On the Water The scenic Harbourfront Walkway spans 5 kilometers (3 miles). Marine Activities At the top of every Nanaimo visitor’s must-see list is the Harbourfront Walkway. And with good reason. From here you can stroll hand-in-hand and catch stunning views of nearby islands, snow-capped mountains and a busy harbour. So inspiring are the views that they’ll entice you off the path and onto the ocean. Any day April through mid-October you can hop on a ‘pickle’ boat (named for their colour) for a 45-minute narrated tour of the harbour. The skippers point out intriguing creatures and captivating seascapes as they share interesting bits of harbour history. Three artificial shipwreck reefs just outside the harbour draw divers from around the world. Our sheltered waters also make the perfect starting point for kayaking excursions with up-close views of seals and sandstone formations. See the city and nearby islands on a sailing charter, or hire a guide to take you where the fish are biting. Fast Facts • • Every fall salmon swim under the Harbourfront Walkway bridge and wiggle their way up the Millstone River. The closest place to take a whale watching tour and see orcas (killer whales), humpback whales, gray whales, or Minke whales is in Cowichan Bay, a one-hour drive south. Jacques Cousteau proclaimed the spectacular coastal waters of British Columbia ‘the best temperate water diving in the world, second only to the Red Sea.’ • Newcastle Island 12 www.tourismnanaimo.com