We had planned the timing of our arrival to Prince Rupert to align to when Patty needed to be online with video on, in a live multi-day graduate course. This was also Catherine and Roxy’s endpoint. So this began a one week lay-up.
After tieing up, we proceeded to find what appears to be the only vet in town and got Roxy an appointment to update her ‘papers’ to satisfy Air Canada rules for the flight out.
Since we had several days to explore before Patty’s course was done and Catherine had to leave, we got to criss cross the town many times. A major find was Opa Sushi, just up the hill from Cow Bay Marina. We also loved the Sunken Gardens Park, just up the hill to the right from the marina. (You may need someone to show you have to find it. Very easy to miss.)
Shore Leave and Catherine also made good use of the Wheelhouse Brewing Company from whence they also found the ‘late night’ place that all the locals migrate to after the restaurants and bars close. I tagged along one night, just to see what it was like. I lasted maybe 15 minutes before the feeling that I was a creature from another planet got to me and I headed back to the boat.
In town, once or twice a day you will see a couple of white busses lined up in front of a single storybuilding. This is the ‘terminal’ where Air Canada, and ONLY Air Canada passengers can board a bus to take them to their flight, and back on their return.
If you are coming or going from the island airport any other way than on the Air Canada flight, do not to expect anything useful at this in-town terminal. Do your research how to get to/from the airport. Get specific, advanced, detailed instructions from your harbormaster and/or guidebooks.
Catherine and Roxy were on Air Canada, so I rode over with them to help with checkin, and rode back to town on the bus. But, a warning -- I was sort of a stow away. If they figure out that you are not a ticketed passenger, you may be denied bus boarding since the planes hold just enough people to fill the two old busses. There’s no room for ride alongs if the planes are full.
We truly enjoyed your week in town. I was very sad to see Catherine and Roxy leave. But, that meant we were onto the next phase of our trip, which was pretty much a multi-day juggernaut with just three of us aboard to get to Port McNeil in time to pick up Mark & Danielle.
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