Description
On January 22, 1906, the passenger ship Valencia lost her way in heavy fog and rain and rammed into the deadly rocks at Pachena Point on the west coast of Vancouver Island. As the wreck was shattered by the pounding waves, the survivors clung desperately to the rigging. Few made it the short distance to shore through the frigid and turbulent waves—117 of the 164 souls aboard perished. A year earlier, the King David had been wrecked on Bajo Reef near Nootka Sound. The fate of her sailors was much more mysterious.
Today, the magnificent Pacific coastline of Vancouver Island draws hikers, surfers and storm-watchers to marvel at its natural splendour. But the ghosts of the Valencia, King David, Janet Cowan, Pacific, Soquel and dozens of other lost ships still haunt the rugged shores of the Graveyard of the Pacific. Anthony Dalton tells the incredible stories of many of these ships and their courageous crews, who often discovered that their nightmares had only begun once they made it ashore. These true tales of disaster and daring rescues are a fascinating adventure into British Columbia maritime history.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 13
- Grade:
- 8
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Librarian review
The Graveyard of the Pacific: Shipwreck Tales from the Depths of History
The Graveyard of the Pacific tells the story of shipwrecks along the west coast of Vancouver Island, from the time of the European explorers, through the era of sailing ships, to 1972. It is estimated that there is a wreck site every mile north from Victoria to Cape Scott. This horrendous situation led to the development of a telegraph line and trail, and eventually to an upgraded a Lifesaving Trail, which became the basis for the present-day West Coast Trail that caters to hikers, surfers and storm-watchers. These accounts of tragedies and intrepid rescues reveal an interesting facet of BC maritime history.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2010-2011.
