Seaplane Adventure in British Columbia
When Tony and I were in British Columbia, I got to conquer one of my biggest fears. Scratch that, two of my biggest fears. First of all, I’m insanely afraid of the ocean. Like to the extend that my dad used to have to bribe me to get in and play in the waves as a kid (and teenager). I’m also pretty freaked out by flying. I’ve gotten a lot better at it over the years and have a lot of “tricks” for managing my flying anxiety, but I’m still aware of it! When I started looking into ways to travel from city to city in BC Canada, Harbour Air was one of the most logical, and exciting options.
Seaplane Adventure in British Columbia
After our stay in Whistler, we took a shuttle back to Vancouver. Instead of driving or catching a normal plane, we opted to take a seaplane to Victoria! A little background… a seaplane is a plane that can take off and land on the water. It looks kind of like a cross between a boat and an airplane. They’re “amphibious aircraft” because they’re considered a flying boat and a floatplane. 
Harbour Air
Let me start by saying how amazing the entire staff and crew at Harbour Air is. We arrived at the Downtown Vancouver Flight Centre about 3 hours early. I was feeling extra panicky, so we gave ourselves extra time. We dropped out bags off at the checkin counter and then went and grabbed lunch & a couple drinks at Cactus Club Cafe which is right next door to where you take off.
I was surprised to spot the Olympic Cauldron when we were walking up to the restaurant. It’s a massive Olympic torch that was built for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Harbour Air has full-service terminals in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo and South Vancouver (YVR). They also have pick-up and drop-off service to and from the Gulf Islands and you can even charter a plane to other destinations.They’ve been in business for over 35 years, which made me feel a little more relaxed knowing they’ve been flying for so long!
Our Seaplane Adventure
Once it was time to actually check in for our flight, we were able to walk down and check out the planes. It was really cool to be able to walk around the dock and see all of the planes up close. When we were getting ready to board, they let us know that the flight wasn’t completely full/there was only one pilot… so they gave me the option of flying up front in the “co-pilot” chair! As freaked out as I was, I had to do it. I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to conquer my fears. It was literally a once in a lifetime opportunity and adventure!
After we boarded, I met the captain and he gave me a headset so that I could talk to him through the flight. I was literally so distracted talking to him that I didn’t have a chance to freak out or have a full blown anxiety attack. It was really cool getting to watch him not only take off and fly the plane, but also land it! I really enjoyed getting to chat with him through the flight and learn more about the plane, routing & his daily routing. The view was AMAZING! I’m 100% honest when I say it wasn’t scary at all. It was really smooth and actually relaxing!
Once we landed, it look less than 5 minutes to get our bags – way easier than the airport! They even had a free shuttle that took us to our airport. Our shuttle driver was awesome & gave us a quick tour of the island and pointed out his favorite spots & restaurants! If there is one thing I hope you can take away from this post, it’s that it’s so important to take a chance and have an adventure. Never let your fear stop you from living life and experiencing new things!
Check Out These Other Posts About Our Canadian Adventure:
5 MUST EXPERIENCE WHISTLER ADVENTURES
A WEEKEND IN WHISTLER AT THE FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER
JET LAG: TRAVEL TIPS THAT ACTUALLY HELP
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