Seasonal celebration: The bright December lights of Victoria Harbour, BC

Victoria Harbour Lights

Jan 10, 2019

There is something extra special about bright lights that decorate communities during the Holiday Season that brings people out on brisk winter nights. The residence of Victoria and the many tourists bundle up and head to the harbour taking in this special time of year with big smiles and hellos as they pass by each other. 

The biggest concentration of lights on Vancouver Island are downtown in Victoria Harbour. Most of the boats that are docked in the harbour across from the Empress Hotel are lit up to the max. The multi-coloured lights that frame the Parliament buildings of British Columbia create a magical backdrop for the boats in the harbour.

Boats & BC Parliament

 

Whether walking along Government Street, Belleville Street in front of the Parliament buildings or down by the water’s edge, everyone was stretching her neck’s taking pictures of friends and family in front of the Parliament buildings and the boats in the harbour.

BC ParliamentAt year end boaters in the harbour were in the perfect place to ring in the new year watching a spectacular fireworks display.

To our OnBoard readers a toast: To the ships we sail, the crew we sail with, and the people we love. May we keep safe for the new year 2019.


Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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