• Home
• About Us
  • Green Practices
  • Our Logo
  • Daily Event Log
• Destinations
  • Storey's Beach
  • Shelter Bay
  • Burnette Bay
  • God's Pocket
• Diving
• Kayaking
  • Kayak Rentals
  • Lessons
  • Tours
• Getting Here
  • About Port Hardy
  • About Northern Vancouver Island
• Resources
  • Water Taxi
  • Important Information
  • Additional Information
• Contact Us

Getting Here

Getting to Port Hardy

Odyssey Kayaking operating as The North Island Dive & Kayak Center is located at 8625 Shipley St., across from the post office in Port Hardy, British Columbia. Port Hardy is located on the northeastern end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Port Hardy is accessible straight through on highway 19 north from Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver Island, Canada. The ferries usually leave Port Hardy on alternate days “in season” to the various coastal communities up to Prince Rupert. For details on the ferry schedule, see the BC Ferry website: www.bcferries.ca. If you are going to Prince Rupert via the Ferry out of Port Hardy, plan on spending a few extra days between ferry departures to absorb some local sites and culture. Port Hardy proper is located on the west side of Hardy Bay while on the East side it's primarily industrial which includes the ferry terminal. If you think you might be lost on your way up here, keep looking for the signs at the right, they are interspersed on the route and end here in Port Hardy.
On your way here to beautiful Port Hardy, keep your eyes wide open, and appreciate the magnificent scenery. In the way of wildlife you might expect to see deer, elk, and black bears to name a few easy ones. Elk are quite often spotted between Sayward and Woss, but have been seen in other places as well. Lots of deer once you arrive on Vancouver Island so be careful while driving not to engage one of these little critters. They do a lot of damage to todays plastic cars.

Once you pass the Port McNeill turnoff for the last half hour drive, watch for black bears on the side of the road eating the grass from early spring until other forms of food begin to arrive on the scene during summer. If you can't resist stopping for that photo opportunity, make sure you pull well off the road to avoid causing an accident. I would hate to see someone killed over some inconsiderate driver exercising bad judgement. Please do not harass or feed the bears, we have to live with them once you're gone. All too often bears have to be destroyed because of human interferance in their lives.

Periodically the elk you might see will be in groups as big as 15. Rarely they will be alone except for bulls in the rutting season, but I have seen small groups of two and three, just walking down the road. Over the years I have seen them at any time of day or night. They don't usually run out on the highway as deer are in the habit of sometimes, but I have seen some of them laying down on the highway at night while others in their group might be milling around. It is almost hilarious, because they don't respond to honking on your part. I have sometimes thought that when they are moving and go to cross the highway in the summer or early fall that possibly the residual heat in the pavement is what entices them to lie down. The scarcity of traffic might have something to do with them not getting killed.

---

Getting to Nanaimo

Vancouver Island is accessible from the mainland of British Columbia and Washington, United States by ferry and air. Port Hardy is located on Northern Vancouver Island 400 km (approximately 5 hours) north on highway 19 from Nanaimo or 500 km (approximately 6 hours) north from Victoria on Highway 1.

From Seattle

If you are driving up from the United States, crossing the border into Canada requires no special procedures but proof of citizenship is now required. Travel time from Seattle to Port Hardy is approximately 12 - 14 hours.

From Vancouver

Vancouver Island’s raw beauty becomes more apparent the further north you travel. Some visitors choose to fly from Vancouver directly to Port Hardy, while others enjoy the scenic drive. Both ways have their rewards. Rental cars are available in Port Hardy and Vancouver.

Pacific Coastal Airlines

PCA offers direct flights from Vancouver to Port Hardy, typically one in the morning and one in the early evening. Scheduled flights on Pacific Coastal Airlines arrive three times daily at the Port Hardy Airport from Vancouver. Air Canada flies into Vancouver. WestJet flights are available to Vancouver, and Comox. (about one hour north of Nanaimo).

Tel: 604-273-8666 or toll free 1-800-663-2872
Website: www.pacificcoastal.com

---

Flights to Port Hardy, From United States

Charter flights to and from Port Hardy, B.C. from the San Juan Islands, Anacortes, Bellingham, and the Seattle area are available daily. Whether you are traveling to Port Hardy for business or pleasure, San Juan Airlines can get you there quickly and affordably. From the San Juan Islands, the flight to Port Hardy is less two hours. From Seattle it can be all day. A ferry ride, driving, and a border crossing makes that trip from the San Juan Islands nearly an all day venture. Why drive when you can charter a flight to Port Hardy? For more info: www.sanjuanairlines.com/flights-to-port-hardy

Air Canada	WestJet
Tel: 604 688-5515 or toll free 1 888 247 2262 Website: www.aircanada.ca	Tel: 1-888-937-8538 Website: www.westjet.com

---

Shuttle Service

Shuttle Service to & from BC Ferries terminal at Bear Cove.
This shuttle meets the incoming ferries and transports passengers to their accommodation or other points in Port Hardy. The shuttle service is also available for passengers wishing to travel from their accommodation to the BC Ferries terminal. The shuttle can be booked when you check into your accommodation or it will automatically meet the incoming ferry. Cost is $6.50 per person including taxes.

North Island Transportation Service	Laidlaw Coach Lines	Greyhound
Phone: (250) 949-6300 Fax: (250) 949-6388 Email: nit@island.net	Box 1074, Port Hardy, B.C, V0N 2P0 Phone: (250) 949-7532         or (250) 949-6300 Fax (250) 949-6388 Toll Free: 1-800-318-0818 ( B.C.)                 1-800-663-8390 (USA) Email: nit@island.net  Web Site: www.victoriatours.com	Greyhound services mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island. Service is available from Vancouver or Victoria to Campbell River and beyond. Phone: 604-482-8747 Toll free: 1-800-661-8747 Website: www.greyhound.ca

---

Ferry Service

BC Ferries runs scheduled trips with both vehicle and walk-on passenger service between ports on British Columbia's mainland and Vancouver Island. Victoria Clipper, MV Coho and Washington State Ferries run trips from Washington to Victoria.

BC Ferries Information

North Island Dive & Kayak Center  •  Box 1349, 8625 Shipley St.  •  Port Hardy, BC, Canada V0N 2P0  •  Phone: (250) 949-7392