Saturna Island

Saturna Island
South-facing aerial view of Saturna Island
The Southern Gulf Islands, including Saturna
Geography
Coordinates48°47′N 123°09′W / 48.78°N 123.15°W / 48.78; -123.15
ArchipelagoGulf Islands
Adjacent toStrait of Georgia, Boundary Pass
Area31 km2 (12 sq mi)
Highest elevation397 m (1302 ft)
Administration
Canada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Regional DistrictCapital Regional District
Demographics
Population350 [1]

Saturna Island is a mountainous island, about 31 square kilometres (12 sq mi) in size, in the Southern Gulf Islands chain of British Columbia, Canada.[2] It is situated approximately midway between the Lower Mainland of B.C. and Vancouver Island, and is the most easterly of the Gulf Islands. It is surrounded on three sides by the Canada–United States border. To the north is Point Roberts, Washington, and to the east and south are the San Juan Islands. There is a First Nations reserve on the island for the Tsayout and Tseycum Nations.[3] The island has a permanent population of around 350; however, this number increases during the summer season.

Approximately half of the island is in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (GINPR) that was formed in 2003 from a gift of ecologically sensitive land by Ulla Ressner and John Fry,[4] existing provincial parks, an Ecological Reserve, and other Crown land.[5]

History

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Flag of Saturna Island

The island was first used by indigenous people who called the island "Long Nose," due to the island's long north-eastern tapering shoreline that ends at East Point. The name Saturna comes from the Spanish naval schooner Santa Saturnina ("St. Saturnina") captained by pilot (piloto) José María Narváez, which along with a longboat of the Spanish naval packet ship San Carlos, explored the island's coast in an excursion under the overall command of Pilot Juan Pantoja y Arriaga in 1791.[6] The name was initially applied only to East Point. The contraction to "Saturna" applied to the whole island was first made by Dionisio Alcalá Galiano in 1792.[7] The first European settlers came in the 1800s, but the island was slower to develop than the neighbouring Southern Gulf Islands due to its relative isolation and mountainous topography.

Attractions

[edit]

East Point is a place famous for onshore whale watching. It is also the site where Moby Doll, the second orca to be held in captivity, was harpooned in 1964.[8] The Saturna Island Heritage Committee runs a tiny museum in the former fog alarm building at East Point where visitors can learn about the sad story of Moby Doll and some of Saturna's history.

The southern resident J, K and L orca pods pass by in the summer months, with Bigg's also known as transient orca visiting year round. Saturna has many species of terrestrial, aerial and aquatic animals. Saturna is a popular destination for geocachers, with approximately 60 caches available on the island. Caches are built and maintained by Parks Canada and the Saturna Ecological Education Centre.

Every year on Canada day (July 1st) since 1950, there has been the Saturna Island Lamb Barbeque with a portion of the proceeds going to the Saturna Community Club.[9][10]

Parks and beaches

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East Point Fog Alarm Building and Sandstone formations.

East Point Day Use Area, with a museum inside the old Fog Alarm Building,[11] an Environment Canada monitoring station, and sandstone shoreline.

Lyall Creek trail runs through a second generation forest for approximately 1 km (0.6 mi) following the seasonal and one of few salmon bearing creeks on the Southern Gulf Islands leading hikers to Narvaez Bay Road.[12]

Mount Warburton Pike viewpoint, which is the tallest mountain in the Outer Gulf Islands.[13] On its peak, there is a communication tower used by a variety of radio and television services.[14]

At the most westerly point of Winter Cove Day Use Area which has a variety of ecosystems including wetlands and marshes, strong tidal currents rush through Boat Pass, providing a shortcut for small boat operators.[15]

Apart the lands of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, the local Saturna Island Parks & Recreation Commission mark over a dozen prescribed beach access points from public thoroughfares around the island and oversee the Thomson Community Park with its pebble beach, picnic shelter, and nine hole disc golf course.[16]

Camping

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Camping at Narvaez Bay.

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve offers 7 walk-in (or kayak-in) backcountry campsites at Narvaez Bay. The trailhead to Narvaez Bay is located at the parking lot at the end of Narvaez Bay Road. There is also a bike rack available for cyclists to lock up their bikes. From the parking lot, there is a 1 km (0.6 mi) trail down to two beaches, Narvaez Bay and Echo Bay, and a side trail off to Monarch Head, which looks out to Boundary Pass and the San Juan Islands.[17] There is no potable water at Narvaez Bay, and no campfires are permitted, regardless of season.[18] Two private campgrounds offer year-round camping: Neither permits fires, however both offer access to potable water.

