Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
rooms(oneforadultsonly),fishingguideserviceandtackle,boatrentals($140perday),a
heated pool, heated bathrooms, and a laundry room. All campsites sit among small stands
of pines.
Thenorthernsection ofVancouverIslandismountainous, heavilytreed,dottedwithlakes,
riddledwithriversandwaterfalls,andalmostcompletelyunsettled.Justonemainhighway
serves the region, although hundreds of kilometers of logging roads penetrate the dense
forests. The gateway to the north is
Campbell River,
another small city that proudly calls
itself the “Salmon Capital of the World.” From this point north, the Island Highway fol-
lows a winding route over mountains and through valleys, first hitting the coast near
Tele-
graph Cove,
one of Canada's most photogenic communities and the departure point for
orca-watching trips to the nutrient-rich waters of Johnstone Strait and Robson Bight. The
island's northernmost town is
Port Hardy,
terminus for ferries heading north to Prince
Rupert and the gateway to the wild west coast and
Cape Scott Provincial Park.
A gateway to the wilderness of northern Vancouver Island, this city of 32,000 stretches
along Discovery Passage 260 kilometers (162 miles) north of Victoria and 235 kilometers
(146miles)southeastofPortHardy.Viewsfromtown—oftree-coveredQuadraIslandand
the magnificent white-topped mountains of mainland British Columbia—are superb, but
most visitors come for the salmon fishing. The underwater topography creates the prime
angling conditions; Georgia Strait ends just south of Campbell River, and Discovery Pas-
sage begins. The waterway suddenly narrows to a width of only 2 kilometers (1.2 miles)
between Vancouver and Quadra Islands, causing some of the strongest tides on the coast,
attractingbaitfish,andforcingthousandsofmigratingsalmontoconcentrateoffCampbell
River, much to every angler's delight.
