Cruisin Fever to Alaska: Yuquot – 1700’s Nootka Sound

Historic Church - Yuquot

Nootka Lighthouse - Friendly Cove (Yuquot)

We continued south along Tahsis Inlet, which connects up with Nootka Sound. Nootka Sound is another major body of water accessible along the west coast of Vancouver Island. We anchored at the historic site of Yuquot (Friendly Cove), home of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht people for over 4,300 years. Only two or three permanent residents live here today, but each year the Natives return for a summer camp retreat. In 1774, Spanish Captain Juan Perez and his crew were the first Europeans to sight the entrance of Nootka Sound. The Spanish traded with the Natives but did not actually make a landing at that time. In 1778, in search of the Northwest Passage, Captain James Cook arrived in Nootka Sound and also traded with the Natives. Captain Cook explored the Sound and stopped at the Native village of Yuquot (Friendly Cove). Both Spain and Britain sought to expand their colonial possessions. A British expedition commanded by John Mears arrived in 1786 and in 1788 Mears built a trading post at Friendly Cove. Then Spain, bringing three ships, established a Fort and a small Spanish village arose on the shores of the Cove. With both Spain and the Britain claiming the area, tensions quickly grew, which triggered the Nootka Controversy. The first Nootka Convention of 1790 partly resolved the impasse. Later, Captain George Vancouver and Commander Bodega Quadra met at Friendly Cove but came to no agreement. By the mid 1790’s, Spain’s colonial empire was in decline and Spain dismantled their fort at Nootka giving the British sovereignty over the area. We motored over to the wharf with the dinghy and paid the landing fee to go ashore. We walked across a narrow neck of land, where we saw a beautiful crescent beach and the open ocean. We also visited the church-museum that was rebuilt in 1956 after the 1889 structure burned down. It houses replica totems from the village of Yuquot and two detailed stained glass windows, gifts from the Spanish government. One window depicts a Franciscan monk giving a sermon to the Natives, and the other window depicts the land transfer from Spain to England represented by Captain Quadra and Captain Vancouver. Also of interest is the 1911 lighthouse located next to the wharf within easy reach. The Nootka Lighthouse is a repeater station for Tofino Coast Guard radio. Every three hours, the Nootka station reports weather conditions for the marine weather broadcast. We spent the night anchored in the Cove and made ready to head out to sea the next morning.