OK, so what *are* all those right-turn holding patterns depicted at
each MAP in the "CAP Instrument Procedures" ? (I am looking
specifically at CAP-2, for example NDB/DME 16 at Nanaimo, but almost
all have it).

On this approach (NDB DME 16, Nanaimo, BC), there is no holding
pattern depicted at the MAP ? look closely.

Sorry, technically, "holding pattern" may be the wrong term. I meant
the racetrack course depicted NE of the NDB, 005 degrees outbound,
whatever that's called.

I don't know what you are looking at but these holding patterns are rare.
They are only found in mountainous areas and are for shuttling procedures.
Some are to shuttle down for the approach and some are to shuttle up for a
safe altitude.

There is one like it on almost every page of this book (CAP-2). Then
again, most of BC *is* mountainous, so maybe that's why...

In this specific case you fly to ARMAC which is the IF. If you're too
high for example coming from the west (minimum safe altitude 7000)
you shuttle down to 2400 as per the holding pattern (thin line). Once
you're there you proceed normally as you would far a procdedure turn
(i.e. race track pattern). Inbound you can then descend to 2000.

I see, the "shuttle" is used to descend or climb from/to the enroute
structure. Makes sense. So an approach clearance automatically implies
authorization to commence the descend "shuttle", as depicted... right
? What about the case when the shuttle is not needed (i.e. you are
already close to the PT outbound segment altitude), are you free to
skip and just proceed outbound ?

Also, on a missed approach, what exactly is the clearance limit if one
does not land (you said there is no such thing as holding there,
unless specified) ? The descriptions always end on something like "...
climbing turn to XY NDB" but, with some exceptions, stop short of the
"...and hold" phraseology that we are so used to on U.S. IAPs. The
mantra here is that if you reach your clearance limit, you enter a
published hold, or a standard holding pattern.

I don't mean this as an argument, just surpised by the statement that
there is no such thing as default holding at the MAP in Canada, and
I'd like to understand this better. The concept of a clearance limit
is an important one in the US airspace system and we are taught to pay
close attention to it, that's why the curiosity :-)

Thanks !

Martin