Discovery Islands
Encyclopedia
The Discovery Islands are the islands in the Discovery Passage between Vancouver Island
and the mainland in British Columbia
. These islands are sometimes considered to be part of the Northern Gulf Islands
.
The Discovery Passage
starts where the Strait of Georgia
narrows between Quadra Island
and Vancouver Island
and continues north until it widens somewhat into the Johnstone Strait
. The complex geography of the area can make it difficult to determine when travelling by boat if a sighted coastline belongs to the mainland, Vancouver Island, or one of the Discovery Islands.
Most of these islands have very few residents. The primary attraction to visitors is the salmon
fishing
and there are numerous fishing lodges. Only Quadra Island
and Cortes Island
have ferry service. The remainder are served by private boat or float plane
.
The Discovery Islands are all located within the Strathcona Regional District
, except for a few of the southernmost, such as Hernando Island
and Savary Island
, which are in the Powell River Regional District
. The larger islands within the Discovery Islands are (roughly from west to east, then north to south, with some of the smaller islands indicated next to a nearby larger island):
Strathcona Regional District
Powell River Regional District
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and the mainland in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. These islands are sometimes considered to be part of the Northern Gulf Islands
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are the islands in the Strait of Georgia , between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada....
.
The Discovery Passage
Discovery Passage
Discovery Passage is a channel that forms part of the Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and the Discovery Islands which lie off the British Columbia coast north of the Georgia Strait. It was named by Captain Vancouver for his ship, the HMS Discovery...
starts where the Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
narrows between Quadra Island
Quadra Island
Quadra Island is an island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, part of the Discovery Islands. It is separated from Vancouver Island by Discovery Passage, and from Cortes Island by Sutil Channel...
and Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and continues north until it widens somewhat into the Johnstone Strait
Johnstone Strait
Johnstone Strait is a channel along the north east coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Opposite the Vancouver Island coast, running north to south, are Hanson Island, West Cracroft Island, the mainland British Columbia Coast, Hardwick Island, West Thurlow Island and East...
. The complex geography of the area can make it difficult to determine when travelling by boat if a sighted coastline belongs to the mainland, Vancouver Island, or one of the Discovery Islands.
Most of these islands have very few residents. The primary attraction to visitors is the salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and there are numerous fishing lodges. Only Quadra Island
Quadra Island
Quadra Island is an island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, part of the Discovery Islands. It is separated from Vancouver Island by Discovery Passage, and from Cortes Island by Sutil Channel...
and Cortes Island
Cortes Island, British Columbia
Cortes Island is one of the archipelago known as the Discovery Islands in British Columbia, Canada which lie beyond the northern end of the Gulf of Georgia, between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Mainland. Cortes lies on the far side of Quadra Island from the city of Campbell River,...
have ferry service. The remainder are served by private boat or float plane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
.
The Discovery Islands are all located within the Strathcona Regional District
Strathcona Regional District, British Columbia
The Strathcona Regional District is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. It was created on February 15, 2008, encompassing the northern and western portions of the former Regional District of Comox-Strathcona. The partition left the new Strathcona Regional District with 91.6 percent of...
, except for a few of the southernmost, such as Hernando Island
Hernando Island
Hernando Island is one of the Discovery Islands near Powell River, British Columbia, Canada. Along with the nearby Cortes Island, it was presumably named in 1792 by Valdés and Galiano after Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conqueror of Mexico....
and Savary Island
Savary Island
Savary Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. Located in the northern part of the Strait of Georgia, it is northwest of Vancouver. It is approximately 0.8-1.5 km wide and long. It has a permanent population of 100...
, which are in the Powell River Regional District
Powell River Regional District, British Columbia
The Regional District of Powell River is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It includes the City of Powell River and a number of unincorporated areas...
