Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert is a port on the British Columbia coast and the last stop in Canada before Alaska. It's a working town and not in the least bit pretty but it has a real pioneer or frontier land feel to it being so remote.

The flight from Vancouver was two hours long on a small turbo prop like the ones that chunter in and out of Southampton airport day and night. When the cloud cleared there was a great view of the coastal mountain ranges below.

Arriving at Prince Rupert is like no other airport experience. The airport at Prince Rupert in on the nearby Digby Island and is tiny. About the size of a flying club!! When the baggage comes off the plane a hatch opens in the wall of the baggage 'hall' and the bloke that unloaded it from the plane throws it through on to the floor. Sorry it slides gracefully down an aluminium chute, on to the floor!

Once the bags have been picked up you wait outside to board the airport busses. A small pantecnican arrives and the baggage handler loads your bags in to the van and you board the bus.

The baggage handler then boards the bus does a head count and sits down to drive the bus. Two busses and a van head for the Digby ferry and park up on deck for the short ride to the main island. There was just enough time to change the fan belt of the bus before leaving the ferry and a short drive to town where your bags are thrown from the back of the van on to the pavement at the back of the Highliner Inn. Certainly beats arriving at Terminal 5......