Nanaimo Harbour - It's Amazing!
I've enjoyed living in Nanaimo, the harbour city, for nearly 40 years. Nanaimo is located in the center of the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and once you've been here, you may never leave.
Visitors are amazed by our people, places, adventures, and entertainment. They find space to breathe, to relax, and to reconnect.
Slip through our protected waters by kayak or try your hand at a ropes course through the trees. Take in the natural surroundings of the area with a stroll along the waterfront walkway or through one of our picturesque parks.
Although shopping in Nanaimo is always in season, I want to introduce you to Nanaimo's spectacular harbour, where you don't have to spend a penny to take in the incredible beauty.
As you can see, the harbour is spectacularly lovely.
This photograph was taken from Protection Island, just east of the Dingy Dock, one of the harbour's big attactions.
Our dragonboat teams sometimes paddle to "the Dock" for a pleasant meal and a drink. Seeing 22 people arrive in a small boat gets quite a reaction from the tourists who arrived on the Protection Island Ferry!
The photo below was taken as our dragon boat approached the Dingy Dock on September 30, 2008.
Kenneth McVay Photography by Kenneth McVay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://islandroamer.smugmug.com.
Visitors are amazed by our people, places, adventures, and entertainment. They find space to breathe, to relax, and to reconnect.
Slip through our protected waters by kayak or try your hand at a ropes course through the trees. Take in the natural surroundings of the area with a stroll along the waterfront walkway or through one of our picturesque parks.
Although shopping in Nanaimo is always in season, I want to introduce you to Nanaimo's spectacular harbour, where you don't have to spend a penny to take in the incredible beauty.
As you can see, the harbour is spectacularly lovely.
This photograph was taken from Protection Island, just east of the Dingy Dock, one of the harbour's big attactions.
Our dragonboat teams sometimes paddle to "the Dock" for a pleasant meal and a drink. Seeing 22 people arrive in a small boat gets quite a reaction from the tourists who arrived on the Protection Island Ferry!
The photo below was taken as our dragon boat approached the Dingy Dock on September 30, 2008.
Kenneth McVay Photography by Kenneth McVay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://islandroamer.smugmug.com.
Nanaimo, British Columbia
A harbour filled with beauty no matter where you look!
curated content from Flickr
Paddle Spectacular Vancouver Island - The Wild Coast
A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreation Guide for BC's South Coast and East Vancouver Island
The Wild Coast 3: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreation Guide for BC's South Coast and East Vancouver Island, by John Kimantas.
The Dragonboat U Bette basks in the sun while her crew enjoys a picnic in Midden Bay (Newcastle Island).
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Bathtub Racing and the Marine Festival
"Nanaimo harbor was the scene of a bathtub race extravaganza at the first race in 1967.""As the City of Nanaimo's 'Centennial Event' that year, close to 200 tubbers (in every type of craft imaginable) entered the fun competition and amazingly, 47 completed the 36 mile course to Vancouver's Fisherman's Cove across the straits of Georgia."
"Now the 'Great RACE' finishes at Departure Bay in Nanaimo covering a very grueling course that leaves Nanaimo harbor circles Entrance Island and then up to and around Winchelsea Island and then back to Departure Bay in Nanaimo."
"In the early days it was indeed a challenge to just get past the starting line in the choppy confusion caused by an extra 785 small and large observation and escort boat in Nanaimo harbor."
"From the confusion of a first time bathtub race 39 years ago, the Nanaimo to Nanaimo 'Great' INTERNATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BATHTUB RACE & 4 day Nanaimo Marine Festival has evolved. Where once a select band of tubers were the highlight they now share the spotlight with many other land and water events which are interesting and often spectacular to watch."
(Please visit the home page of the Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society to read the balance of this article.)
Sea Kayak Around Vancouver Island
Paddle Vancouver Island!
Sea Kayak Around Vancouver Island, by Doug Alderson.
I found the contrast between the Seawalk's masts and the construction crane interesting. I hope you do, too.The old Malaspina Hotel, long a downtown eyesore, is slowly being transformed into a high end waterfront condominium. I don't think the City has any business building high rises on the waterfront, but it's too late to do anything about it now.
