Port Renfrew, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Port Renfrew is a community on the west coast of Vancouver Island
, British Columbia
, Canada
, located approximately 2 hours' drive west of Victoria, British Columbia
. Port Renfrew is the western terminus of the Juan de Fuca Trail
. Tall Tree Music Festival also calls Port Renfrew home, proving to be a celebration of community spirit, the environment and artistic creativity. A substantial portion of ticket sales and onsite revenue goes directly to:The Community of Port Renfrew and The Ancient Forest Alliance.
, a world famous hiking trail built in 1907 along the west coast of Vancouver Island to save shipwrecked sailors. During the days of sail, 1830 - 1925, 137 major shipping tragedies occurred in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the Straits of Juan de Fuca. International recognition was given to this stretch of water off Port Renfrew. It became known as The Graveyard of The Pacific. Originally named Port San Juan, the settlers changed the name to honor Lord Renfrew who planned to settle crofters here. The name was changed due to mail being sent to the San Juan Islands instead of Port San Juan. Port Renfrew's bay is still called Port San Juan. Like many coastal Vancouver Island
communities, Port Renfrew has a rich history in forestry
and fishing.
, Juan de Fuca Trail
and Botanical Beach. Port Renfrew is considered one of the best locations for salmon and halibut fishing in North America. There is also excellent sea and freshwater (San Juan and Jordan River) kayaking and birding.
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...
, 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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located approximately 2 hours' drive west of Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
. Port Renfrew is the western terminus of the Juan de Fuca Trail
Juan de Fuca Trail
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a rugged, 47-km-long backpacking trail that follows the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The trail is located in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park....
. Tall Tree Music Festival also calls Port Renfrew home, proving to be a celebration of community spirit, the environment and artistic creativity. A substantial portion of ticket sales and onsite revenue goes directly to:The Community of Port Renfrew and The Ancient Forest Alliance.
History
Port Renfrew is also the southern end of the West Coast TrailWest Coast Trail
The West Coast Trail is a long backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of survivors of shipwrecks along the coast, part of the treacherous Graveyard of the Pacific...
, a world famous hiking trail built in 1907 along the west coast of Vancouver Island to save shipwrecked sailors. During the days of sail, 1830 - 1925, 137 major shipping tragedies occurred in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the Straits of Juan de Fuca. International recognition was given to this stretch of water off Port Renfrew. It became known as The Graveyard of The Pacific. Originally named Port San Juan, the settlers changed the name to honor Lord Renfrew who planned to settle crofters here. The name was changed due to mail being sent to the San Juan Islands instead of Port San Juan. Port Renfrew's bay is still called Port San Juan. Like many coastal 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...
communities, Port Renfrew has a rich history in forestry
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
and fishing.
Tourism and Attractions
In recent years, Port Renfrew has seen an increase in tourism. The Ancient Forest Alliance(AFA)has worked hard to locate and preserve some of North America's largest trees located around Port Renfrew. This preservation is paying off as people from all over the globe are now witnessing Avatar Grove, and Canada's "gnarliest tree." The Red Creek fir, the worlds largest Douglas Fir, and San Juan Spruce, Canada's largest Sitka spruce are also located in the area. Port Renfrew is filled with options that encompass all outdoor enthusiasts needs. Local natural attractions include the West Coast TrailWest Coast Trail
The West Coast Trail is a long backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of survivors of shipwrecks along the coast, part of the treacherous Graveyard of the Pacific...
, Juan de Fuca Trail
Juan de Fuca Trail
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a rugged, 47-km-long backpacking trail that follows the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The trail is located in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park....
and Botanical Beach. Port Renfrew is considered one of the best locations for salmon and halibut fishing in North America. There is also excellent sea and freshwater (San Juan and Jordan River) kayaking and birding.
Climate
Nearby communities
- River JordanRiver Jordan, British ColumbiaJordan River, founded as and still officially gazetteted as River Jordan, is a small settlement on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, located approximately west of Victoria....
- SookeSooke, British ColumbiaSooke is a district municipality situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada. About a 45 minute drive from the city of Victoria , Sooke is considered the westernmost of the Greater Victoria region's "Western Communities." It is situated to the north and west of the Sooke...
- VictoriaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
Trivia
- Port Renfrew often surprises tourists as it appears on maps as a much more substantial town than it actually is, since it's the only town within its vicinity: BC-14 is a dead end street ending at a federal government pier (although the road does continue for several kilometres past the town centre, ending at Botanical Beach, the north-west point of Juan de Fuca Provincial ParkJuan de Fuca Provincial ParkJuan de Fuca Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. The park was created in 1996 by combining the former China Beach Provincial Park, Loss Creek Park, Parkinson Creek Park and Botanical Beach Park and the trail connecting them into one park.-History:The park was...
).The newly completed (2009) Pacific Marine Circle Route connects Port Renfrew to Lake Cowichan completing a South Island Loop for Victoria, Sooke, Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan, Duncan and back to Victoria. Total driving time approx. 4.5 hrs.
External links
- Port Renfrew Online
- Community Site
- Port Renfrew fishing information
- http://www.bigfishlodge.com/Port Renfrew Lodging
- http://gainsbeach.caPort Renfrew Lodging