Coal Harbour by pontoon: the city skyline from the water
Run from Indian Arm to Coal Harbour for Stanley Park, Canada Place and the downtown skyline. Plan it around Second Narrows and the port traffic.
Downtown Vancouver from the water looks nothing like it does from the seawall. You get the towers of Coal Harbour, the sails of Canada Place and the trees of Stanley Park all in one frame.
Best on a full day
Coal Harbour sits 35 to 45 minutes west of our dock at Cates Park at an easy cruise. Add the run back and the time you spend looking around, and it fills most of a half day, so it works best on a full-day rental.
Second Narrows
The route passes under the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge and the CN rail bridge at Second Narrows. The tide squeezes through here and the current runs fast, with eddies near the bridge piers. We give your skipper the slack water times at checkout. Plan your crossings near them, keep to the centre of the channel and give tugs and ships plenty of room.
Sharing the harbour
West of Second Narrows you’re in a working port. Container ships, bulk carriers, tugs with barges and cruise ships all use the inlet, and none of them can stop or turn quickly for you. Stay well clear of them and cross behind them, never in front.
Floatplanes take off and land in Coal Harbour. Keep out of the marked aerodrome area and watch the sky as well as the water.
The turnaround
The Lions Gate Bridge marks the western limit of our operating area. Turn back before you reach it. English Bay and the Strait of Georgia lie outside your rental agreement and our insurance.
Make the day work
- Leave early to catch the morning slack at Second Narrows.
- Do the Indian Arm stops on the way home, when you know how much time you have left.
- Budget for fuel. A Coal Harbour run burns far more than a day on Indian Arm.
Book a full day for a city run.