If you are still thinking about a cruise to Alaska, there is still time to book. While kids are still in school, space is available on early season cruises. As ships reposition to Alaska the first cruise of the season usually calls on out of the ordinary ports like Grays Harbor, Washington and Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This year Regent Seven Seas Cruises is� offering a new port you might want to see, Campbell River, British Columbia. For years ships have passed Campbell River to and from Vancouver. It is the city you see on the starboard side after passing through Seymour Narrows. For years the ships have sailed by but now the city of 31,000 residents is opening its doors and inviting us to stop for a while.

According to The British Columbia Tourism Board the focal point is salmon fishing and an important gateway to the rich wilderness of northern Vancouver Island. For me it is the ease and charm of the community that I find attractive; my taste must also be shared by the aristocrats and wealthy outdoors enthusiasts from Europe and America that have chosen to make Campbell River their home.

The main industry is fishing and logging; the pulp mill can be seen from miles around. But increasingly more and more are discovering Campbell River as the gateway to the Strathcona Provincial Park and the 7,218 foot Golden Hinde, tallest peak on Vancouver Island. While there don’t miss The Museum at Campbell River which highlights not only the history of the area from the indigenous First Nations people to the contemporary townsfolk but also you can see actual footage of the explosion of Seymour Narrow’s Ripple Rock, said to be the largest non-nuclear explosion in history!

Take a walk along Discovery Pier for excellent views of mainland British Columbia. If you want to drop a line rent a pole nearby or continue out to Rotary Sidewalk and see if any orcas are in the vicinity. In addition to the shopping, hiking, kayaking, and biking one of the more unusual opportunities is a chance to “swim with the salmon.” Divers can mingle eyeball to eyeball, great way to get to know a Coho and find a new gill friend!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 at 12:52 pm and is filed under alaska cruise tips, General, New itineraries, Cruise News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.