Northwest Coast of British Columbia, Canada
We entered a new country today. Leaving the United States and its 49th state of Alaska, we continued our journey south into Canada, entering its western-most province, British Columbia. With an area of 366,000 square miles, B.C. is just slightly smaller than Alaska, and is almost twice as large as Texas. The Coast Range of mountains, which were mostly enshrouded in clouds during our Alaska travels, shone through on our final Alaskan day. This glowing range continued southward into Canada, severed by seemingly endless glacier-carved fjords that are similar to those that we first witnessed in Glacier Bay.
Inevitably, questions arise as to why Southeast Alaska is not part of British Columbia. Just how was the border established? The complete answer is much too involved for this note. However, it must be said that by 1800, Russia claimed Alaska, and Britain claimed Canada. The boundary between the two was established by mutual consent in 1825. The southern-most point of that boundary was set at the south tip of Prince of Wales Island, lying at 54 degrees, 40 minutes north latitude. Those numbers would later become ominous as further political boundaries of North America were established.
The cry “Fifty-four Forty or Fight!” came from Oregon Territory. Since the British had settled for that point of latitude with Alaska to the north, why should they not settle for the same point for Oregon Territory to the south? A dispute raged for six years, but the issue was finally settled with the Oregon Treaty of 1846. It established the western portion of the Canada-USA boundary at the 49th parallel.
In 1867 Secretary of State William Seward finalized the “Convention between the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of Russia…” under which the USA purchased Alaska from Russia. However, Seward failed in his attempts to acquire the entire Pacific coast of Canada from Britain – specifically British Columbia. Such an acquisition would have given the USA complete governance of the Pacific seaboard. In stead, the Colony of British Columbia, which included a number of Hudson Bay trading posts and forts, joined Canada’s confederation four years later in 1871.
Border crossings always include customs and immigration checks. For this task, we docked briefly in the coastal city of Prince Rupert, the western terminus of the Canadian National Railway. An efficient check, a warm walk, and we were soon cruising south in the calm waters of the scenic Inside Passage. A photo-introduction to British Columbia, including its economic bases, was soon followed by views of a helicopter logging operation underway along the picturesque slopes of Grenville Channel. In this rugged terrain, aerial logging can be significantly cheaper than blasting an access road to capture the sparse but valuable timber.
Our afternoon was spent exploring, this time in secluded Klewnuggit Inlet. Exploring means bushwhacking. And we did! The only trails were those of the bears and deer that thrive in this Great Bear Rainforest. One group spotted a Steller’s Jay - the official bird of B.C. - in a western red cedar - the official tree of B.C. Another group was treated to a fast but unsuccessful stooping by a Peregrine Falcon on a pair of Greater Yellowlegs. And we were all delighted by the rushing outfall of a small, veiled lake, lying just two feet above sea level.
It had been a marvelous day – sunny, mild and with the breeze at our backs. Tomorrow will bring to us another day in beautiful British Columbia. We will enjoy whatever lies ahead.
We entered a new country today. Leaving the United States and its 49th state of Alaska, we continued our journey south into Canada, entering its western-most province, British Columbia. With an area of 366,000 square miles, B.C. is just slightly smaller than Alaska, and is almost twice as large as Texas. The Coast Range of mountains, which were mostly enshrouded in clouds during our Alaska travels, shone through on our final Alaskan day. This glowing range continued southward into Canada, severed by seemingly endless glacier-carved fjords that are similar to those that we first witnessed in Glacier Bay.
Inevitably, questions arise as to why Southeast Alaska is not part of British Columbia. Just how was the border established? The complete answer is much too involved for this note. However, it must be said that by 1800, Russia claimed Alaska, and Britain claimed Canada. The boundary between the two was established by mutual consent in 1825. The southern-most point of that boundary was set at the south tip of Prince of Wales Island, lying at 54 degrees, 40 minutes north latitude. Those numbers would later become ominous as further political boundaries of North America were established.
The cry “Fifty-four Forty or Fight!” came from Oregon Territory. Since the British had settled for that point of latitude with Alaska to the north, why should they not settle for the same point for Oregon Territory to the south? A dispute raged for six years, but the issue was finally settled with the Oregon Treaty of 1846. It established the western portion of the Canada-USA boundary at the 49th parallel.
In 1867 Secretary of State William Seward finalized the “Convention between the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of Russia…” under which the USA purchased Alaska from Russia. However, Seward failed in his attempts to acquire the entire Pacific coast of Canada from Britain – specifically British Columbia. Such an acquisition would have given the USA complete governance of the Pacific seaboard. In stead, the Colony of British Columbia, which included a number of Hudson Bay trading posts and forts, joined Canada’s confederation four years later in 1871.
Border crossings always include customs and immigration checks. For this task, we docked briefly in the coastal city of Prince Rupert, the western terminus of the Canadian National Railway. An efficient check, a warm walk, and we were soon cruising south in the calm waters of the scenic Inside Passage. A photo-introduction to British Columbia, including its economic bases, was soon followed by views of a helicopter logging operation underway along the picturesque slopes of Grenville Channel. In this rugged terrain, aerial logging can be significantly cheaper than blasting an access road to capture the sparse but valuable timber.
Our afternoon was spent exploring, this time in secluded Klewnuggit Inlet. Exploring means bushwhacking. And we did! The only trails were those of the bears and deer that thrive in this Great Bear Rainforest. One group spotted a Steller’s Jay - the official bird of B.C. - in a western red cedar - the official tree of B.C. Another group was treated to a fast but unsuccessful stooping by a Peregrine Falcon on a pair of Greater Yellowlegs. And we were all delighted by the rushing outfall of a small, veiled lake, lying just two feet above sea level.
It had been a marvelous day – sunny, mild and with the breeze at our backs. Tomorrow will bring to us another day in beautiful British Columbia. We will enjoy whatever lies ahead.
