The Nova Spirit is a "superyacht" that's moored at the marina in Coal Harbour. Owned by billionaire James Pattison, one of the richest men in Canada, its 150ft length boasts five cabins as well as the owner's stateroom, and it has a permanent crew of nine. Just down from where the Nova Spirit ties up is a place where you can rent dinghies by the hour, and so Scott, Bethany, Oliver and I jumped into our little 16ft tub (50 horsepower engine!) and headed out into the Vancouver waters. We waved to the billionaire as we puttered past but we couldn't see through the reflective black windows. I'm sure he was waving back.
From there we took a right at the Chevron barge, did our best to avoid the float plane runway, and set our course for the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge and up Indian Arm, a wooded, picturesque, glacial fjord to the north east of the main Vancouver harbour. It looks like it's the haunt of even more of the super rich in their waterfront homes, the sort of people who don't appreciate trespassers in a boat with no idea what they're doing disturbing their peace. But whatever - we did a quick loop around Croker Island, got a look at Granite Falls, and then turned for home before our time was up.
We were a little more adventurous on the way home, cranking the motor up to its full power (somewhere between "sedate" and "steady") and letting the kids have a go at driving. Both were good, although Bethany is something of an adrenaline junkie with her fast turns towards shore. There were a few close calls on our way back to the busier waterways. Are you meant to go starboard to starboard when you pass other boats? What colour is starboard? Which side is starboard anyway? After another pilgrimage to the Chevron barge we were back home.
It was certainly fun, although it seems to take a lot longer to get anywhere via water. Maybe I'll keep my motor yacht strictly for lazy Sunday afternoon jaunts. I'd better get saving - a crew of nine would be a bit crowded in a 16ft dinghy.
Take her out, Mr Sulu.
Not my boat.
Not my plane.
Speeding away from the city.
Do big boats have to give way to little boats, or is it the other way around?
Under the bridges.
In-boat GPS.
One of these houses first and then my boat, or the other way around...?
Captain Scott.
Pining for the fjords.
Oliver takes in the wind and the waves.
Granite Falls.
Bethany at the helm.
Heading back to home.
One for Hannah there.
Happy at the end of another fantastic trip.
Hello sail-hair.
