Cortes Island (British Columbia)

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Quadra Island is located at the northern end of the Strait of Georgia.
Quadra Island is located at the northern end of the Strait of Georgia.

Cortes Island is one of the series of Discovery Islands in British Columbia, Canada. It is separated from Quadra Island by Sutil Channel, and from West Redonda Island by Lewis Channel. Desolation Sound lies to the east of Cortes Island.

Cortes Island is located roughly halfway between Powell River and Campbell River. The island is 25 km (16 mi) long, 13 km (8 mi) wide, and 130 km² (50 sq mi) in area. It has a population of 1,042 permanent residents (2006 census)[1] Cortes forms Electoral Area "I" of the Strathcona Regional District.

The island was named in 1792 during the expedition of Galiano and Valdés, presumably after Hernando Cortes, the Spanish conqueror of Mexico. [2]:46 [3] It is accessed by plane through non-profit private airstrip Cortes Island (Hansen Airfield) Airport on the south end or by seaplane to many of the islands protected harbours, or a ferry from Quadra Island, which is itself accessed from Campbell River on Vancouver Island. Whaletown, Squirrel Cove and Mansons Landing are communities on the island. Desolation Sound is off the east shore of the island. Forestry, fishing and mining featured in its history. There is also a campground at Smelt Bay Provincial Park.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Statistics Canada population figures
  2. ^ Akrigg, G.P.V. & Akrigg, Helen B. (1969), 1001 British Columbia Place Names (3rd, 1973 ed.), Vancouver: Discovery Press 
  3. ^ BCGNIS - Cortes Island. British Columbia Geographic Names Information System. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
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The Discovery Islands of British Columbia
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