Saltery Bay Provincial Park
Encyclopedia
Saltery Bay Provincial Park is a provincial park
in British Columbia
, Canada
, located southeast of the city of Powell River
, and on the north side of the entrance to Jervis Inlet
in the central area of that province's Sunshine Coast region.
Saltery Bay Provincial Park was established in 1962 to provide ocean access on the Sunshine Coast of Georgia Strait. The park has both a campground and a day-use area. The day-use area with its rocky beaches is a popular swimming and picnic site. Lush forests with large, old trees create a quiet setting for the campground at Mermaid Cove. At low tide, the rocky shoreline often has tidal pools with starfish, sea urchins, small fish and crabs. From the shore, killer whales and sea lions can sometimes be seen. Scuba diving provides a close-up look at the abundant marine life and a 3-metre bronze statue that was placed in the park through efforts of local scuba enthusiasts.
Provincial park
A provincial park is a park under the management of a provincial or territorial government in Canada.While provincial parks are not the same as national parks, their workings are very similar...
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...
, 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 southeast of the city of Powell River
Powell River, British Columbia
Powell River is a city on the northern Sunshine Coast of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Most of its population lives near the eastern shores of Malaspina Strait, that part of the larger Georgia Strait between Texada Island and the Mainland...
, and on the north side of the entrance to Jervis Inlet
Jervis Inlet
Jervis Inlet is a principal inlet of the British Columbia Coast, about northwest of Vancouver.-Geography:It stretches from its head at the mouth of the short Skwakwa River to its opening into the Strait of Georgia near Texada Island...
in the central area of that province's Sunshine Coast region.
Saltery Bay Provincial Park was established in 1962 to provide ocean access on the Sunshine Coast of Georgia Strait. The park has both a campground and a day-use area. The day-use area with its rocky beaches is a popular swimming and picnic site. Lush forests with large, old trees create a quiet setting for the campground at Mermaid Cove. At low tide, the rocky shoreline often has tidal pools with starfish, sea urchins, small fish and crabs. From the shore, killer whales and sea lions can sometimes be seen. Scuba diving provides a close-up look at the abundant marine life and a 3-metre bronze statue that was placed in the park through efforts of local scuba enthusiasts.
History
The park was named for the fish saltery that was nearby in the early 1900s. The shallow offshore waters in the vicinity of this park offer an assortment of marine life, underwater caves and shipwrecks which attract divers from all over the world.Cultural Heritage
First Nations people played a significant cultural role in the history of the Powell River area. Mounds of seashells called "middens" indicate that this was a traditional gathering area for First Nations.Wildlife
An abundance of marine life is found in the ocean area around the park. At low tide you will often find tidal pools that harbour urchins, star fish, small fish, and small crabs.External links
- http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/saltery/ Saltery Bay Provincial Park - BC Parks