffalo Horn Ranch

HMCB Mistaya
"Mistaya" (Grizzly Bear in Cree)
HMCB (Her Majesties Cute Boat)
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4523
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last summer I also launched at Campbell River. There is a nice launch in town, however parking was $5/day. Coordinates: N50 02.310 W125 14.671. I was told there was some free long term parking in a lot near the launch. I spoke with a Mountie sitting in that lot, and he advised against it. At least he said he wouldn't leave his truck and trailer there. I noticed some old vagrant vehicles in the area, but no boat trailer rigs... there is also a paid parking area next to that lot, but small sized, only for cars. Also, a sign in the free lot listed a time limit. I forget what it was, but only a few days. Maybe 48 hours? I was only there a week, so I ended up paying to park at the launch ramp. Also, there is no water available there to wash things down, but there are some car washes near by. I spent a night around the corner from the launch at the Fishermans Wharf marina. Pretty basic. N50 01.484 W125 14.274. The Discovery Harbor Marina looked a little nicer, but was probably more expensive. The coordinates entering Discovery Harbor for the Marina or the Launch: N50 02.182 W125 14.575. It's a nice launch. Be careful if you use the shore side, as it shallows quickly more than a boat's beam off the dock, at low tide. When I went last summer, I tried to find better parking options for something long term (a week or two), but wasn't able to come up with anything. The launch parking lot worked out fine, but I could see it might be a problem when it's busy, as it isn't necessarily a large lot. Colby
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
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PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look up CR Storage. Just a couple miles N of town. Reasonable price, very secure, and took me (and others) back to the launch. Also have a good wash down hise and deck. Has been a favorite of several C-Brats. Call them and ask. Sorry, I don't have the info with me.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

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Ron on Meander



Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 561
City/Region: Powell River
State or Province: BC
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Meander
Photos: Meander
PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Peter & Judy,

Choose to launch in Powell River. Yes you have two ferries, but, by my calculation, combined they are about the cost of the ferry to Nanaimo. The launch in Powell River is very good and there is free parking available at our house and we can pick you up and drop you off at the launch ramp which is 2 km from our house. Powell River is much closer to Desolation sound. You do not have to cross the Georgia Strait unless you want to do a circum navigation of Quadra.
PM me if you are interested.
Cheers
Ron
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4523
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I forgot about CR storage. I did not use them as they would not be available to take me back to the launch, and their prices were a bit higher. However, speaking with the lady on the phone, they seemed nice, but busy. Had I planned to stay longer, I probably would have been willing to work with their schedule to get me back to the launch and/or pick me up when I got back. Colby
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CastawayII



Joined: 01 May 2019
Posts: 3
City/Region: Vancouver Island
State or Province: BC
PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hard to beat the Ron on Meander offer.

Not sure of the free parking at Heriot Bay. We live on the outer islands and pay annually at the government dock there. See their info and rates here:

http://www.qiha.ca

There is a very limited amount of free parking close to the Heriot Bay Inn. A handful of spots just south of the HBI lot and north of the Cortes ferry ramp. Seems to be a kind of no man's land claimed by neither the Inn nor BC Ferries.
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Two Bears



Joined: 07 Nov 2009
Posts: 296
City/Region: Orofino
State or Province: ID
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Two Bears
Photos: Two Bears
PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What about saving one ferry and launching at Pender Harbor/ Garden Bay? Is there parking available there?

Chuck

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Chuck & Penny Raddon
Orofino, Idaho
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Ron on Meander



Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 561
City/Region: Powell River
State or Province: BC
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Meander
Photos: Meander
PostPosted: Thu May 02, 2019 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
What about saving one ferry and launching at Pender Harbor/ Garden Bay? Is there parking available there?


Chuck it is possible to save one ferry and launch around the Pender Harbour/Garden bay area, however I don't know of any secure and/or free parking for a truck and trailer. There is a fenced yard that I see a lot of boats in near Garden Bay but I don't know anything about costs or transport from a launch ramp. Of any of the ramps I checked out a few years ago I would probably pick the one at The Back Eddy Resort at Egmont. Again I am not knowledgeable about costs or security there.

Cheers

Ron
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Pekoe



Joined: 02 Dec 2015
Posts: 9
City/Region: Quadra Island
State or Province: BC
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Peter and Judy,

I live on Quadra. Another option would be to contact the We Wai Kai Campsite at Rebecca Spit they have a fenced compound that they might rent you space in. They are also located right beside the provincial park that has a boat launch within walking distance. If you have any boating questions about the area your welcome to send me a PM any time.

Happy cruising,

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Sharon
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cgypsy



Joined: 02 Mar 2015
Posts: 181
City/Region: Vancouver Island
State or Province: BC
C-Dory Year: 1999
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C Gypsy
Photos: C Gypsy
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I usually launch at Pacific Playground. https://pacificplaygrounds.ca/

There is no secure parking but you can park on the street for free and I think it is relatively safe. I would feel safer leaving my trailer there than I would in the free parking lot in Campbell River.

You are right across from Lund and can make a quick tour past Mitlenatch Island. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/mitlenatch_is/

You can only launch and leave the marina on a half tide or higher.

