119 replies to this topic

[HB]

There are gas pumps in Port Renfrew and Port Renfrew is West of the petro can so the petro can sign is incorrect

[phx]

Yeah, but it's primarily a marina, not a gas station.

[HB]

The parking area on land has gas pumps for cars that pull up alongside and fill their tanks.
This is a station where cars get gas.
Boats can get gas at the piers.
Itr is not possible to drive a boat to the gas pumps unless of course its a hippo bus.

RVs Cars and Trucks fill up at the gas pumps which are on dry land near the RV Park office
Doesnt matter that the businees is called a marina the fact is that it is west of sooke and it sells gas. And it is not Primarily a marina it is also a place to buy food and it is also an RV Park

[phx]

Arguably, they are both correct.

When I said "arguably", I didn't actually want to argue about it!

[VicHockeyFan]

I see. Well the PetroCan sign does say gas station, so yes I guess both correct.

[Mike K.]

Good luck to you if you need gas at 6PM on a January night out in Port Renfrew. The next closest gas station from that Petro Can in Sooke is in Lake Cowichan 130km away.

Speaking of this route, there is now a sign along HWY 14 heading out towards Sooke that lists the distance to Lake Cowichan.

[eseedhouse]

There are gas pumps in Port Renfrew and Port Renfrew is West of the petro can so the petro can sign is incorrect

Actually, Port Renfrew is Northwest of the Western Communities and to the North most of Greater Victoria. Straight west from that gas station is the strait, and the first land on that bearing is in the United States, near Cape Flattery.

Straight west of Port Renfew is all ocean to Asia (with perhaps a small island or two along the way).

Port Renfrew is not directly to your West until you are North of Elk Lake, or on the Malahat, past Tunnel hill going North.

[VicHockeyFan]

Actually, Port Renfrew is Northwest of the Western Communities and to the North most of Greater Victoria. Straight west from that gas station is the strait, and the first land on that bearing is in the United States, near Cape Flattery.

Straight west of Port Renfew is all ocean to Asia (with perhaps a small island or two along the way).

Port Renfrew is not directly to your West until you are North of Elk Lake, or on the Malahat, past Tunnel hill going North.

Is it more north, or more west of that sign in Sooke though. No sign is going to say "No more gas northwest of this station" so we need to know if it should say north, or west. NW does not cut it for signs.

[LJ]

I rode the route yesterday on my motorcycle, damn it was hot once you got east of Port Renfrew. Worst part of the road is from Jordan River to Renfrew.

[G-Man]

^ how was the new bridge?

[Linear Thinker]

History Buff / phx:
The Marina's site says they are only open May-October.
Can either of confirm this is true? Unless you're talking about a different marina.
(btw, map link to the marina location)
Throwing the marina's potential winter closure into the mix, the sign that says no gas for 79km is only correct 6 months of the year.

Yeah, but it's primarily a marina, not a gas station.

[HB]

Lets start a new thread about the drive from Port Albernin to Ucluelet. That ones a lot farter that Sooke to Renfrew.
How do people manage?


Ucluelet is over 100km west of Port Alberni....

Now I wait for someone to correct this and mention that it is actually 236° south west

[jonny]

^ how was the new bridge?

Stupid and boring!

They got rid of one of the more interesting parts of that road.

I do not think you should count on being able to buy gas in Port Renfrew. I think you can buy it at the marina, but I believe it is marked gas? I've never tried, but that's what I have been told. I always head out there with enough gas to get back!

[sebberry]

Stupid and boring!

They got rid of one of the more interesting parts of that road.

What did they do to which bridge? I haven't been out there for a while.

[HB]

They built a new bridge over an arm of the Sombrio river just east of the no. 2 Sombrio wher ethe bridge with blue railings is.
there is a new diversion to the bridge which starts just at the Sombrio Beach access rd.
It replaces a very unstable portion of the road that was subject to slides and slumping.

The new road and bridge access is awesome because it is higher elevation with great views compared to the old road and the view to the Sombrio under the brige is nice

Like in this photo taken a couple years ago. this section is not part of the road any longer.I took these shots in Jan 09

[VicHockeyFan]

^ That warning sign is a little understated for the hazard ahead.

[Mike K.]

Hilarious

[jonny]

They built a new bridge over an arm of the Sombrio river just east of the no. 2 Sombrio wher ethe bridge with blue railings is.
there is a new diversion to the bridge which starts just at the Sombrio Beach access rd.
It replaces a very unstable portion of the road that was subject to slides and slumping.

The new road and bridge access is awesome because it is higher elevation with great views compared to the old road and the view to the Sombrio under the brige is nice.

The new bridge and set-up is definitely safer and quicker, but it's definitely less interesting to navigate through!

As HB said, it's right before the blue bridge when you're heading out to Renfrew. Heading east, there used to be one way section due to some of the road giving way followed by a downhill portion which led to one of the one way wooden bridges. Then there was a 90 degree uphill right turn followed by a nearly hairpin left turning switchback on a very steep incline followed by a hard, sweeping right corner which led up to an awesome sweeping left onto the bridge with blue railings.

[Nanaimoite]

its an awesome route to take, driven it many times Nanaimo to Victoria, its suprising how many people don't know its paved all the way

[Bernard]

Here is a cool time lapse video of the building of the Sombrio bridge

 

http://youtu.be/jdl1OOK7kMQ