Lasqueti Island

Lasqueti Island is an island off the east coast of Vancouver Island in the Gulf of Georgia, Powell River Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. A passenger-only ferry connects the island to the community of French Creek, near Parksville. The ferry makes two to three runs per day, five days per week, weather permitting.

Lasqueti Island was named in 1791 by Spanish Naval officer José María Narváez, commander of the "Saturina". [* Citation | last =Walbran
first = Captain John T. | title =British Columbia Place Names, Their Origin and History | url= http://www.nosracines.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=3545 | place=Vancouver/Toronto | publisher =Douglas & McIntyre | year =1971 | edition =Facsimile reprint of 1909 edition | isbn = 0-88894-143-9] The island had a population of 359 in the Canada 2006 Census, down 2.2% from the 2001 census [cite web | last = Statistics Canada | title = Canada 2006 Census | url = http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5927020&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Lasqueti&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= | accessdate = 2008-05-03] and a land area of 73.57 km² (28.4 sq mi).

Lasqueti Island is the least developed of the major Gulf Islands. Its roads are mostly unpaved, and it is the only one of the larger Gulf Islands that is not connected to BC Hydro's electrical power grid. Solar, wind, micro-hydro and fossil fueled generators power the island.

Lasqueti is a major enclave of Canadian counter culture. It has a yearly Arts Festival on Canada Day Weekend, featuring local painters, sculptors, poets, fiction writers and historians. Aquaculture includes Lasqueti Clams (see geoduck) (difficult to obtain in BC because they are exported to Japan, where they are highly valued) and prawns. Land crops include shallots and garlic. The island is divided between two micro-climates, rain forest and temperate -- some old growth rain forest trees still exist, as well as cacti, arbutus and succulent plants. Soils for the most part form shallow, stony deposits over bedrock which is almost entirely igneous and largely basaltic.

Its sailing and sea kayaking is among the finest, but also among the most challenging, in lower British Columbia. Tides and currents may become foreboding without warning -- the winter weather down the Strait of Georgia has been responsible for various mariners' deaths.

Lasqueti is neither tourist friendly nor tourist hostile. There is a hotel and a restaurant in False Bay, where the ferry arrives and departs. There is also a pizza parlour open at odd hours. The cookie stand operates on an honour system and is always worth checking out. There are at least two B&B's on the island, but business is seasonal. Transportation on the island is limited. Should you desire to visit the island it is recommended that you be somewhat self-sufficient. Potable water may be scarce at times, in different places on the island. One must take food along, because no real markets exist on the island, just an informal food cooperative. There is no camping allowed on the island.

An excellent provincial park exists on a nearby island, Jedediah Island Marine Provincial Park, which is the site of a heritage farm of a former settler.

References

External links

* [http://www.lasqueti.ca/ Lasqueti Island web]
* [http://driftwoodcove.ca/ Driftwood Cove Beach House]