Vancouver, British Columbia — It's the best thing to do this time of year. Spend the day on the water. Take in the sights. Grill some grub.
All at the same time.
Yes, we've discovered the perfect summer pastime in Vancouver British Columbia, off Granville Island.
A barbecue boat.
The little orange boats rent for from $219 to $299 Canadian and come with a two-horsepower electric engine, tongs, a lighter. And a barbecue of course.
You supply food (easy to find just steps away at the Granville Island Public Market), chef, and a captain. Who needs no experience, by the way.
"Some people get really nervous but the reality of it is, most people just leave our boats alone,” said Jake Walker, manager of Joe's BBQ Boat Rental, the company that brought these boats to B.C.
These fat little floating donuts look like a perfect place to crack a beer on a sunny day. But no adult beverages allowed: "Unfortunately, not. Transport Canada rules it’s public water, they're not allowed." Walker explained.
Other than that, rules are minimal: “Don’t go too close to the shore, don't run into somebody else’s boat. I don't have to tell people that there's no water skiing or tubing behind it because you're never gonna get up out of the water anyway!"
And they're safe. This BBQ boat operation has been in business 5 years without one disaster at sea.
A couple of insider tips:
- You may encounter pirates in these waters; there's a pirate act that sets sail on a regular schedule here.
- Do not linger under the Granville Island Bridge. You will get pooped on by birds.
Despite the hazards, we can't believe these aren't in Seattle yet. We’re hoping this Canadian innovation starts showing up in U.S. waters soon. We’re ready to climb aboard, take to the water, and do some grilling here in the states.
Transportation for this story provided by Kenmore Air with a new daily floatplane service to Coal Harbor in Vancouver B.C.
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