Category: Flight Simulator 2004 - Scenery
Coal Harbour CAQ3 float base in British Columbia, Canada

Images related to this file:

• coal_harbour-1.jpg
• coal_harbour-2.jpg
• coal_harbour-3.jpg

File Description:
This is number eight in a series of new and renovated float bases in BC. Coal Harbour is in a sheltered cove off Holberg Inlet on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island, close to the village and 10 miles southwest of the Port Hardy float base. There is 100LL fuel and oil available. Due to the deep fjords that run into Vancouver Island from the west coast Coal Harbour is actually closer to the east coast than it is to the west coast. The tortuous route in through Quatsino Sound and Rupert Sound shelters the waters of Holberg Inlet from the stormy seas of the west coast, and fishing boats take advantage of this. The floatplane dock is to the south of the large (and old) hangar, adjacent to the southern end of the fixed dock where the ramp bridge descends to the floating docks. The video makes it clearer. The AI is a further adaptation of the CF36 AI and involves Beavers and Otters as listed in the AI folder. Due to the surrounding hills there may be some interference with AI aircraft, depending on the wind direction, though I have watched succesful Beaver and Otter landings. Amid the hills there is a very large hole in the ground to the east. The village name suggests it may have been for coal but though in fact there was a coal mine, that was a much smaller and unsuccesful venture; this particular scene of enthusiastic digging was for copper, until 1996. The main claim to fame of Coal Harbour was that it was the last whaling station in North America, using the buildings that were part of the RCAF float plane patrol base during WW2. One downloader reported a texture problem with Port McNeill, to which we found a solution. As he was the only person to email me I am going to presume that nobody else had the problem.