Nanaimo's Annual Silly Boat Regatta
Snapshots from the 2008 regatta
This event raised over $80,000 for Nanaimo's Child Development Centre. Its success in 2008 will probably catapault it from a "one-day-only event to a weekend spectacular within a year or two.
curated content from Flickr
Visions of the Wild
A Voyage by Kayak Around Vancouver Island
Visions of the Wild: A Voyage by Kayak Around Vancouver Island, by by Maria Coffey & Dag Goering. 2008 SaveOn Dragonboat Festival
There's really no way to convey the spirit of dragonboat racing like being there to experience it for yourself.
curated content from Flickr
The Eye of the Dragon
On September 30, 2008, the Phoenix Rising Dragon Boat team paddled to the Dingy Dock to celebrate the end of the season. These photographs were taken from the bow of the U Bette and the Dingy Dock. Alas, the camera refused to cooperate on the trip home, a spectacular paddle in the dark guided by harbour lights and a phosphorescent sea.
curated content from Flickr
Visit Spectacular Nanaimo!
2008 Tribal Journey
The sound of hundreds of handcrafted paddles being beaten in rhythm in the bottoms of more than 25 canoes echoed across Departure Bay on Vancouver Island Monday evening. The canoes were part of the largest Tribal Journeys paddle in modern times.
curated content from Flickr
Canada's First Nations
A History of Founding Peoples from Earliest Times
Canada's First Nations: A History of Founding Peoples from Earliest Times, by Olive Patricia Dickason . Nanaimo, British Columbia
More information about Nanaimo and its harbour
- Home of the Silly Boat Regatta
- Celebrating the 24th Annual Silly Boat Regatta in 2008, enthusiasm is growing for this family oriented fun-filled event.
With the help of our sponsors, teams, volunteers and spectators we're sure to meet our goal of raising $80,000 for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre.
All the money raised from the Silly Boat Regatta will go directly to programs and services in our community. - The Dingy Dock Floating Pub
- The history of the Dinghy Dock is a very important part of the guest experience. Many people come year after year to enjoy the marine experience.
Here's proof that everybody loves the 'Dock', even Lucy, a harbour seal!
- Newcastle Island
- Newcastle Island became a Provincial Marine Park in 1961, when the nearby City of Nanaimo granted it to the Province of British Columbia after having acquired the island from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1955.
Situated in Nanaimo Harbour within sight of both Vancouver Island and the towering Coastal Mountains of the Lower Mainland, Newcastle Island possesses a rich natural and cultural history that makes it one of the most intriguing provincial parks in British Columbia.
- Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival Society
- Come and Celebrate the Spirit of Dragon Boat Racing on the most beautiful waterfront harbour of Mafeo Sutton Park.
The Save On Foods Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival brings together and gives back to our diverse community through team building, charitable fund raising and a cross cultural experience that is fun for everyone. This is three days of passion, pleasure and pain that brings all of Nanaimo to the Centre of town to witness our cities finest compete against teams from all over North America.
This is Nanaimo's finest festival....paddlers united in the fight to beat cancer. - Xtreme Reach Dragonboat Team
Xtreme Reach photographs from the 2008 SaveOn Dragonboat Festival- 2006 Nanaimo Bathtub Race
- Stunning photographs from Nanaimo's Scott Kirkpatrick Photography, courtesy the Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society!
- The Shops on Nanaimo's Seawalk
- Spectacular views, boats of every type and description, high quality goods and great food typify the Seawalk and its shops!
Visit Beautiful Vancouver Island
From Victoria to Port McNeill, it's spectacular!
Nanaimo on YouTube
Seeing is believing!
New Guestbook
kmcvay wrote...
in reply to ggglynch I used to make the drive from Nanaimo to Tofino every year about this time, just to see the fantastic display along the route as the trees respond to cooler weather and their leaves show spectacular colour. Gotta love Vancopuver Island!
Posted October 26, 2008
ggglynch wrote...
Excellent photographs Ken! The eastern side of the island is as spectacular as the west!
Posted October 24, 2008
Lensmaster
anthropos wrote
Welcome to Anything and Everything Travel Group. You did a great job on this lens. You get 5 *'s from me.
Posted August 04, 2008
KimGiancaterino wrote...
Gorgeous lens! Welcome to All Things Travel. Squid Angel Blessed.
Posted August 04, 2008
GeraldMason wrote...
Wow! Thanks, Ken! I've never been able to make the Silly Boat Regatta, but your photographs have convinced me not to miss it next year!
Posted August 04, 2008
by kmcvay
I enjoy chatting with positive, intelligent people who are driven to succeed.
I'm a "work at home" grandfather of 8, cancer survivor, avid recreati... (more)
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