Best boat journey?

[nlogax]

Another shout for the Kennacraig to Oban route, especially the section from Port Askaig with the short stopoff at Colonsay.

Good international ones.. riding around the Oslofjord islands which is a surreal joy knowing it's all part of Oslo's public transport network. Also the Hong Kong to Lamma Island ferry taking you from densely populated madness to a quiet-ish jungle island that feels like it's several hundred miles away.

 

[ls2270]

One interesting one I enjoyed in 2017 was Harwich to Felixstowe on a lovely sunny day…drops you off on the beach at Felixstowe for a bus into the town and a good way of connecting two Greater Anglia branch lines without retracing your steps if you’re ticking them off!

 

[peteb]

The Scillonian from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly is a great journey, past Lands End and out onto the Atlantic. There are some great boat trips once at Scilly, perhaps the most spectacular is around the Western Rocks, jagged rocks sticking out of the water that the boat sails round whilst looking for puffins etc.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Great thread with lots of inspiration

 

[Jamesrob637]

The swan boat at Southport when my ex had a fit (she suffered now and then) and started to countersteer me towards another boat! Thankfully she came to soon after and the rest of the ride was uneventful.

 

[BrandanM]

The Scillonian from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly is a great journey, past Lands End and out onto the Atlantic. There are some great boat trips once at Scilly, perhaps the most spectacular is around the Western Rocks, jagged rocks sticking out of the water that the boat sails round whilst looking for puffins etc.

Here they are in April 2022.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

A shout out for the lake boats in the USA in Waterton-Glacier National Park (a much overlooked park in northern Montana/southern Alberta).
They are all linked to hiking trails into the wilderness above the lakes.
Think of the Lake District but on 2-3 times the scale.

Two Medicine Lake
Swiftcurrent Lake
Josephine Lake (these two are linked)
Waterton Lake (the boat runs from Waterton in Alberta, across the 49th parallel up to the head of the lake at Goat Haunt in the USA - you need a passport!)

There's a similar boat across Jenny Lake in Grand Teton Nation Park in Wyoming.
There's wildlife to be seen on all these trips, including eagles, moose and bears.

In New Zealand, there are magnificent boat trips in Fiordland in the far south of South Island.
Sea trips include Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, and lakes Te Anau, Manapouri and Wakatipu (the latter on the 1912 steamer Earnslaw).
Unbelievable mountain and lake scenery, waterfalls, penguins and dolphins.

 

[Strathclyder]

In terms of raw scenic beauty, CalMac's Tobermory to Kilchoan crossing is at the top of the pile as far as my fairly limited amount of boat trips are concerned.

 

[SHD]

Surpised no one has mentioned Venice. Slowly steaming up the Canal Grande on ACTV line 1, especially at night, is right up there in the list of wonders.

 

[DerekC]

Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island is one not to miss if in that part of the world. The views back to the mainland are stunning. As you go out from the coast, the ranges of mountains appear, one behind the other in what seems like an endless succession.

Then try the international ferry service from Sidney (south end of Vancouver Island, Canada) to Anacortes in Washington State (USA). It calls at Friday Harbour in the San Juan Islands (US) on the way. The day we went was thick mist/driving drizzle but I am told the views of the islands are amazing! The amusing bit is that you can buy duty free, but only in the first 40 minutes of the two hour crossing. The shop closes as the boat arrives at Friday Harbour! So the queue is extensive.

Update: Checking this out online, apparently the international service is suspended until at least 2030 due to "significant crewing and availability challenges" which is a real shame!

And another one - the rowing boat ferry across the harbour at Weymouth. How many of those are left now! When I went, the ferryman told us he had been doing the job for a very long time - thirty years plus, as I remember.

 

[stuu]

Surpised no one has mentioned Venice. Slowly steaming up the Canal Grande on ACTV line 1, especially at night, is right up there in the list of wonders.

I did suggest the transfer from Venice airport into the city by boat earlier in the thread.... but you are right, the trip along route 1 is pretty amazing.

 

[Springs Branch]

. . . . the rowing boat ferry across the harbour at Weymouth. How many of those are left now! When I went, the ferryman told us he had been doing the job for a very long time - thirty years plus, as I remember.

Probably not as scenic as Weymouth Harbour, but sad to note that the Thelwall Penny Ferry ferryman of twenty years - who rowed his aluminium boat back and forth across the Manchester Ship Canal near Warrington (fare = 11p) - retired a year or two ago.

The ferry seemingly still operates (it's one of two 'parliamentary' ferries, specified as a condition in legislation which authorised construction of the MSC in Victorian times), but now uses a small propeller-driven boat.

Some videos of Kevin in action on here:-
https://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2022/05/17/end-of-an-era-as-penny-ferryman-hangs-up-his-oar/

It will mark the end of an era when ferryman Kevin Wilkinson retires after almost 20 years of operating the historic Penny Ferry across the Manchester Ship Canal at Thelwall.

When Kevin hangs up his oar next month, it is understood the rowing boat will be replaced with a motorboat, although this is yet to be confirmed by operators Peel.

Launched way back in 1894, to continue a public right of way across the newly constructed Manchester Ship Canal, inflation has seen the ferry charge increase from 1p to 11p or 20p return.

Describing it as “the best job in the world” during the summer, Kevin says he couldn’t do another winter, which can be tough going.

 

[SHD]

I did suggest the transfer from Venice airport into the city by boat earlier in the thread.... but you are right, the trip along route 1 is pretty amazing.

My mistake, I had not seen it!

After careful reading I notice that the Bosphorus crossing has not been mentioned either. Vapuring towards Sirkeci at night is also quite beautiful!

 

[Meerkat]

While driving around Scotland I took the Mallaig-Armadale ferry to Skye which was spectacular on a cloudless day with really blue sea and sky, and dolphins playing in the bow waves. Total bonus as I had really only taken that ferry to get the turntable one back, which is in such a beautiful and peaceful place I didn't care about the wait with all sorts of wildlife about. Couldn't resist going on the turntable ferry - extremely out of the ordinary and charming, and the drives either side are pretty stunning too.

As a kid we used the Harwich to Gothenburg ferry. Amazing entry to the latter, going past rocky islets so close that you had to lean over the side to look down on the seals basking on them.

 

[ViscountFan]

Leverburgh to Berneray as mentioned above, and Hurtigruten from Bergen to Kirkenes.