Prince Rupert

Leaving Saltery Bay

It’s been a while since my last post, but I have a good excuse – I was on a cruise of sorts for the last few days.

Before I start with that story, I need to back up and say that everyone in Canada should go to Prince Rupert. Hands down, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the country; the mountains are capped with snow and the Skeena River sparkles like diamonds. It makes for a very scenic drive – even if you’re only on your way to repair a generator and save the day like I was earlier this week! Now, on to the ferries…

On Tuesday, the convoy started its 18-hour ferry ride from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy with a four-hour stop in Bella Bella. While some of the relay crew got to find their bunks and settle in, my crew and I had to coordinate the fleet for arrival. We had to make sure that all of the front-line relay vehicles were properly loaded so that the torchbearer could run straight off the boat as soon as the ferry docked.

Eighteen hours is a long time in such close quarters – but we still managed to have a little fun!

Next, the relay headed down the east coast of Vancouver Island from Port Hardy to Port McNeill and then on to Comox where we caught another ferry to take us across the Straight of Georgia to Powell River.

Our nautical journey continued with yet another ferry – this time from Saltery Bay to Earl’s Cove to board the massive Coastal Renaissance in Langdale for a short trip to Horseshoe Bay. For those of you who may not know, the Coastal Renaissance is an Olympic-themed ferry with an impressive action shot of speed skaters wrapping the hull. It’s yet another demonstration of the amazing Olympic spirit you see everywhere in British Columbia!

The Ferry to Port Hardy all loaded up

We travelled like rock stars on the Renaissance, too. One of the benefits of being part of the Torch relay is you can take over the entire boat. We even had a few helicopters circling us like paparazzi!

Earlier this morning, the torch wound its way through rainy Squamish, but by the time it reaches Whistler, the snow should be falling – perfect timing for the relay’s arrival and the huge celebration at Skiers Plaza. Over the next few days, we’ll be passing through Lillooet, Merritt and Abbotsford on our way to Vancouver!

Are you watching the Torch adventure? If not, CTV has a great live webcam of the torch relay on CTV’s website. Keep your eyes peeled for blog updates going into the final week of the relay. The energy is going to be high, and it’s going to be a blast!

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