Vancouver Island’s history is inextricably tied to the sea, the island named after British Sea Captain, George Vancouver. A quick look at a map gives clues, as many of the islands bear First Nations, Spanish, or British names. When Captain Cook made an amicable first contact with the First Nations on Nootka Island at Friendly Cove in 1778, he would change the course of history. While the Spanish were in these waters first, they had not landed. Spain and Britain had a tempestuous relationship, and there were tensions between Britain and Spain over these waters, but things were finally beginning to calm down. In 1792, Captain Vancouver and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra were tasked with mapping and exploring the coast, the Spanish/English rivalry permanently settled with a 1793 treaty of joint ownership of Nootka Sound. Spain’s fortunes and interests lay elsewhere, however, and the last Spanish ship would sail away in 1795.
The first settler on Vancouver Island was fur trader John Meares in 1778, who brought 70 Chinese labourers to the island. He would trade in otter furs, a much-desired and highly valuable item in China and elsewhere. The Hudson’s Bay Company, originally a British trading company, established in 1670 (the oldest in the western world), saw opportunities on the west coast of British Columbia. The company was established in Fort Vancouver, and then, due to British/American tensions, moved to Fort Victoria in 1846. Fort Victoria would become the capital of the new colony, remaining so to this day. Later, the Fraser River Gold Rush created an overnight population, firmly establishing Victoria.
The waters around Vancouver Island haven’t changed much since the first Europeans arrived, the sights, sounds, and smells are the same. With great foresight, many Provincial Marine Parks (over thirty!) have been established, preserving as much of the natural beauty as possible and presenting the adventurer with endless possibilities. Go whale watching, sightseeing, back country camping, fishing, kayaking, and exploring in the almost uninhabited and unadulterated beauty of the west coast.
Vancouver Island’s history is inextricably tied to the sea, the island named after British Sea Captain, George Vancouver. A quick look at a map gives clues, as many of the islands bear First Nations, Spanish, or British names. When Captain Cook made an amicable first contact with the First Nations on Nootka Island at Friendly Cove in 1778, he would change the course of history. While the Spanish were in these waters first, they had not landed. Spain and Britain had a tempestuous relationship, and there were tensions between Britain and Spain over these waters, but things were finally beginning to calm down. In 1792, Captain Vancouver and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra were tasked with mapping and exploring the coast, the Spanish/English rivalry permanently settled with a 1793 treaty of joint ownership of Nootka Sound. Spain’s fortunes and interests lay elsewhere, however, and the last Spanish ship would sail away in 1795.
The first settler on Vancouver Island was fur trader John Meares in 1778, who brought 70 Chinese labourers to the island. He would trade in otter furs, a much-desired and highly valuable item in China and elsewhere. The Hudson’s Bay Company, originally a British trading company, established in 1670 (the oldest in the western world), saw opportunities on the west coast of British Columbia. The company was established in Fort Vancouver, and then, due to British/American tensions, moved to Fort Victoria in 1846. Fort Victoria would become the capital of the new colony, remaining so to this day. Later, the Fraser River Gold Rush created an overnight population, firmly establishing Victoria.
The waters around Vancouver Island haven’t changed much since the first Europeans arrived, the sights, sounds, and smells are the same. With great foresight, many Provincial Marine Parks (over thirty!) have been established, preserving as much of the natural beauty as possible and presenting the adventurer with endless possibilities. Go whale watching, sightseeing, back country camping, fishing, kayaking, and exploring in the almost uninhabited and unadulterated beauty of the west coast.
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