Ed Life, skipper of ‘Surt’, 2006

Warning you may hear some salty talk like, “If your Spinnaker is luffing you maybe pinching dirty wind…” should you visit Vitoria’s Inner Harbour  when crews from all over the Pacific Northwest are in town for Swifture.

Swiftsure is an International Yacht Race to be held May 25 to 27, 2013.  Sailing vessels of all shapes and sizes come from as far at New Zealand, Russia and the United States to compete in this historic event.

This year will mark the 70^th anniversary of the Swiftsure Yacht Race.  Swiftsure is actually six races over four courses and a 2 day in shore regatta.  The longest course is to Swiftsure Bank and back, that is 138.7 nautical miles.

Volunteers have kept a summary of various Swiftsure records for example the fastest and slowest sailing vessels.

2013 Swiftsure Yacht Race

The fastest title was earned in 2007 by the crew of ‘Braveheart ‘she returned to the Inner Harbour in 15 hours, 8 minutes and two seconds.

While the slowest boat to finish was the crew of ‘Sannu Sannu’ in 1984 who crossed the line at 58 hours, 18 minutes and 16 seconds!  In slow wind years, Swiftsure is affectionately called ‘Driftsure’.  The crew of the ‘Sannu Sannu’ must have been suffering from ‘Driftsure’.

While the fastest and longest records are of mixed distinction it shows that the Swiftsure International Yacht Race requires stamina, endurance and concentration.

Not all the excitement is out on the water, a number of public events are planned that will entertain families and friends throughout the weekend.

Swiftsure Centre, located at Ships Point in Victoria’s Inner Harbour will host free concerts.  Thursday, May 23^rd:  From 8:00–11:00 pm - rhythm and blues with ‘The Midnights’ at the Swiftsure Centre. No cover charge.

Friday, May 24^th:  From 8:00–11:00 pm - good vibrations with ‘Mid Life Crisis’ at the Swiftsure Centre. No cover charge

Saturday, May 25^th: 9:00 am - Before the races begin, a Pancake Breakfast by Central Saanich Lions Club at Clover Point.

While eating your breakfast, be sure to watch overhead as the Royal Canadian Air Force performs a safety demonstration in honour of the 70^th edition of Swiftsure.

Saturday, May 25^th: 9:50 am – Race sequence starts. 10:00 am – The first race starts!

There will be lots of photo opportunities along the waterfront during the Inshore Classics Race as the boats jockey for position between the breakwater and Brotchie Ledge.

Sunday, May 26^th: Swiftsure finish line for long-course race is best viewed from the breakwater at Ogden Point.

The Inner Harbour will be filled with world class yachts, HMCS ORIOLE (launched in 1921), and SV MARTHA launched in 1907) will be open for visitors, as will SV Westerly. Come and stroll the docks and compare the old and the new.

Visit clippervacations.com to book a trip to Victoria to see the Swiftsure International Yacht Race.

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Photo Creative Commons Licensed by Germán Póo-Caamaño

Baton twirling, bag pipes, balloons and more!

One of Canada’s longest-running parades can be found along Douglas Street, in downtown Victoria.

The 115th Island Farms Victoria Day Parade is expecting about 145 entries for the May 20^th spectacle.

In keeping with centuries of tradition, the Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific will lead the parade followed by Local veterans, regular force members and cadets.

On the heels of the Canadian Forces will be the crowd pleasing School marching bands.  Historically the high school marching bands have come from the United States to entertain Victorians.  Over the years we have seen an increase of Victoria Middle and Secondary schools enter marching bands into the parade.

There will be clowns, balloons, Military and business floats that will parade from Mayfair Mall at 9:00 am and proceed along Douglas Street, finishing at the intersection of Douglas and Humboldt.  It can take up to three hours for the parade to pass.

At noon, the 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery will fire a 21-gun salute from Belleville Street in front of the Legislature to mark the Queen’s birthday.

Be sure to find a spot along Douglas Street earlier than later as last year, the parade drew an estimated 65,000 attendees!

For more information on visiting Victoria for the Victoria Day weekend as well as the parade, visit www.clippervacations.com.

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Over New Year’s Eve, I went to Vancouver BC with my family. Before we drove back to Seattle, we went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a 450 foot long suspension bridge 230 feet above the Capilano River. Once across the bridge, there are a series of walkways and shorter suspension bridges for you to explore. In 2011, Cliffwalk was added, a suspended walkway anchored to a cliff.

