[Holden West]

First batch of pictures of a Harbour Air flight from Victoria Harbour (YWH) to Richmond I took earlier this Fall. Luckily, the weather was great for pictures, as I was anxious to get some shots from unusual vantage points. I'll start with the take-off and flight over the Gulf Islands and post the landing and return later when I get them uploaded.

Taxiing in the Inner Harbour. Our plane was a Harbour Air Turbo Beaver.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/takeoff-1.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/cabin.jpg

The new Shutters (http://www.westbankcorp.com/residential.cfm?projectid=27) condo under construction. Beautiful curve:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/shutters.jpg

Royal Quays condos (http://royalquays.ca/floatplanes.shtml). A marina was supposed to be built below the half-circle seawall.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/songhees_06.jpg

Department of National Defense structures at the Esquimalt Naval Base on the opposite side of the Harbour:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/esquimalt2.jpg

Here are the gun emplacements that kept us safe from the Russian Czar and the Japanese Imperial Navy (http://www.esquimalt.ca/archives/battery.htm)!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/esquimalt.jpg

Swallow's Landing (http://www.swallowslanding.com/) in Esquimalt:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/Swallows.jpg

Beacon Hill apartment towers:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/P1000751.jpg

Royal Victoria Golf Course:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/golf2.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/golf.jpg

Development on the East side:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/peninsula.jpg

Gulf Islands in the Straight:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/gulf_islands.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/gulf_island.jpg

[squeezied]

wow it's so beautiful

[Dylan Leblanc]

nice

[gumgum]

Great pics, West!

[Mike K.]

Nice! I'll never grow tired of photos from Vic-Van seaplane flights.

[Dylan Leblanc]

are these somewhere in Saanich?

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/peninsula.jpg

[Holden West]

Thanks! I've got some good Saanich and Westshore pics coming up.

EDIT: Dylan, I don't know what that one above is. It might be Cordova Bay or Gordon Head. Anyone else know?

[Holden West]

Approaching the Vancouver airport at Richmond. The mudflats and marshland is amazing--like another world:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/richmond.jpg

Disembarking at the Richmond float plane terminal near the airport. For another picture of this aircraft getting some maintenance (minus the engine cowling) in False Creek, click here (http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=503119).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/disembark.jpg

I took this with the 16x zoom: I think it's Ladysmith or Harmac. Ideas?

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/town.jpg

I'm not sure what island this is:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/saltspring.jpg

Victoria International Airport (YYJ):

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/YYJ.jpg

Looks like a gravel pit:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/gravel_pit.jpg

Weather radar station and transmission towers at Mt. Newton in John Dean park:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/radar.jpg

Brentwood Bay:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/brentwood.jpg

I think this is Bear Mountain development. Trees--who needs 'em eh? :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/bear_mountain.jpg

Colwood:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/colwood.jpg

Sprawlicious!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/colwood2.jpg

View Royal. Little Cole Island can be seen in Esquimalt Harbour:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/View_royal.jpg

Close up of Cole Island, with a Navy presence going back to the 1860s. Read more about it here (http://www.members.shaw.ca/cole_island/).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/cole_island.jpg

Esquimalt Lagoon:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/lagoon.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/lagoon2.jpg

Approach into the Inner Harbour:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/approach.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/approach1.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/harbour.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/oil_storage.jpg

Careful, now!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/P1000896.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/ogden_point.jpg

Taxiing by Laurel Point. Tourists love floatplanes!:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/taxi3.jpg

Back at the dock. A Twin Otter is arriving.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/taxi2.jpg

Home again!

[renthefinn]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/bear_mountain.jpg

That's Hartland Landfill!

[mhays]

Victoria might be the most idyllic little city in NA!

[Mike K.]

A city of 350,000 inhabitants is little?

Thanks for the photos, Holden :)

[dubiousmike]

I'm not sure what island this is:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/saltspring.jpg


Galiano ;)

[aastra]

Pretty sure this pic shows Ten Mile Point. That house on the left is the "Spanish house" we've talked about over on Vibrant Victoria. There's a great lookout on those rocks between the Spanish house and those private apartment blocks.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/peninsula.jpg

[Holden West]

http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/3884/2002642666200891140_rs.jpg

Good call, aastra. I didn't know the shoreline was so steep there.

^^So that is Galiano Island. I couldn't pick out the features on a map. But now looking at the photo I see how long and thin it is.

[excel]

Nice photos.

[dubiousmike]

^^So that is Galiano Island. I couldn't pick out the features on a map. But now looking at the photo I see how long and thin it is.

It was Montague Harbour and Parker Island that gave it away for me. But you're right, Galiano has that distinctive, soup-ladle shape.

Spent 4 months in my late teens sailing around the Gulf, finding free anchorage, eating fish, not shaving, smoking weed. Best time of my life. I desperately want to do it again.

[gumgum]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/Theoldvictorian/town.jpg

Quite sure this is Crofton.

[Dylan Leblanc]

very nice to see these pics!

[Galvanized]

Thanks for the great photos!

[zoomer]

Yup, I think that's Crofton too.

Nice pics Holden! So I assume there is a free shuttle bus to the airport? How long a ride is that?

[Holden West]

^Yeah, it's called "Dad's chauffeur service"!

Thanks for the identification job, guys!