Charters for all

Going Subtidal
on Vancouver
island coast

By Martin Millerchip

Contributing Writer
miller@nsnews.com

SEA, sky; sea, sky; sea_
sky..

In: theory, we are whale
watching. In practice, the pas-
sengers on board the motor
vessel Dixie IV are trying to
look nonchalant about the
sizeof the swells and the
lunch we ate noi long ago.

_ It’s early March, and one
storm. front has followed
another across the Pacific
Ocean to break on this wet lit-
tle outpost onthe west coast
of Vancouver Island.

_.? The“ translation of | the

_ native word, Ucluelet, means:
People with a safe landing
place.

‘What seems true inside the
provecied waters of the har-

. Bor, the largest fish-landing
. port on the coast (outstrip-
ping. Prince Rupert), seems

likely further out.

One look at the size of the
breakers and skipper Brian
Congdon turns away from the
Broken. Islands and heads for

_ the, relatively, calmer waters

“. of the Newcombe Channel.

In truth, there is no cause
for unease —~ other than
“mation | sickness, despite
Congdon pointing out (jok-
ingly, we think) a beached
- hulk as the Deéxée LIT.
- The Dixie IV handles the
rough water - like George
- Foreman soaks w $ up Pu punches.
Come. to ir,
- Foreman’ s older.

- She’s a sturdy 36-fcot ex-
coastguard lifeboat, built in
Quebec, but stationed on the
-. West Coast for 20 years, 10 of
them at Pacific Rim National

: P is. THUNDERBIRD MARI

Congdon bought her in
1980 and had her remodeled
in 1985. Licensed for 12, she
seats eight or nine inside her
toasty wooden cabin.

“I decided I was going ta
do ‘something | enjoyed —
and that didn’t include fish-
ing,” says Congdon of his
charter business, Subtidal
Adventures, the oldest in
Ucluelet.

He runs regular gray whale
adventure trips during March
and April and a variety of
island/whale/nature tours
thereafter. If you like more
independence, cainpers, with
or without kayaks, can be
dropped off on any of the
Broken Group Islands while
private charters can be
arranged in advance.

Customers can choose
between the sedate but shel-
tered Dixie IV or The
Contender, a 24-foor rigid
hull inflatable. .

We're getting a taste of the
West Coast’s majesty today,
but even in the less than per-
fect conditions, the scenery is

ctacular. Wildlife is abun-

ant. Eagles, sea lions, two
brave surfers and more species
of sea birds than I recognize,
are all close enough to photo-

ph.
As Congdon carefully bal-
ances the Dixie JV on top of

the combers just a few feet -

away from hull-ripping black
rock he seems in perfect tune
with his world. Perhaps i in the

summer, beautiful though it
must be, this would all seem
too easy.

For North Shore nature
lovers who don’t want to face
the cost and stress of a long
drive and ferry fares, the
Sandcastle Inn, Parksville and
Pacific Rim & Sunset Tours
offer a wonderfully relaxed
two-day holiday that will get
you here without the driving.

For $169 per person
($189 for Wednesday, Friday
and Saturday arrivals) you will
be met off the ferry at
Nanaimo and driven to the
Sandcastle Inn for a two-night
stay in a very pleasant room
with kitchenette facilities.

One dinner at a choice of
good focal restaurants and
two continental breakfasts are

_ included in the price, but the

best part of the deal is that
somebody else does all the
driving.

You can choose between a
four-hour-trip with Congdon
(there’s a picnic break at
Pacific Rim, National Park on
the way into Ucluelet), or a
cruise back to Port Alberni
aboard the MV Lady Rose or
MV E. Barkley. There, Pacific
Rim & Sunset Tours will pick
you up and drive you back to
the Sandcastle Inn.

It’s a carefree way to cram
alot into a short break, but if
you want to do your own dri-
ving, take $10 a person off the
quoted prices.

Tour info: 1-800-335-7263.

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CRUISING the waters
around Uclueiet on the
MV Dixie [V might just
provide a grey whale
- sighting.

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