The Harbour Hopper has been a fixture on the Halifax Waterfront for years, but now it’s getting ready to begin its first tours in Sydney.
The vessel travels on land and sea for a guided tour that mixes history with humour.
"Everybody’s very excited,” says tour operator Mitch Owen. “Everyone's interested and I think the history here is just very special here in Sydney."
The ride takes roughly 40 minutes on land, with another 15 to 20 in Sydney Harbour. The first public tour is Sunday, and Mitch Owen says there have been plenty of bookings already.
“It's been overwhelming,” he says. “The first day I had the boat on the street in Sydney I had people pulling their cars over in front of me, getting out to take pictures, constantly yelling up, asking questions."
One of the reasons the Harbour Hopper jumped across the Canso Causeway was to take advantage of increased tourism in Sydney. In particular, a boom in cruise ship visitors.
"I think it's a wonderful idea,” says Michelle Wilson of the Sydney Waterfront District. “People love our waterfront. The view is spectacular morning, noon and night, so I think this is a great way to get people experiencing the water that much closer."
Sydney's Harbour Hopper will start with small steps, running until the end of October. If business is booming, the hopper could be operating for six months, starting in May.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
