Exploring the BC Coast by Car - Softcover

Eaton, Diane; Eaton, Allison

Softcover

ISBN 10: 155017178X ISBN 13: 9781550171785

Publisher: Harbour Publishing, 1999

Synopsis

With its island-studded Inside Passage, towering fiords, open-ocean beaches, quaint villages and sparkling cities, the BC coast is known as one of the world's great maritime cruising destinations. What many travellers may not realize is that you don't need to own a yacht or go on a cruise ship to explore it. This indispensable book shows how you can use BC's world-class ferry and coastal road system to reach the coast's most spectacular places in the comfort of your family car. And for those who want to go farther, lace on your hiking boots, grab a paddle, hop aboard a floatplane, or switch into four-wheel-drive and head off into the back of beyond - there's a lot more than just road travel in this book.

Each chapter has simple, straightforward "getting there" directions, full information on recreation opportunities and local must-sees and points of interest. To inspire you along the way and help you dream up new trips, the book includes anecdotes and facts on local plants, trees, wildlife and sea life - all infused with the enthusiasm of two writers whose love of the coast spills over onto every page.

Cruise the coast for a weekend or a year, for business or pleasure, from your car or your favourite comfy armchair - just make sure to take this terrific little guidebook with you.

About this title

About the Author

Diane Eaton is a long-time resident of BC and an inveterate coastal explorer. She holds a PhD in English literature for the University of British Columbia and is author of Paul Kane's Great Nor'west and Exploring the BC Coast by Car (with Allison Eaton).

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Since 1592, when the old Greek pilot Juan de Fuca scurried back to Europe excitedly trying to convince his countrymen he had discovered an earthly paradise on the far side of the New World, the BC coast has been known as one of the world's most rewarding places to explore.

Occupying the 500-mile space between the 49th parallel and Alaska, the BC coast complicates itself into some twenty thousand miles of intricately entwined inlets, islands and channels. It boasts the busiest seaport on North America's west coast and a maritime wilderness beyond measure, as well as the world's most treacherous ocean graveyard and its most enchanting inland sea. It is a land of ancient, crumbling totem poles and humming high-speed ferries, of towering, desolate fjords and vibrant, modern resorts.

To experience the full magnificence of the coast you might assume that you would, like Juan de Fuca, require a well-appointed caravel. and the backing of the Spanish Crown, or at least a pricey ticket on a cruise ship. But this book proves that you can explore the BC coast just as enjoyably and far more cheaply - thanks to the world's most highly developed ferry system - in the comfort of your family car.

The book is divided into eight chapters covering the coast's main geographic regions. Each begins with a brief overview, then takes you through the area from one end to the other.

Like each region it describes, Exploring the BC Coast by Car is unique. It is first of all a thorough and practical travel guide, carefully organized and laid out in an easy-to-use format. But it is much more than that. Despite the efforts of Captain Juan and the many explorers who followed in his footsteps, this coast of wonders is still relatively undiscovered territory on the world's travel map, and it needs some explaining. The authors have spared no effort to make sure you have all the background information you need to make the most of your coastal explorations. Even for those who know the coast well will find the book worth having for its overall portrait of coastal history and contemporary life.

Whether you want to burn up the territory or simply relive great sights by the fireside, we know Exploring the BC Coast by Car will prove an indispensable travelling companion. (Introduction)

About this edition

• Publisher: Harbour Publishing
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 155017178X
• ISBN 13: 9781550171785
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400