Strait of Georgia 508351 225697694 2008-07-14T23:26:09Z Bearcat 24902 [[Image:PNW-straits.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Strait of Georgia at centre, the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]] below, [[Puget Sound]] at the lower-right, [[Johnstone Strait]] at the extreme upper-left. Sediment from the [[Fraser River]] clearly visible.]] [[Image:Strait of Georgia at sunset.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Strait of Georgia at sunset]] The '''Strait of Georgia''' or the '''Georgia Strait'''[http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/bcgn-bin/bcg10?name=6050] (also known as the '''Gulf of Georgia'''), is a [[strait]] between [[Vancouver Island]] (as well as its nearby [[Gulf Islands]]) and the mainland [[Pacific]] coast of [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]. It is approximately {{convert|240|km|mi}} long and varies in width from 18.5 to 55 km (11.5 to 34 mi).<ref name=noaa>[http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/publications/techmemos/tm44/environment.htm Environmental History and Features of Puget Sound], NOAA-NWFSC</ref> Archipelagos and narrow channels mark each end of the Strait of Georgia, the Gulf Islands and [[San Juan Islands]] in the south, and the [[Discovery Islands]] in the north. The main channels to the south are [[Haro Strait]] and [[Rosario Strait]], which connect the Strait of Georgia to the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]]. In the north, [[Discovery Passage]] is the main channel connecting the Strait of Georgia to [[Johnstone Strait]]. The [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] defines the southern boundary of the Strait of Georgia as a line running from East Point on [[Saturna Island]] to [[Patos Island]], [[Sucia Island]], and [[Matia Island]], then to Point Migley on [[Lummi Island]]. This line touches the northern edges of [[Rosario Strait]], which leads south to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and [[Boundary Pass]], which leads south to [[Haro Strait]] and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.<ref>{{gnis|1509730|Strait of Georgia}}</ref> The mean depth of the Strait of Georgia is {{convert|156|m|ft}}, with a maximum depth of {{convert|420|m|ft}}. Its surface area is approximately {{convert|6800|km2|sqmi}}. The [[Fraser River]] accounts for roughly 80% of the freshwater entering the strait. Water circulates in the strait in a general counter-clockwise direction.<ref name=noaa/> The term "Gulf of Georgia" includes other waters than the Georgia Strait proper such as the interinsular straits and channels of the [[Gulf Islands]], and as a region name may refer to communities on the littoral of southern Vancouver Island. As defined by [[George Vancouver]] in 1792, the Gulf of Georgia included all the inland waters beyond the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, including [[Puget Sound]], [[Bellingham Bay]], the waters around the [[San Juan Islands]], and the Strait of Georgia.<ref>{{cite book |last= Roberts |first= John E. |title= A Discovery Journal: George Vancouver's First Survey Season - 1792 |year= 2005 |publisher= Trafford Publishing |isbn= 978-1412070973 |pages= p. 72}}</ref> ==Islands== Several major islands are in the strait, the largest being [[Texada Island]] and [[Lasqueti Island]]. The strait is a major navigation channel on the west coast of [[North America]], owing to the presence of the port of [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]]. The two busiest routes of the [[British Columbia Ferries]] system cross the strait, between [[Tsawwassen]] (south of Vancouver) and [[Swartz Bay]] (near [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]]) and between [[Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia|Horseshoe Bay]] (north of Vancouver) and [[Nanaimo, British Columbia|Nanaimo]]. ==History== While native communities have surrounded the strait for thousands of years, the first European exploration was by Captain [[Jose Maria Narvaez]] and Pilot [[Juan Carrasco (explorer)|Juan Carrasco]] of [[Spain]], in [[1791]]. It was named for [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]] as the "Gulf of Georgia" by [[George Vancouver]] of [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] in [[1792]], during [[Vancouver Expedition|his extensive expedition]] along the west coast of [[North America]]. Vancouver designated the mainland in this region as New Georgia, and farther north as New Hanover and New Bremen. ==Cities== [[Image:Straight of Georgia from SFU.JPG|thumb|left|Strait of Georgia from [[Burnaby Mountain]], with [[Galiano Island]] and [[Vancouver Island]] in the distance]] Towns and cities on the strait include [[Courtenay, British Columbia|Courtenay]], [[Comox, British Columbia|Comox]], [[Qualicum Beach, British Columbia|Qualicum Beach]], [[Parksville, British Columbia|Parksville]], [[Lantzville, British Columbia|Lantzville]] and [[Nanaimo, British Columbia|Nanaimo]] on the western shore, as well as [[Powell River, British Columbia|Powell River]], Sechelt, [[Gibsons, British Columbia|Gibsons]], and Greater Vancouver on the east. Across the border in the [[United States]], [[Bellingham, Washington]] and other communities also lie on the eastern shore. Other settlements on Vancouver Island (such as [[Duncan, British Columbia|Duncan]]) and the mainland are separated from Georgia Strait itself by islands, or are far enough south to be considered closer to Puget Sound. The Strait of Georgia is also widely known as a premier [[scuba diving]] and [[whale watching]] location. In 1967, Georgia Strait inspired the name of Vancouver's alternative newspaper, <cite>''[[The Georgia Straight]]''</cite>, which has published continuously since. ==Georgia Strait Bridge proposal== [[Image:Strait of Georgia.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Georgia Strait in the morning]] A controversial idea has existed since 1872 of replacing the [[ferry]] service on the south coast with a bridge across the Strait of Georgia. The first idea was to cross Seymour Narrows at [[Menzies Bay, British Columbia]] with a rail bridge for the nascent Canadian Pacific Railway to link Victoria, via Bute Inlet and the Yellowhead Pass, with the rest of Canada. The modern road bridge connecting the [[Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia|GVRD]] to [[Vancouver Island]] in the manner of the Cheasapeake Bay bridge/tunnel, has been discussed for decades, ever since the commencement of service with BC Ferries. Some crossing design suggestions include a part floating/part submerged [[tunnel]] to allow ship traffic to move freely. The hurricane force windstorms of [[Typhoon Freda]] and December of 2006 also detract from the safety of such a project. Support for the construction of the bridge includes arguments that a reliable link to Vancouver Island from mainland Canada will increase tourism and growth on Vancouver Island. The opposition argue that construction of a bridge will result in further [[urbanization]] of the island and that the area's environment will be negatively affected by construction and the increase in tourism. Other potential problems are the width and depth of the strait and the soft consistency of the strait floor, as well as high [[seismology|seismic activity]] in the Vancouver Island region, and that the strait is very heavily used as a navigation channel. Also the depth of the strait is far in excess of any other bridged body of water worldwide. ==Proposed renaming== In March 2008, the [[Chemainus First Nation]] proposed renaming the strait the "[[Salish Sea]]," an idea that reportedly met with approval by B.C.'s Aboriginal Relations Minister [[Mike de Jong]], who pledged to put it before the [[Executive Council of British Columbia|B.C. cabinet]] for discussion. Renaming would require a formal application to the [[Geographical Names Board of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Strait of Georgia could be renamed Salish Sea |url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/03/09/bc-salish-sea-renamed.html |work=Canadian Press |publisher=CBC.ca |date=2008-03-09 |accessdate=2008-03-10 }}</ref> This term is not supported by other First Nations <!--citable...one is in the same cite, actually--> and has no currency in daily use.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}<!--how do I cite something that no one uses??--> A parallel American movement promoting the name has a different definition, inclusive of the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]] and [[Puget Sound]] as well as the Strait of Georgia and related waters.<!--citable out the ying-yang--> ==See also== *''[[Georgia Straight]]'' (newspaper) *[[Howe Sound]] *[[Sunshine Coast, British Columbia|Sunshine Coast]] *[[Burrard Peninsula]] *[[Georgia Basin]] *[[Queen Charlotte Strait]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commonscat|Strait of Georgia}} *[http://www.georgiastrait.org/whogeorgia.php Map and information] from the [http://www.georgiastrait.org Georgia Strait Alliance] *[http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications/reports_and_studies/fixed_link/fixed_link.htm A Potential Fixed Link to Vancouver Island] - report from the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation *[http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=49.368066,-123.818665&spn=1.250194,2.576294 Google Satellite Image, Accessed August 7, 2006] {{coor title dms|49|17|39|N|123|48|26|W|type:waterbody}} [[Category:Straits of British Columbia|Georgia]] [[Category:Geography of Vancouver]] [[Category:Geography of Vancouver Island]] [[Category:South Coast of British Columbia]] [[cs:Strait of Georgia]] [[de:Straße von Georgia]] [[es:Estrecho de Georgia]] [[eo:Georgia Markolo]] [[fa:تنگه جورجیا]] [[fr:Détroit de Géorgie]] [[lt:Džordžijos sąsiauris]] [[ja:ジョージア海峡]] [[pt:Estreito de Geórgia]] [[sk:Strait of Georgia]]