Travel Group

5 days on a Landing Craft in the Strait of Georgia
Helen and Richard Spencer, Associate Professor Emeritus, Civil Engineering

In October 2024, together with 4 friends, we spent 5 nights on the Aurora Explorer, a 135 foot landing craft that can carry 12 passengers while delivering and picking up freight in the protected waters between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. Marine Link operate the vessel on two routes out of Campbell River. We were on the Broughton Island Archipelago route, which sails through Seymour narrows, Discovery Passage and Johnstone Strait, calling at logging and fishing camps, lodges, fish farms and private homes, and making recreational stops to allow passengers to go ashore. We will briefly review what these tours offer, and share some experiences from our trip.

Aboard the MV Swell – Tour of Desolation Sound April 30 – May 4, 2024
With Jenny Preece, Professor and Dean, Emerita, Information School, University of Maryland and Professor Emerita, UBC and Ben Shneiderman, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland and Professor Emeritus, UBC.

On April 30, 2024 we boarded the 100-year old tug called Swell at Campbell River to start our 4-night, 5-day Maple Leaf Adventure tour up to Desolation Sound. There were ten interesting passengers and six talented crew. We motored slowly past Quadra Island and dropped anchor in a sheltered bay for the night while enjoying the first of many creative delicious meals. Small groups of harlequin ducks, surf scoters, a pair of common loons, a few pigeon guillemots and a red-necked grebe entertained us. The weather was kind, during the 5-day tour giving us wonderful views of the mountains and inlets. 

Format: Zoom
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