Schooner Cove Marina is part of the Fairwinds community in Nanoose Bay, so the trip is a short local drive on Vancouver Island’s east coast. A map app with the marina name typed in will give a better turn by turn route than a printed list of turns.
Where the marina sits
Nanoose Bay lies along Highway 19, about 26 kilometres north of Nanaimo and about 16 kilometres south of Parksville. The Fairwinds Schooner Cove Marina is on the water here and has 360 berths, which makes it one of the larger marinas on this stretch of coast. If you are starting from the Red Gap Centre on Collins Crescent, the commercial hub of the community, you are already in the same small area, and the marina is a short drive away.
Road names and turns near the marina are best taken from a current map, which shows which road leaves the highway closest to your starting point.
Parking and the docks
Check with the marina or Fairwinds before you go if you need to know where to leave a vehicle, whether guests can use the lot and whether there is any fee. Boat owners who hold a berth usually have their own arrangements, and visitors are better off asking than assuming. If you are towing a trailer or driving a large vehicle, ask about turning room and the best entrance.
Walking down to the docks is generally simple once you arrive, but gates and access rules differ by marina. Ask at the office if a gate is locked or if you are meeting someone on a boat.
If you would rather not drive
A cab is the practical choice for a short hop within Nanoose Bay, especially if you are carrying fishing gear, groceries for a boat or luggage. Public transit in this area is limited, and the BC Transit trip planner for the Nanaimo region shows whether any service reaches your stop. For a ride, see Parksville taxi or Nanaimo taxi, depending on which direction you are coming from.
Coming from Nanaimo, the drive north on Highway 19 is the main approach. From Parksville it runs south on the same highway. Allow extra time on summer weekends, when traffic on the highway can be heavier than usual.
Tides and weather matter more at the dock than on the road, so if you are heading out on a boat, check marine conditions as well as the drive.