Gulf Islands BC Canada Tour: Including Salt Spring Island and wilderness islands

Gulf Islands

Trip Planning - Gulf Islands BC

When you book, we will send you a comprehensive trip planning guide.

In the meantime, please feel free to use this general information in planning your trip. However, before making flight or other arrangements, please contact us to ensure availability on the trip you want, and to ensure that specific details, such as boarding time and location, for your trip are confirmed. Changes may occur from year to year.

Port of Departure:

Port of Sidney Marina, Sidney, B.C.
Address: 9835 Seaport Place
Sidney, BC
(250) 655 - 3711.

Port of Return:

Port of Sidney Marina, Sidney, B.C.

How to Get to the Ship:

Port of Sidney is located on the Saanich Peninsula on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It takes approximately 30 minutes to drive to downtown Victoria, and is a 5-10 minute drive from either the BC Ferry Terminal or Victoria International Airport.

Ferries:

B.C. Ferry Corporation

1-888-BCFERRY www.bcferries.bc.ca
Extensive passenger / vehicle ferry system linking mainland B.C. with Vancouver Island. Ferries leave Tswwassen for Schwartz Bay near Sidney every two hours beginning at 7 am with an approximate 1 ½ hour crossing. After exiting the ferry by car you will be on the Pat Bay Highway; exit at Beacon Avenue and travel along it towards the waterfront, turning left at the last cross street, Seaport Place.

Washington State Ferries
Address: 2499 Ocean Ave Sidney, BC
Toll Free: 1-800-843 3779 http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries

Passenger / vehicle ferry linking Anacortes, WA and Sidney, BC. During April there is one sailing departing Anacortes at 8 am arriving in Sidney at approximately 11 am, weather permitting. These are international crossings that require preboarding time to clear customs. After exiting the ferry, turn right onto Ocean Avenue which becomes 1rst street, and turn right onto Beacon Avenue and immediately left onto Seaport place. Sidney has free parking about two blocks from the dock (at the Information Center) corner of Ocean and Lochside. There is no overnight parking near the terminal.

Planes Trains & Automobiles...
(click on map for larger view)

How to Get to the ShipClose

By Air

Air Canada
1-866-584-0380
www.aircanada.com

Pacific Coastal Airlines
1-800-663-2872
www.pacific-coastal.com

Horizon/Alaska Air
1-800-547-9308
www.alaskaair.com

WestJet Airlines
1-877-952-2737
www.westjet.com

Taxi

Empress Taxi: (250) 656-5588
Peninsula Taxi & Limousine Service: (250) 656-1111

Driving
Directions: Exit the Pat Bay Highway onto Beacon Street (the main street in Sidney) and turn left at the last cross street onto Seaport Place to arrive at the Port of Sidney.

Parking: There is limited long-term parking available at the Port of Sidney. At this writing it is estimated it will cost $8.00/night. For further information or clarification, call the Port of Sidney at (250) 655-3711. The parking is across the street from the marina itself and is patrolled and maintained by Robbins Parking.

Where to Stay:

We recommend Sidney Waterfront Inn and Suites 9775 First Street, Sidney, B.C. Tel. 1-888-656-1131 -
mention you are a guest of the Maple Leaf for a preferred rate. They can also arrange for a courtesy shuttle to take guests to the ship ten minutes prior to the posted boarding time.

Travel Agent
We are happy to recommend the services of our travel agent. She books travel for us and has assisted Maple Leaf guests for many years.

Trip / Medical Insurance

Due to the remoteness of the areas we travel in we highly recommend travel/medical trip insurance that covers possible emergency medical evacuation.
We highly recommend trip cancellation insurance. This protects you in case you have to cancel for a variety of reasons (including illness). This must be purchased at the time your booking is confirmed.

Travel Documentation

If you are entering Canada from another country, you must have a valid passport.
If the US or Canada require that citizens from your country have other documentation such as a visa in order to enter either country, you are responsible for having it with you. To find out what you need, ask your nearest consulate.

Suggested Reading - Gulf Islands BC

Title	Author, ISBN	Subject Area

A Year on the Wild Side	By Briony Penn. ISBN 0920663680	Natural History

A Gulf Islands patchwork : some early events on the islands of Galiano, Mayne, Saturna, North and South Pender.	British Columbia Historical Association. Gulf Islands Branch	European history

The Last Great Sea, A Voyage Through the Human and Natural History of the North Pacific Ocean	By Terry Glavin. ISBN 1550549545	Natural history, history

Trial of Passion (fiction)	By William Deverell ISBN 1550225421	Bestselling mystery/lawyer novel set on a mythical Gulf Island

These and many other books on the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Coast are on board in our library. Some are available for purchase through our office.