Port McNeill to Campbell River - Vancouver Island

Next stop was a lookout over Seymour Narrows. This is a 5 km section of the Discovery Passage between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia. It is known for strong tidal currents and cruise boats need to take care as they navigate this area. However, it is not as dangerious as it once was. Ripple Rock was a submerged mountain that used to lie just 3 metres beneath the surface of the water and was a serious hazard to shipping, sinking 119 vessels and taking 114 lives. In 1958, after 2 years of tunneling, Ripple Rock was blown up with tons of explosive making it the largest commercial, non-nuclear blast in North America.