Climate

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Climate data for Saturna Island
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.0
(55.4) 		15.0
(59.0) 		21.0
(69.8) 		23.0
(73.4) 		28.0
(82.4) 		30.5
(86.9) 		33.0
(91.4) 		31.5
(88.7) 		28.5
(83.3) 		23.0
(73.4) 		15.0
(59.0) 		13.5
(56.3) 		33.0
(91.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.3
(43.3) 		7.4
(45.3) 		9.5
(49.1) 		12.4
(54.3) 		15.7
(60.3) 		18.4
(65.1) 		21.3
(70.3) 		21.4
(70.5) 		18.7
(65.7) 		12.8
(55.0) 		8.4
(47.1) 		6.2
(43.2) 		13.2
(55.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.3
(39.7) 		5.0
(41.0) 		6.6
(43.9) 		9.1
(48.4) 		12.0
(53.6) 		14.5
(58.1) 		17.1
(62.8) 		17.3
(63.1) 		15.1
(59.2) 		10.2
(50.4) 		6.4
(43.5) 		4.3
(39.7) 		10.2
(50.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2.3
(36.1) 		2.5
(36.5) 		3.7
(38.7) 		5.7
(42.3) 		8.3
(46.9) 		10.6
(51.1) 		12.8
(55.0) 		13.2
(55.8) 		11.4
(52.5) 		7.6
(45.7) 		4.2
(39.6) 		2.4
(36.3) 		7.1
(44.7)
Record low °C (°F) −10.0
(14.0) 		−8.0
(17.6) 		−6.0
(21.2) 		0.0
(32.0) 		1.0
(33.8) 		5.0
(41.0) 		8.0
(46.4) 		9.0
(48.2) 		5.0
(41.0) 		−1.5
(29.3) 		−9.0
(15.8) 		−12.5
(9.5) 		−12.5
(9.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 129.0
(5.08) 		64.6
(2.54) 		65.0
(2.56) 		52.7
(2.07) 		43.4
(1.71) 		37.3
(1.47) 		21.3
(0.84) 		32.9
(1.30) 		29.6
(1.17) 		90.2
(3.55) 		140.1
(5.52) 		106.2
(4.18) 		812.3
(31.99)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 115.4
(4.54) 		59.6
(2.35) 		57.7
(2.27) 		52.7
(2.07) 		43.4
(1.71) 		37.3
(1.47) 		21.3
(0.84) 		32.9
(1.30) 		29.6
(1.17) 		89.7
(3.53) 		134.4
(5.29) 		98.2
(3.87) 		772.2
(30.41)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 13.9
(5.5) 		5.0
(2.0) 		6.7
(2.6) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0.5
(0.2) 		5.7
(2.2) 		7.9
(3.1) 		39.7
(15.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 20.3 14.8 17.1 15.2 12.4 10.5 5.9 6.8 7.4 16.3 20.9 19.8 167.4
Average rainy days 18.6 13.9 16.7 15.2 12.4 10.5 5.9 6.8 7.4 16.2 20.5 18.5 162.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 2.6 1.4 1.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 0.7 1.9 7.8
Source: Environment Canada[19]

Transportation

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Image of Lyall Harbour in 2012

Saturna is accessible via BC Ferries,[20] which offers daily sailings to Lyall Harbour on Saturna from Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island or Tsawwassen on the Mainland. Daily floatplane service from Vancouver International Airport [21] and downtown Victoria[22] to Lyall Harbour is available. There are a number of excellent anchorages and moorages for private vessels, including Lyall Harbour Government Wharf which is operated by the Capital Regional District's Harbour Commission.

References

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  1. ^ "Gulf Islands | Super, Natural BC". Super, Natural BC | British Columbia Travel Information. March 16, 2018.
  2. ^ "Saturna Island Tourism Association". Saturna Island Tourism Association. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  3. ^ Branch, Government of Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada; Communications (November 14, 2008). "First Nation Profiles". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved May 9, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Parks Canada Parcs Canada "JUL 26, 2002 Dear Ms. Ressner and Mr. Fry: On behalf of Parks Canada, I would like to express our great appreciation for your recent donation of7.8 hectares of land to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve through the Ecological Gifts Program. We are faced with many challenges in piecing together and managing a national park in the Gulf Islands. As we acquire additional lands, our task is eased somewhat: with more lands protected, our ability to achieve a sustainable and healthy ecosystem as a whole is enhanced. It is through such forward-thinking individuals as yourself-those whose vision of a legacy for future generations inspires them to donate land for protection within a national park-that we can move closer towards our goal. You have set a wonderful example for other Gulf Islanders, and to Canadians. Yours is the first donation of privately held land to the Government of Canada under the Ecological Gifts program-a significant milestone for that program, and something of which you can justifiably be proud. Ron Hamilton Superintendent Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
  5. ^ Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (December 16, 2021). "Gulf Islands National Park Reserve". www.pc.gc.ca. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  6. ^ Blumenthal, Richard W. (2004). The early exploration of inland Washington waters: journals and logs from six expeditions, 1786–1792. McFarland. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-7864-1879-4.
  7. ^ Doe, Nick. "Spanish exploration of west coast of Canada 18th — century" (PDF). Gabriola Historical & Museum Society. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  8. ^ Colby, Jason M. (2018). Orca: how we came to know and love the ocean's greatest predator. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 62. ISBN 9780190673116.
  9. ^ "Saturna Island Lamb Barbecue". Saturna Island Lamb Barbecue. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  10. ^ w68%$UChaCha (June 29, 2017). "Saturna Lamb BBQ at Winter Cove | Gulf Islands National Park, British Columbia". Retrieved June 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Saturna Heritage. "Welcome To The Saturna Heritage Centre | Saturna Heritage". Saturnaheritage.ca. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  12. ^ "Salmon Stream Restoration". Parks Canada- Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Parks Canada. September 12, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  13. ^ "Mount Warburton Pike". wikimapia.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  14. ^ "Mount Warburton Pike". wikimapia.org. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  15. ^ w68%$UChaCha (July 7, 2017). "Running a boat through Boat Passage, Saturna Island | Gulf Islands National Park, British Columbia". Retrieved March 23, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "Explore". Saturna Island Tourism Association. July 6, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  17. ^ "GINPR Map". Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  18. ^ "Parks Canada – Gulf Islands National Park Reserve – Brochures". Pc.gc.ca. May 11, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  19. ^ "Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data". September 25, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  20. ^ "Home - BC Ferries - British Columbia Ferry Services Inc". Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  21. ^ "Seair Seaplanes - Flights from Downtown Vancouver Harbour, YVR, Richmond to Nanaimo and the Gulf Islands". Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  22. ^ "Harbour Air Seaplanes". Retrieved January 24, 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saturna Island.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Saturna Island.
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