Halfway through a water tour of Victoria, the shipB次元官网网址檚 captain stops the boat and points out a handful of houses.
WeB次元官网网址檙e on a border, one house is in Victoria, the neighbour is in Esquimalt, and across the waterway is Saanich, Christopher Causton tells the tourists attempting to describe the 13 municipalities that make up the Capital Regional District.
Causton is a captain and goodwill ambassador with Victoria Harbour Ferries for 11 years now since stepping down as mayor of Oak Bay. He figures the 24 years on council in that community (15 as mayor) gives him a leg up on regional storytelling for guests who take the tours.
B次元官网网址淚 think because I was mayor and because I was involved in regional government I have probably an advantage that I know a lot about where the bodies are buried in the city, so it gives me an advantage,B次元官网网址� he told the Victoria B次元官网网址.
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Victoria Harbour Tours takes its guests on several tours and taxis locals around the city via water. This one traverses the Inner Harbour, Upper Harbour and Gorge Waterway, under the nearly as far as Tillicum Road bridge where the water becomes too shallow to pass.
B次元官网网址淚 love meeting people from all around the world, I love sharing stories with them and I love working in the outdoors with a bunch of really good guys,B次元官网网址� Causton said. B次元官网网址淧eople love this city and love the things we love about it.B次元官网网址�
Each captain is afforded the freedom to share their local secrets and personal memories. Causton takes the tour on a ride through history right to modern day.
As the boat slips silently (itB次元官网网址檚 electric) closer to the Point Ellice Bridge, he recounts the tragic tale of May 26, 1896 when the bridge collapsed B次元官网网址� dropping a streetcar into the Gorge Waterway B次元官网网址� fallen beams crashing down on top of it.
In total, 55 men, women and children were killed.
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Beyond the bridge, he notes a handful of local swimming holes B次元官网网址� swearing that Banfield Park is the best in the city. On the way back to the Inner Harbour, he showcases the large vessels at Point Hope Maritime and shares tidbits about them B次元官网网址� the massive Anwa, a couple Hullo ferries destined to travel the waters between Nanaimo and Vancouver, and a bright yellow wind turbine buoy used by University of Victoria to gather wind data.
After passing myriad paddlers, swimmers and one floating hot tub, the tour winds back down to the docks at the foot of the historic Empress building B次元官网网址� with a final quiz on how many buildings actually make up the Fairmont hotel.
Apparently itB次元官网网址檚 five.
B次元官网网址� With files from Ella Matte
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