Robson Bight is a small

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

bay at the west end of

Johnstone Strait , image = Pacific Ranges over Johnstone Strait.jpg , image_size = 250px , alt = , caption = Johnstone Strait backdropped by the Vancouver Island Ranges , image_bathymetry = Carte baie Knight ...

across from West Cracroft Island in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

that includes a protected

killer whale The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white pa ...

habitat famous for its whale-rubbing beaches. The

bight The word is derived from Old English ''byht'' (“bend, angle, corner; bay, bight”). In modern English, bight may refer to: * Bight (geography), recess of a coast, bay, or other curved feature * Bight (knot), a curved section, slack part, or loo ...

is adjacent to

Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. History The park was established on July 12, 1995. Geography The park is in size. This park protects the lands between three previously established Ecological ...

. The nearest access point is

Telegraph Cove Telegraph Cove is a community of about 20 inhabitants, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, located approximately northwest of Campbell River, British Columbia, Campbell River. It is a former fishing village, fishing and cannery vil ...

on the east coast of Northern Vancouver Island.

Ecological Reserve

Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve was established in 1982 as a sanctuary for killer whales. The area, 10 km south east of

and 40 km from

Port McNeill, British Columbia Port McNeill is a town in the North Island region of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada with a population of 2,356 (2021). Located on Vancouver Island's north-east shore on Queen Charlotte Strait, it was originally a base camp for logger ...

, is restricted. Access by boat or land is prohibited. The Robson Bight Warden Program is operated by Cetus Research and Conservation Society. This program educates visitors to the area about the Ecological Reserve and asks visitors to remain outside the Ecological Reserve boundaries. The Reserve extends 1 km offshore from markers at either end of the Reserve. The total area of the reserve, including upland and foreshore, is 5,460 hectares. It is named after the late killer whale researcher

Michael Bigg Michael Andrew Bigg (December 22, 1939 – October 18, 1990) was an English-born Canadian marine biologist who is recognized as the founder of modern research on killer whales. With his colleagues, he developed new techniques for studying kille ...

Naming

Robson Bight is named for Lieutenant Commander Charles Rufus Robson of the gunboat HMS ''Forward'' who died in

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. Th ...

on November 5, 1861, from a fall from a horse after a commendable career.

Barge Spill

On August 20, 2007, a barge carrying vehicles and forestry equipment lost 11 pieces of equipment within the boundaries of the protected area. On April 18, 2008, the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment announced that the federal and provincial governments would share the expense of salvaging the equipment. The equipment, which was 350 m below the surface and contained 10,000 litres of diesel fuel, was successfully recovered on May 20, 2009, by first surrounding the sunken tanker truck with a yellow container to prevent fuel loss and then raising it by crane to a floating barge.

References

External links

* *
BC Parks - Robson Bight (Michael Biggs) Ecological Reserve

BC Parks, Map and Information Guide

Map of Robson Bight, Ministry of Environment

Cetus Research & Conservation Society - Robson Bight Warden Program
Bodies of water of Vancouver Island Northern Vancouver Island Bays of British Columbia Bights (geography) {{BritishColumbiaCoast-geo-stub

Ecological Reserve

Naming

Barge Spill

See also

References

External links