After having experiencing fear of heights at St. Paul’s Cathedral several years ago, I was a little nervous of the suspension bridge. However, the bridge felt very safe and I was glad to have experienced it as well as Treetops Adventure on the other side and their newest attraction, Cliffwalk, which was actually more nerve wracking than the bridge. I was not about to take out my camera on Cliffwalk, but I’ve included some pictures here creative commons licensed from flickr so you can see what it looks like:

Cliffwalk photo creative commons licensed on flickr via InSapphoWeTrust

Cliffwalk photo creative commons licensed on flickr via InSapphoWeTrust 

Capilano is family friendly with plenty of activities and educational information to occupy kids however there are a lot of stairs so those with mobility impairment might have difficulty.

Clipper Vacations offers two tours originating in Vancouver that visit Capilano, a Sunset Tour of Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain offered May 18-September 3 and a year round Grouse Mountain Capilano Suspension Bridge Tour. Either of these tours can easily be added on to any of our Vancouver vacation packages.

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Henrietta Hippo entering Victoria’s Inner Harbour

Guest Post by Carolyn from Victoria Hippo Tours

Have you ever ridden a bus that floats? Ever wanted to?

Victoria’s newest attraction is making a splash this season with a captivating amphibious city tour. Victoria Hippo Tours offers a unique ride around town that takes passengers past all the major attractions and landmarks of the downtown area. But it’s not just a city tour. As hippos live both on land and in the water, the Hippo Tour wouldn’t be complete without a splash right into the Pacific Ocean!

Proudly partnered with Clipper Vacations, Victoria Hippo Tours opened on April 1^st and will continue operations until October 31st, offering several tours every day. This land-and-sea tour lasts for an hour and a half and is fully narrated by a guide on board, giving it a very personal touch. The commentary focuses on many different aspects of Victoria’s culture, covering everything from the city’s foundation and haunted history to local activities and special events. You’ll travel through Victoria’s bustling downtown, but also past the more scenic Beacon Hill Park and out to Clover Point. You’ll learn about Bastion Square, both present and past; Chinatown; Fisherman’s Wharf; Francis Rattenbury and the B.C. Parliament Buildings, Crystal Gardens, and Fairmont Empress Hotel. Dive into the ocean, traveling from Odgen Point straight into the harbour and back. Find out about the Johnson Street Bridge, Songhees Point, the Breakwater, and much more. Victoria Hippo Tours has something for everyone – locals, visitors, and kids of all ages!

Departure times are at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm in April and May.  As the season progresses, additional departure times may be added at 10 am, 5 pm and 6 pm (June, July and Aug).  As the tour has a marine component, tours may be cancelled due to dangerous weather and sea conditions.  Tours depart and finish at the CP Steamship Terminal, 468 Belleville St across from the Hotel Grand Pacific.

Check out www.victoriahippotours.com for more details, or call 250-590-5290 or toll free 1-855-884-4776. The Victoria Hippo Tour can be added on to any of Clipper Vacations’ Victoria Overnight packages.

The post Tour Victoria in a Bus that Floats with Victoria Hippo Tours appeared first on Clipper Vacations Blog.

Thomas Gainsborough
Mary, Countess Howe, ca. 1764
Oil on canvas
95 x 61 in.
Kenwood House, English Heritage; Iveagh Bequest (88029039)
Photo courtesy American Federation of Arts

I recently went to see Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasures of Kenwood House, London at the Seattle Art Museum and it turned out to be one of my favorite exhibits I’ve seen at SAM. I went on the guided tour which I would highly recommend, especially if you are unfamiliar with the history surrounding the pieces. After the tour I went through the exhibit on my own. The tour is about an hour long and covers the history of the Iveagh Bequest as well as information on several of the paintings included in the exhibit. The paintings are mostly from the 1600s and 1700s and include portraits, landscapes, marine scenes, several portraits of people as characters in Shakespeare or in other fictional settings, and etchings by Rembrandt.

Kenwood House in London usually houses the Iveagh Bequest, but since it is currently under renovation, the paintings are being exhibited and SAM was one of the museums lucky enough to host it. Edward Cecil Guinness of the Guinness Brewery sold his stock in the brewery and retired, becoming 1^st Earl of Iveagh. He amassed a collection of Old Master paintings including pieces by Gainsborough, Rembrandt, Hals, Romney, Van Dyck and others which was later donated to Great Britain as the Iveagh Bequest and is usually displayed free of charge at Kenwood House in London. The exhibit at SAM also includes a section of pieces from European Masters collected by people in Seattle giving the show a local touch.

Rembrandt van Rijn
Portrait of the Artist, ca. 1665
Oil on canvas
45 3/4 x 38 1/4 in.
Kenwood House, English Heritage; Iveagh Bequest (88028836)
Photo courtesy American Federation of Arts

The exhibit closes May 19, so don’t miss the chance to see it before it leaves. Visit the Seattle Art Museum website to learn more. For those in the Pacific Northwest traveling to Seattle for the exhibit, look at Clipper Vacations Seattle packages for options to travel to Seattle before The Treasures of Kenwood House returns to Great Britain.

The exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts and English Heritage. It is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities, with additional funding from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. In-kind support is provided by Barbara and Richard S. Lane.

The post Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasures of Kenwood House, London at Seattle Art Museum through May 19 appeared first on Clipper Vacations Blog.

forage Vancouver

One of the best parts of traveling is the opportunity to try local cuisine. With Earth Day less than a month away, the start of spring is a great time to get a taste of sustainability at a locally sourced restaurant. The Pacific Northwest is famous for being one of the early pioneers of Farm to Table restaurants and any trip to Vancouver, BC should include a stop at a restaurant serving food provided locally and working to reduce waste all while providing a great meal. Our Vancouver hotel partner, The Listel Hotel, is committed to sustainability through their Environment Matters initiative. The Listel Hotel is zero waste and utilizes solar panels as well as a heat capture program and now their commitment of sustainability has extended to forage, the brand new restaurant on site, longtime dream of Chef Chris Whittaker.

From the press release about the opening of forage:

The future of restaurant economy is forage. Chef Chris Whittaker has been the driving force behind the philosophy of forage, from both the food-finding aspect to the technology to reduce wasted resources while saving money. Teaming up with the Green Table Network, BC Hydro and LiveSmart BC, forage is a showcase project demonstrating how a renovated restaurant can achieve financial savings through high efficiency and leading edge technology. Reducing energy and water consumption by 30% in both the kitchen and front of house, and maintaining Chris’ own food viewpoint of local and sustainable, forage is a dream come true for this highly motivated chef. After a fact finding tour of forage, scoutmagazine.ca and WE journalist Andrew Morrison says, “I could see the future, and to be perfect honest, it looked delicious.”

The restaurant is sourced by suppliers in the Vancouver area. Forage serves breakfast and dinner daily as well as a brunch on weekends. For more about forage, visit foragevancouver.com.

Seattle to Vancouver one night packages with overnight at The Listel Hotel start at $140 pp/do through April and $186 pp/do in May.

Portland to Vancouver two night packages with overnight at The Listel Hotel start at $266 pp/do through April and $358 pp/do in May.

The post Discover Forage, the New Sustainable Restaurant at The Listel Hotel appeared first on Clipper Vacations Blog.

Gray Whale in Everett, WA Photo Creative Commons Licensed by Joaquin Uy via flickr

In our area, one of the first signs of spring is the arrival of Gray Whales to Washington waters on their long annual migratory journey from Baja Mexico to Alaska  And if we are paying attention to the whales, spring has arrived. Starting in February, reports of sightings started to trickling in and now Gray Whales are being spotted daily!

Go on a Gray Whale Watching Day Trip with Clipper Vacations from downtown Seattle with a 2 hour stop in Coupeville on Whidbey Island!

On most weekends from March to May, Clipper Vacations will be offering this Gray Whale excursion, a perfect outing for the whole family! Kids 11 and younger are only $10 per paying adult!

In addition to your Gray Whale and Sea Life Search, is a 2 hour stop in the quaint and historic town of Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

Details:

• Adults(12+) $44.00 – $49.00 (save by booking online or with advanced purchase)
• Kids (1-11) from $10.00 per paying adult
• Additional children under 12 per adult are half of the applicable adult fare

Dates:

• March: 16, 17, 23, 24, 30
• April: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21
• May: 4, 12

Schedule:

• 8:15-9:00am – Boarding at Pier 69 downtown Seattle
• 9:00am – Depart Seattle
• 9:30-12:00pm – Cruise Whale Watching
• 12:00pm – Arrive in Coupeville, Whidbey Island **
• 2:00pm – Depart Coupeville
• 4:00pm – Arrive Seattle

**May arrive/depart 1 hour earlier if determined that whales will be viewed in the afternoon. Times are approximate

See more details and how to book on the Clipper Vacations Website!

The post Gray Whale Watching Tours from Seattle Begin This Weekend appeared first on Clipper Vacations Blog.

Photo: Tourism Victoria

Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to shower the significant others in our lives with love and affection!  Getaway to Victoria, recently deemed “Canada’s most romantic city” by Amazon.com, to show your special someone just how much you care.  Whether a daytrip for Afternoon Tea at the Empress or a weekend getaway at one of Victoria’s beautiful hotels, Clipper Vacations can help you “feel the love” this Valentine’s day.

Want a 4-star getaway for Valentine’s Day, but don’t want to break the bank?  Receive a special rate on the 4-star Hotel Grand Pacific when booking a Victoria Overnight package!  The package includes round trip on the Victoria Clipper, overnight at the Hotel Grand Pacific, and all applicable taxes.  One night starts at only $122 per person/double occupancy through the month of February!

