Hunter Island is an
island
An island or isle is a piece of subcontinental land completely surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island in a river or a lake island may be ...
on the coast of the
Canadian province
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nort ...
of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...
. It is located inshore from
Queen Charlotte Sound, about north of the town of
Port Hardy
Port Hardy is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada located on the north-east end of Vancouver Island. Port Hardy has a population of 4,132 as of the last census (2016).
It is the gateway to Cape Scott Provincial Park, the North Co ...
at the north end of
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...
.
A number of small islands lie to the south of Hunter Island, including Stirling Island and Nalau Island. South of these, across Hakai Passage, is
Calvert Island. To the east
Fitz Hugh Sound
Fitz Hugh Sound, sometimes spelled Fitzhugh Sound, is a sound on the British Columbia Coast of Canada, located between Calvert Island and the mainland.
Etymology
Fitz Hugh Sound was given its name in 1785 by James Hanna, the first non-indigenou ...
, part of the
Inside Passage
The Inside Passage (french: Passage Intérieur) is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland. The route extends from southeaste ...
, separates Hunter Island from the mainland and
King Island, which is mostly within the inland reaches of
Dean Channel Dean Channel is the upper end of one of the longest fjord, inlets of the British Columbia Coast, from its head at the mouth of the Kimsquit River. The Dean River, one of the main rivers of the Coast Mountains, enters Dean Channel about below the ...
, one of the largest coastal
fjord
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Icela ...
s.
Queens Sound lies to the west, between Hunter Island and the
Goose Group archipelago. Also on the west side of Hunter Island is
Cultus Sound, so named because it is the most treacherous of the three approaches to Bella Bella (''cultus'' means "bad" or "worthless" in the
Chinook Jargon). To the southwest is
Kildidt Sound. To the north Hunter Island is separated from
Denny Island by
Lama Passage, and from
Campbell Island by Hunter Channel.
Fitz Hugh Sound
Fitz Hugh Sound, sometimes spelled Fitzhugh Sound, is a sound on the British Columbia Coast of Canada, located between Calvert Island and the mainland.
Etymology
Fitz Hugh Sound was given its name in 1785 by James Hanna, the first non-indigenou ...
and Lama Pass are part of the main
Inside Passage
The Inside Passage (french: Passage Intérieur) is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland. The route extends from southeaste ...
route.
Hunter Island is long and ranges in width from to . It is in area. The island reaches in elevation.
Protected areas
Just south of Hunter Island in Hakai Pass is the Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy Area. At more than of land and sea, it is the largest provincial marine protected area on the British Columbia coast.
Hakai Provincial Recreation Area, 50,707 ha in size, includes the southern part of Hunter Island and the northern part of Calvert Island, as well as numerous smaller islands in the area.
Hecate Lowland Ecosection Summary
Integrated Land Management Bureau
References
External links
*
Islands of British Columbia
Central Coast of British Columbia
{{BritishColumbiaCoast-geo-stub