Making the necessarily steep approach, when arriving over the city, to land in Victoria's Outer Harbour.

Taxiing out from the seaplane docks in Victoria's Inner Harbour towards the more open waters of the Outer Harbour for departure on a scheduled service.

Contending with a stiff breeze blowing across Nanaimo's waterfront, as it passes Protection Island with one float engaged. Still in the basic colours of Baxter Aviation which West Coast had taken over three years earlier.

After landing, taxiing back across Vancouver Harbour to the seaplane docks. Formerly with Baxter Aviation at Nanaimo and at this stage still retaining much of that operator's colour scheme.

Carrying fleet number 603, taxiing in to Vancouver Harbour's seaplane docks. Exported to the USA in 2014 as N901RT and converted to a Series 200. In late 2015 joined Skydive Dubai as DU-SD7, later re-registered A6-SD7, for parachuting work in wheeled configuration.

Nearing the entrance to Nanaimo Harbour, Vancouver Island after making an evening landing in the bay. Still in the basic colours of Baxter Aviation which West Coast had taken over three years earlier.

Originally ordered be Hawker-De Havilland Australia, the registration VH-IMA nor the delivery was taken up. Allocated registration CF-YYU in 1964, it does not seem to have appeared on the Canadian Civil Registry until 1971 with Victoria Flying Services. C-FYYU by the time West Coast Air bought it circa 1979 - 80, it merged into the Air BC fleet in 1981. On July 30, 1981 enroute to Ocean Falls, BC, the aircraft crashed in the bush eight miles short of destination. It had run out of fuel and stalled trying to stretch a glide to a small inlet.

First flying in 1962 as CF-OSP, this Beaver was with West Coast Air Services from 1970 - 81 when the airline merged into Air BC. Sold to Harbour Air in 1984, the aircraft was operated by Inland Air Charters in 2013 before returning to Harbour Air in January 2019.

Delivered to the US Navy in June 1943 as JRF-5, Bu No. 34071. Retired to NAS Litchfield Park, AZ and registered N9547C in 1957. To Coastal Aero, Houston, TX as N27Q (1957-1964). To Gordon Gulbertson, CA in 1963. Imported to Canada by Northern Mountain Airlines in March 1964 and upgraded by McKinnon at Sandy, OR in May 1964. To Midwest Airlines, Winnipeg 1969-1972. To West Coast Air Services (WCA) in Nov. 1972. The G-21A was on a scheduled flight from Tofino to Vancouver on Sep 9, 1974 when it crashed in Nitinat Canyon, Mount Cooper, about 10 m north of Lake Cowichan in poor weather. 9 killed.

This Grumman Mallard was delivered new to Copano Oil Co, Victoria, TX in June 1950 as N2983. It was registered to nine different companies in the US before imported by West Coast Air Services in Feb. 1974 as C-GIRL and mainly flew passengers to the pulp and paper town of Ocean Falls, 257 nm NW of YVR. West Coast Air was part of the Air BC merger in 1980, and C-GIRL flew out on the northern BC coast before its sale to the US in Aug 1984 as N2983. Operated by Virgin Is. Seaplane Shuttle as N2983 and N652SS (1985-89). To Caribbean Airline Service. Retired late 1990s in San Juan, PR.

This Grumman Mallard was delivered new to the New York Daily News in May 1947 as NC2962/N2962 and the cockpit windows lowered for aerial photography! Purchased by West Coast Air Services (WCAS) in Dec. 1973 and to CF-HUB. WCAS's Mallard fleet primarily flew pax between YVR and Ocean Falls (ZOF) which was 257 nm NW away and accessible only by ship or seaplane. It was home for the largest pulp and paper mill in BC and the G-73 fleet grew when the BC Government bought the mill in 1973, but declined after the mill closed in 1980. Sold by AirBC to Air Whitsunday in Mar 7, 1983 as N2416X, then VH-LAW.

West Coast Air Grumman G-21A, CF-GEC, on the ramp at Vancouver Airport on June 15, 1977. One year later the aircraft struck an object and sank just off Powell River, BC on 14 August 1978, with no loss of life. This Goose served with the RCAF Western Air Command from Dec 1944 to Jan 1946 and was based at Vancouver from 1948 with BNP Airways (1948-1966) and the BC Hydro and Power Authority (1966-1968) then flew with Midwest Airlines in Winnipeg (1969-1972) before returning to Vancouver in 1973 to join the fleet of West Coast Air Services.

DHC-2 Beaver CF-OSP has been flying on the west coast of British Columbia since at least 1970 when it was first registered to West Coast Air Services Ltd. (WCAS) at CYVR. In the early years it primarily flew charters to in support of the coastal logging industry and coastal communities. WCAS repainted C-FOSP in this attractive colour scheme between June 1975 and July 1976. In was photographed at the West Coast Air dock in Vancouver Harbour shortly before WCAS was merged into AirBC. It rejoined the Harbour Air fleet in January 2019 after six years with Inland Air Charter in Prince Rupert, BC.

West Coast Air Services Grumman G-21A, CF-GEC, undergoing and engine change and painting in the company's old RCAF hangar at Vancouver Airport in about 1973-1974, based on the slide film I was using before switching to Kodachrome. This aircraft was later repainted in West Coast Air's new blue and white colours not long before struck an object and sank with no loss of life at Powell River, BC on 14 August 1978. I also photographed G-21A, CF-PVE outside the same West Coast Air hangar at YVR before it crashed in Nitinat Canyon, Mount Cooper, Vancouver Island on September 9, 1974.

Much has changed at Coal Harbour since I took this photo in 2003. Wescoast Air no longer exists, its base is gone and all the docks have been replaced.