I don't know anything about Brown Bay, but that might be another possibility. I think Sleepy C has been there.

Remember that Campbell River has a lot of currents and Cape Mudge has some dangerous rip tides so you will need to watch the tides as you leave to the sourth. Or you can go north through Seymour Narrows and Octupus Islands, but again, make sure you watch the tides and currents.

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Gypsy

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.
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Peter & Judy



Joined: 03 Dec 2014
Posts: 546
City/Region: Olds
State or Province: AB
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Mistaya
Photos: Mistaya
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you all for the advice, as I was hoping, I got good advice on some of the launch options other than what I could find in Wagoneers and other publications. We are planning to bring Mistaya back to the west coast again. We brought her home from the Yukon 2 ½ years ago. Since then we have honed our boating skills on fresh water from the Yukon to Lake Powell. Now it is time for the salt water test. Mistaya is going out to Vancouver Island for the next year and we plan to cruise with her in early Summer, September and again next spring before deciding is she come home to the prairies again next year. One of the problems of bringing a boat out to the coast, which is a 1200 km one way drive for us, is the $600 it costs to get her on and off Vancouver island on BC Ferries. They are not offering the reduced fares for RV’s and boats this year. I can store the boat in Port Alberni where my wife’s family live for about $800 a year. If I was only going to launch to go to Desolation Sound, Ron on Meander’s offer to launch from there would be cheaper. It still costs about $500 to get to and from Powell River. I may take you up on the offer some time in the future Ron, but if we make it to Powell River, where I have a friend I would like to visit, we will give you a call. Thank you for the generous offer Ron, I look forward to meeting you. The marina at Pacific Playgounds looks like an excellent option, as it is not far from Campbell River and will give us a good route between Quadra Island at the beginning of the cruise and Lund and Mitlenach Island on our return. Thank you for the suggestion Gypsy. Quadra Island would also be a nice place to launch from, but to trailer the boat on and off the island would still cost us about $107. We look forward to anchoring in Drew Harbour, Granite Bay and around Quadra.

Basing ourselves in Port Alberni will allow us access to many areas of the island and as Judy’s brother lives on Sproat Lake, we can wash Mistaya in fresh water by cruising there after being on the ocean. We hope to do some salmon fishing in Alberni Inlet, cruise Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands. We have sea kayaked in this area often, but the C-Dory will help us get deeper into the remoter parts of this beautiful area. Quadra Island and this part of the coast is on our short list to live once we fully retire and can break away from this bison ranching habit that we have. In September we plan to boat more on the west coast, probably in Clayoquot Sound. Next spring maybe north or south, we’ll see.

We are still open to more suggestions, as they only add to our knowledge base and give us future options. Hopefully we will meet some C-Brats during our cruising this summer.
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cgypsy



Joined: 02 Mar 2015
Posts: 181
City/Region: Vancouver Island
State or Province: BC
C-Dory Year: 1999
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C Gypsy
Photos: C Gypsy
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Judy said
Quote:
We are still open to more suggestions, as they only add to our knowledge base and give us future options. Hopefully we will meet some C-Brats during our cruising this summer.


I live on Vancouver Island and have been or want to go to most of the places on your list. I hope you will contact me while you are here.

Gypsy
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Sat May 04, 2019 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
"I don't know anything about Brown Bay, but that might be another possibility. I think Sleepy C has been there. "


I have stayed at Brown's Bay, but I was already on the boat. I would not want to launch there. It is a beach launch essentially, no side dock, and I don't remember much of a ramp. The restaurant had decent fish and chips. There is a pretty good sized RV lot, and there are washrooms and showers IIRC.

Parking and storing in Port Alberni doesn't particularly give you great access to the east side of Vancouver Island waters, but if the price is right, you can always drive over the mountain.

As C-Gypsy said, Pacific Paradise might be a good bet.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon
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Peter & Judy



Joined: 03 Dec 2014
Posts: 546
City/Region: Olds
State or Province: AB
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Mistaya
Photos: Mistaya
PostPosted: Sat May 04, 2019 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Parking and storing in Port Alberni doesn't particularly give you great access to the east side of Vancouver Island waters, but if the price is right, you can always drive over the mountain.


Port Alberni is appealing for several reasons. One Judy's Mother and brother live there, so if there was a problem or the boat needed checking over the winter, it would be easy. Secondly, you can be launching in either the west coast of the island in Tofino or the east coast within about 2 hours of Port Alberni. There are also two great lakes, Sproat Lake and Great Central Lake within 15 minutes of Port Alberni if you are looking for a freshwater alternative to boat on. Not to mention the Alberni Inlet with one of the best salmon runs anywhere. Port Alberni also is a good place for refit, repair and resupply of your boat. Port Boat House used to be a C-Dory Dealer.
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4523
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Sat May 04, 2019 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another option, if you are looking, is at LadySmith and the Fisherman Wharf marina there. Parking is free, and there is fresh water available if you have your own hose. (It's at the marina office, if you ask for permission.) When I was there, last June, the fleet was still in, so no slip space, but the ramp was good, and I did find another marina next door. I parked for a week, and the harbor master kept watch on my rig. Also a nice car wash a block away that had large stalls and even a outboard muff. Colby
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