Storm Bay (British Columbia) Explained

thumb|Storm Bay through a smoky hazeStorm Bay is found in the Sechelt Inlet of the Pacific Ocean,^[1] near the mouth of Narrows Inlet.

It is accessible by boat or seaplane.

Since the mid-1960s, the location has been home to a number of notable artists.^[2]

Ecology

Storm Bay is in the Coastal Douglas-fir Biogeoclimactic Zone of British Columbia, which consists of wet, mossy, dense temperate rain forests.^{[3] [4]}

History

shíshálh nation

Storm Bay has been inhabited by the shíshálh (or Sechelt) nation, specifically the téwánkw sub-group of ?álhtulich, stl'ixwim, and skúpa (Sechelt, Narrows, and Salmon Inlets),^[5] for around eight millennia. Existing shell middens indicate ancient and long-term human habitation.^{[6] [7] [8]}

Early twentieth century

Storm Bay was logged intensively and homesteaded early in the twentieth century.^{[9] [10] [11]}

In 1907, the Sechelt Brick & Tile Company Limited built a small brickworks in Storm Bay which closed after two years due to the poor quality of the clay. The Canadian government built a large brick plant in 1921 as a "returned men's project"; it too was short-lived.^[12]

1960s and 1970s to present day

Many people loosely associated with the intentional community movement settled in Storm Bay during the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the notable artists Kate Craig (who died in Storm Bay in 2002,) David Rimmer, Karen Jamieson, Hank Bull, and Glenn Lewis.^[13]

In 1980 a Royal Canadian Mounted Police member from the Sechelt detachment could name only Storm Bay when asked about extant communes in the Sunshine Coast region. Its inhabitants however eschew the word commune, and refer to Storm Bay as a neighbourhood.

See also

Salish Sea
Skookumchuck Narrows

References

49.662°N -123.822°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Place names - Storm Bay. Observation. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth. www4.rncan.gc.ca. en. 2017-08-09.
2. Book: Scott , Andrew . The Promise of Paradise: Utopian Communities in British Columbia. 2017-03-25. Harbour Publishing. 9781550177725. en.
3. Web site: Biogeoclimatic Zones of British Columbia - Coastal Western Hemlock. www.sfu.ca. 2017-08-25.
4. Book: The Ecology of the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone. Egan. Brian. Izard. David. Fergusson. Susan. British Columbia Ministry of Forests. 1999. Victoria.
5. Web site: About Us :: shíshálh Nation The Sechelt First Nation The Sechelt Indian Band. www.shishalh.com. en. 2017-08-17.
6. Web site: ANTHROJOURNAL. anthrojournal.com. 2017-08-10.
7. Web site: Shíshálh ancestors soon to be buried. Woodrooffe. Sophie. Coast Reporter. 2019-08-13.
8. Web site: Coast News. Peterson. Les. 1964-06-18. open.library.ubc.ca. 6. en. 2019-08-13.
9. Book: Barrow . Francis . Hill . Beth . 1985 . Upcoast Summers . Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. . TouchWood Editions . 25, 27 . 9780920663011 .
10. Book: Francis, Daniel. (Editor). 2000 . The Encyclopedia of British Columbia . Madeira Park, British Columbia. . Harbour Publishing Ltd. . 638 . 1-55017-200-X .
11. Arbor . John C. . 1993 . Water Quality Assessment and Objectives for Sechelt Inlet (Sunshine Coast Area) . Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.. Water Quality Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks . 20 (p. 52 of PDF) .
12. Book: Bright Seas, Pioneer Spirits: A History of the Sunshine Coast. Keller. Betty. Leslie. Rosella. 2011-07-06. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.. TouchWood Editions. 9781926971858. en.
13. Web site: Kate Craig's Obituary in The Globe and Mail. legacy.com. 2019-08-04.