Nanaimo Marina info

We are going to stop in Nanaimo to provision for our trip north for 10 days. Can anyone recommend a decent but affordable (haha) marina to dock our (rented) NT42 at for 24-48 hours that will appease my wife and family. I see lots of marinas, but I am not sure which ones allow transient vessels.

Thanks in advance
Scott

Just go to the harbour one right downtown. Nice floats, near everything. Washrooms are a bit of a walk though...

Marina

if you stay in Mark's bay at a bouy I think it is $10. dinghy over for your groceries. pretty easy.

We usually stay at the NYC to water up before crossing.

bligh said:

We are going to stop in Nanaimo to provision for our trip north for 10 days. Can anyone recommend a decent but affordable (haha) marina to dock our (rented) NT42 at for 24-48 hours that will appease my wife and family. I see lots of marinas, but I am not sure which ones allow transient vessels.

Thanks in advance
Scott

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you'll need to go to the customs dock and clear customs anyway.

The same harbor as the customs dock is pretty nice, and seems to be within walking distance to food, etc...

We like the marina at Port of Nanaimo. Walking distance to restaurants, grocery stores, shops, etc. There's a laundry at the marina and you can fill up on fuel and water. Full service. Rates are $1.25 per foot and $4.00 for 30 amp power per day. Good value., nice people. Website at Marina
phone number (250) 754-5053.

You'll only be able to clear customs there if that's your first stop in Canada. If you're planning to stop anywhere in the Gulf Islands before that, you'll need to clear at Bedwell Harbor, or maybe Sidney if you're going up the west side.

Watch the weather in the Strait. If the weather forecast is bad, many boats will not leave the marinas to cross the strait and stay in until it gets better. In other words, it may be tough to get a slip. It's happened to me twice.

Or, get a reservation if you can.

Another great option for provisioning is Ganges. Great little town with great little shops and restaurants. And, the well stocked Thrifty Supermarket will deliver to your boat!

Guaranteed your wife and family will love it!

I would think you would clear customs long before nanaimo.(not sure where your departing). The above mentioned marinas are good suggestions. You might actually want to consider clearing customs at poets cove on pender island. It's the closest to the border and probably the quickest. Avoid Bedwell!

Cheers,

jukesy said:

I would think you would clear customs long before nanaimo.(not sure where your departing). The above mentioned marinas are good suggestions. You might actually want to consider clearing customs at poets cove on pender island. It's the closest to the border and probably the quickest. Avoid Bedwell!

Cheers,

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I don't understand this post. Poet's Cove is Bedwell.

??? Poet's Cove is in Bedwell Harbor!

Lol. I knew that but you beat me to it. I meant avoid Sidney.

Never had a problem at Sidney. What was wrong, or, what happened?

I always find Sidney very cluttered and busy but nothing really wrong with it. I think the staff at Bedwell are a little more friendly too. I'm also assuming that since he'll be coming directly from the US, Poets would make the most sense since it would be the closest and fastest. That's all

jukesy said:

Lol. I knew that but you beat me to it. I meant avoid Sidney.

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Why Sidney, we have lived here for the last 35 years, great boating country ...........

bligh said:

We are going to stop in Nanaimo to provision for our trip north for 10 days. Can anyone recommend a decent but affordable (haha) marina to dock our (rented) NT42 at for 24-48 hours that will appease my wife and family. I see lots of marinas, but I am not sure which ones allow transient vessels.

Thanks in advance
Scott

Click to expand...

Depending on how Nanaimo goes, and your travel plans, Campbell River (further north) also has a marina that is ideally suited for provisioning. Discovery Harbour Marina is right adjacent to a well populated mall, which includes a Superstore, Staples, Target, Starbucks, liquor store, chandlery, and a boatyard (just in case!).Plus a number of good restaurants. It is the perfect stepping off point for Desolation Sound and parts north.

And your vessel would double the NT42 population of the marina!

You can clear customs and berth at Van Isle Marina in Sydney which is an easy 2 to 3 hour run from Friday Harbor. Then provision up from 2 different Sidney grocery stores easy enough. From there you can get to Nanaimo in 5 hours or less, anchor or moor in front of Newcastle Is and wait for the next morning to go North from there in an easy run to Pender Harbour Desolation Sound or Campbell River. Feel free to PM me if you need any more details.

There is no place to provision at Bedwell/Poets Cove.

We like Nanaimo.

We've always found it packed w boats in the anchorage by Newcastle Is.

We stay in the harbor and enjoy the city. Great place for eating and people watching. Very wide varieties of the later. Can't remember the name of the restaurant ... Chris says it was the Acme. It was on a corner that was sharper that 90 degrees. A bit up the hill.

I echo the weather comment. We got hammered bad in our previous smaller boat enroute to Lasquetti Is.

Wow. Lots of great information here. Since you all have such great local knowledge of the area I would like to get your opinion on our travel plans.
I am planning on departing Lopez Island early (5am)Friday, July 5 .
I have to return our boat to Bellingham the following Fri by noon.
According to the manufacturer, the NT42 gets pretty good mileage at or below 10kts.
I am hoping to make PLI in that amount of time as it is a destination I used to frequent with my late father in his 24ft islander bahama (rag-merchant).
I am an early riser and dont mind putting miles under the keel in the early am while the rest of my family sleeps in, but I do have kids that need to be exercised regularly.
Do you think my plan is reasonable?
Scott

Don't know about the time required to Nanaimo, but from there it is an easy run up to say Musket Island Marine park for an overnight, and then another relatively easy run up to the PLI entrance. Unfortunately there really isn't anywhere between the Musket Island anchorage and PLI that would provide reasonable anchorage as you probably know. (There are a number of options close to Musket Island.) I suppose one could make it in one long day, but timing the tide into PLI could be a challenge.

All weather/tide dependent of course.

Our NT burns about 2 gallons an hour at 8.3 knots, if that helps. 8 Gallons an hour at 11 knots if you're in a hurry.