. The larger islands within the Discovery Islands are (roughly from west to east, then north to south, with some of the smaller islands indicated next to a nearby larger island):
Strathcona Regional District
Strathcona Regional District, British Columbia
The Strathcona Regional District is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. It was created on February 15, 2008, encompassing the northern and western portions of the former Regional District of Comox-Strathcona. The partition left the new Strathcona Regional District with 91.6 percent of...
- Hardwicke IslandHardwicke IslandHardwicke Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada, measuring approximately 35 square kilometres. It is part of the Discovery Islands, an archipelago between Vancouver Island and the mainland, whose waters connect the Strait of Georgia with Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte...
(north: Poyntz, Seymour, Murray; west: Yorke; south: Helmcken) - West Thurlow IslandWest Thurlow IslandWest Thurlow Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Discovery Islands, an archipelago between Vancouver Island and the mainland, whose waters connect the Strait of Georgia with Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait....
- East Thurlow IslandEast Thurlow IslandEast Thurlow Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Discovery Islands, an archipelago between Vancouver Island and the mainland, whose waters connect the Strait of Georgia with Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait...
(west: Walkem Islands; south: Tum) - Sonora IslandSonora Island (British Columbia)Sonora Island is one of the outer islands of the Discovery Islands of British Columbia, Canada.The island took its name from the Spanish schooner that explored the Pacific Northwest in 1775....
(northwest: Hardinge, Block) - Stuart IslandStuart Island (British Columbia)Stuart Island is one of the Discovery Islands of British Columbia, which lie between northern Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Coast. It is privately owned and has no ferry access. It is at the mouth of Bute Inlet to the east of the larger Sonora Island...
- Quadra IslandQuadra IslandQuadra Island is an island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, part of the Discovery Islands. It is separated from Vancouver Island by Discovery Passage, and from Cortes Island by Sutil Channel...
(north: Okis Islands} - Maurelle IslandMaurelle IslandMaurelle Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Discovery Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland, between the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait....
- Read IslandRead IslandRead Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Discovery Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland, between the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait....
(east: Hill Island, Penn Islands) - Rendezvous IslandsRendezvous IslandsThe Rendezvous Islands are a groups of islands in British Columbia, Canada. They are part of the Discovery Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland, between the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait....
- Raza IslandRaza IslandRaza Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Rendezvous Islands in the Calm Channel, which in turn are part of the Discovery Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland, between the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait....
- Raza Island
- West Redonda IslandWest Redonda IslandWest Redonda Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Discovery Islands, an archipelago between Vancouver Island and the mainland, and between the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait....
(south: Mink, Kinghorn, and the Martin Islands; north: Elizabeth) - East Redonda IslandEast Redonda IslandEast Redonda Island is a coastal island in British Columbia, Canada, part of the Discovery Islands archipelago. It lies just to the north of Desolation Sound Marine Park, which is located off the north end of the Malaspina Peninsula at the mouth of Toba Inlet...
(south: Melville, Morgan, Eveleigh, Otter, and the William Islands; north: Double, Channel) - Marina Island
- Cortes Island (west: Subtle Islands)
- Twin IslandsTwin Islands (British Columbia)Twin Islands, formerly known as the Ulloa Islands, are two small islands southeast of Cortes Island, between the eastern coast of Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada and are part of the Discovery Islands. The southern island is about in diameter and is separated from the...
Powell River Regional District
Powell River Regional District, British Columbia
The Regional District of Powell River is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It includes the City of Powell River and a number of unincorporated areas...
- Hernando IslandHernando IslandHernando Island is one of the Discovery Islands near Powell River, British Columbia, Canada. Along with the nearby Cortes Island, it was presumably named in 1792 by Valdés and Galiano after Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conqueror of Mexico....
(east: Capeland Islands) - Savary IslandSavary IslandSavary Island is an island in British Columbia, Canada. Located in the northern part of the Strait of Georgia, it is northwest of Vancouver. It is approximately 0.8-1.5 km wide and long. It has a permanent population of 100...