Introduction
Archipelago in the Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada
This article is about the archipelago near Campbell River, B.C.. For other islands with a similar name, see Discovery Island (disambiguation).
Discovery IslandsAerial view of the Discovery IslandsDiscovery Islands, between Vancouver Island and continental British Columbia, north of Strait of GeorgiaDiscovery IslandsLocation in British Columbia, CanadaShow map of Vancouver IslandDiscovery IslandsDiscovery Islands (British Columbia)Show map of British ColumbiaGeographyLocationJohnstone Strait and Salish SeaCoordinates50°16′41″N 125°09′08″W / 50.27806°N 125.15222°W / 50.27806; -125.15222Major islands20AdministrationCanadaProvinceBritish Columbia
The Discovery Islands are a group of islands located at the northern end of the Salish Sea and the eastern end of Johnstone Strait, between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada.
Most of these islands have very few residents. Only Quadra Island and Cortes Island have ferry service. The remainder are served by private boat or float plane.
Geography
[edit]
The area's complex geography can make it difficult to determine when travelling by boat whether a sighted coastline belongs to the mainland, Vancouver Island, or one of the Discovery Islands.
Major islands[edit]
Cortes Island sunrise
The Discovery Islands are all located within the Strathcona Regional District, except for a few of the southernmost, such as Hernando Island and Savary Island, which are in the qathet Regional District. The larger islands within the Discovery Islands are:
Strathcona Regional District
Cortes Island (west: Subtle Islands)
Hardwicke Island (north: Poyntz, Seymour, Murray; west: Yorke; south: Helmcken)
West Thurlow Island
East Thurlow Island (west: Walkem Islands; south: Tum)
Sonora Island (northwest: Hardinge, Block)
Stuart Island
Quadra Island (north: Okis Islands)
Maurelle Island
Mitlenatch Island
Read Island (east: Hill Island, Penn Islands)
Rendezvous Islands
Raza Island
West Redonda Island (south: Mink, Kinghorn, and the Martin Islands; north: Elizabeth)
East Redonda Island (south: Melville, Morgan, Eveleigh, Otter, and the William Islands; north: Double, Channel)
Marina Island
Twin Islands
qathet Regional District
Hernando Island (east: Copeland Islands)
Mink Island
Savary Island
Major waterways[edit]
The Discovery Passage starts where the Strait of Georgia narrows between Quadra Island and Vancouver Island and continues north to Chatham Point, where it meets the Nodales Channel and Johnstone Strait.
Tourism
[edit]
The primary attraction for visitors are salmon fishing, sailing, kayaking, and hiking.
