Desolation Sound
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Desolation Sound is a deep water Glacier fed inlet in British Columbia, Canada. It is a favourite destination for boaters because of its spectacular fjords, mountains, and wildlife. It is part of the Sunshine Coast.
The sound is home to the steepest drop from mountain peak to sea bottom in all of North America. It has many waterfalls cascading into milky green glacial runoff. The geology of the coast is domination by igneous (mainly granitic) shorelines. These fjords are the result of intense glaciation of the mountainous coastline.
Desolation Sound is the location of Desolation Sound Provincial Marine Park, by far the largest marine park in the province, and the largest of any kind on the mainland coast. The area is home to a wide variety of wildlife, and is still relatively free from development.
The sound was inhabited by Salish people prior to the arrival of Europeans, who first charted the sound in 1792. Two expeditions led by Captains George Vancouver, Galiano and Valdes arrived that same summer and cooperated in mapping the sound. Throughout the nineteenth century various European traders continued to visit the area, primarily from the Hudson's Bay Company. In the late 19th century white settlement increased dramatically in the area after a rapid drop in the native population levels following smallpox and tuberculosis outbreaks. The shelter of the sound provided a good foundation for the fishing and logging industries primarily. A large mill was established at Powell River.
