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Canoe Pass Cottage
Getting to Thetis Island |
By Car
Thetis Island lies just east of Chemainus, a little town north of Victoria, and south of Nanaimo. Chemainus, by the way, has a remarkable story to tell. Look up Chemainus, BC.
From Chemainus to Thetis Island
There is a good ferry service linking Chemainus and Thetis Island. Consult the
BC Ferries Timetable carefully because the ferry operates on an unusual pattern, serving Kuper and Thetis Islands on a triangular route. Crossing time is 35 minutes for a direct connection, 45 minutes otherwise.
But first, you need to get to Vancouver Island. Here are your best bets:
From Vancouver
You have three options. If you come from anywhere south of Vancouver, Tsawassen is likely your best port of departure. From Vancouver, Horseshoe Bay is usually faster. See the map on the BC Ferries site for an overview.
- The newest route is from Tsawassen south of Vancouver to Duke
Point south of Nanaimo with a crossing time of 2 hours. From there, the trip to Chemainus will only take about 35 minutes by car.
- Another route goes from Tsawassen to Swartz Bay north of Victoria (1 hour and 35 minutes crossing time). From there, it will take you about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get to Chemainus (bypassing Victoria) by car.
- From Vancouver, the usual route is from Horseshoe Bay north of Vancouver to
Departure Bay in Nanaimo. Crossing time is 1 hour and 35 minutes. Nanaimo to
Chemainus is a 45 minute ride by car.
From Washington to Vancouver Island
You have a number of ways to go.
- The most scenic route is provided by the Washington State Ferries. It connects Anacortes with Sidney, 25 minutes north of Victoria.
- The Coho ferry takes you from Port Angeles to Victoria. There is a very scenic 1 hour ride to Chemainus. If you have time, stop at Millstream Park to enjoy the old growth forest. Take 10 minutes at the first and third lookouts on the Malahat for an incredible panorama.
- The Victoria Clipper still links the two cities with a walk-on high speed ferry.
By Air
Although quiet and pastoral, Thetis Island is well served by seaplanes which land in Telegraph harbour, 10 minutes from Canoe Pass Cottage. Some have scheduled flights to Thetis Island from Vancouver Airport, downtown Vancouver and downtown Victoria. In addition, charters can easily be arranged. Typical flight times are 20 - 25 minutes and prices are very reasonable. Please look them up.
For more information, please call Cathy or Ben Dolf at (250) 370 - 2797; or fax (250) 472 - 2683; or contact us at the following address:
bendolf@pacificcoast.net
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