Photo: Tourism Victoria

Clipper Vacations also offers romance packages at several hotels in Victoria, including the Hotel Grand Pacific , the Fairmont Empress, and the Inn at Laurel Point!  Adding that extra something special to an already fabulous weekend will be sure to impress the one you love.

Travel with Clipper Vacations to Victoria, “Canada’s most romantic city” for a Valentine’s Day you won’t forget!

Visit www.clippervacations.com or call 800-888-2535 for more ideas about Pacific Northwest Valentine’s Day getaways.

All photos courtesy Tourism Victoria.

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Seattle Space Needle New Year’s Fireworks / Photo: Wonderlane Creative Commons Licensed via flickr

2012 is coming to a close and what better way to celebrate a chance to start over than by ringing in the New Year with one of these fabulous New Year’s Eve events! Whether in Seattle, Vancouver or Victoria there are plenty of options no matter your taste to find an event to usher in 2013 with style!

Seattle:

• The Underground Tour New Year’s Eve Underworld Tour: Take a special Underworld Tour at 7, 8, 9 or 10 on New Year’s Eve followed by a party. For those over 21, $25 admission includes a cocktail, a glass of champagne at midnight and the Underworld Tour, an adults only steamier version of the Underground tour focusing on the historic red light district in Seattle.
• New Year’s Eve Celebration with the Rhythm Nation: Seattle Center Winterfest present the Rhythm Nation on New Year’s. Dance to the music and then head outside right before midnight to catch the Space Needle fireworks.
• Seattle Symphony: Join the Seattle Symphony in a concert, countdown and celebration featuring Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
• Indulgence New Year’s Eve Bash at the EMP
• Resolution 2013
• Chihuly Garden and Glass New Year’s pARTy

Vancouver:

• FASHION TV New Year’s Eve 2013 at the Terminal City Club
• NYE 2013 at the Telus World of Science
• Masquerade NYE 2013 at Barcelona Ultra Lounge
• Elevation at Vancouver Lookout
• New Year’s in Narnia 2: Celebrate the New Year at the Keefer Bar transformed to the theme of Prince Caspian and a nautical adventure as well as a Narnia themed burlesque performance.
• New Years Eve at Falconetti’s featuring DJ That African and T Riley

Victoria:

• Family New Year’s Eve Party: Family celebration with an early midnight celebration at 10 pm as well as crafts, snacks, ice skating, fire pits, door prizes and more.
• The Empress Room New Year’s Eve Dinner: A six course dinner and live entertainment as well as dancing in the Crystal Ballroom and a midnight toast.
• New Years Eve Dinner and Jazz at the Heron Rock Bistro
• New Years Eve over Victoria

The post New Year’s Eve Events – Seattle, Victoria & Vancouver appeared first on Clipper Vacations Blog.

Photo: Butchart Gardens

Both my husband and I celebrate our birthdays in December. Growing up I thought holiday lights and trees were just as much as my birthday celebration as the rest of the communities chance to light up the dark days of December.

What is more festive than a shimmering display of lights and ornaments.

Please come and visit us on Vancouver Island this year to take in the great holiday displays.

Downtown Victoria – from the Inner Harbour to downtown the city is dressed up! The Harbour is lined with twinkling trees. The official Christmas Tree for British Columbia is on the lawn of the BC Legislature. This Sequoia tree was planted in the late 1800′s and is over 100 feet tall. The Parliament Building is lit up year round with 3,000 sparkling bulbs, and during the holidays there are additional brightly colored bulbs added to the building. Centennial Square, Victoria City Hall has an impressive light display. This year they are also featuring an interactive lights and animation. Every day from 4 pm until midnight, bring your smart phone with you to interact with a 20 foot by 16 foot claymation story projected on the back wall of the McPherson Playhouse. Two custom created holiday characters are sure to delight and captivate when you communicate with them via text message to the number 250-800-2814. At the top of Centennial Square, another interaction is waiting for you to make some noise! See if you can find the special tree with lights that move and change with sounds.

Butchart Gardens – Tens of thousands of lights transform the Butchart Gardens into a stunning display of holiday magic. There are also many activities to enhance your visit. Outdoor ice skating, ride the Rose Carousel or take in the caroling and music in the Piazza.

How about rent a car and take a road trip to Ladysmith for the Festival Of Lights. Ladysmith, BC is located two hours north of Victoria. This charming little village transforms into a picturesque wonderland thanks to the army of volunteers that install over 200,000 twinkling Christmas lights along the street, on buildings from curb to roof top! This display will last until January 13th.

Seattle to Victora Overnight Packages start at $125 pp/do and Victoria Overnight with Butchart Gardens Holiday Lights Tour starts at $183 pp/do. Call 800-888-2535 to add a rental car onto your vacation package or with any other questions.

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