West Coast Adventures: Shipwrecks, Lighthouses, and Rescues Along Canada’s West Coast by Adrienne Mason is a great book to get a taste of some of the more interesting shipwrecks along the West Coast Trail. There is also some interesting history on Bamfield, the making of the West Coast Trail and some great history of lighthouses along the trail and beyond. The Prologue begins with a short look at the horror of the Valencia shipwreck.
West Coast Trail Shipwrecks
Alaskan at 4k Soquel at 5k Sarah at 7k Becherdass-Ambiadass at 8k Michigan at 12k Uzbekistan at 13.8k Varsity at 17.6k Valencia at 18.3k Janet Cowan at 19k Robert Lewers at 20k Woodside at 20.2k Uncle John at 26.2k Vesta at 29k Raita at 33k Skagit at 34.2k Santa Rita at 37k Dare at 39k Lizzie Marshall at 47k Puritan at 48.5k Wempe Brothers at 49.4k Duchess of Argyle at 58k John Marshall at 62.3k William Tell at 64.2 Revere at 69k Cyrus at 75k
West Coast Trail Campsites
Pachena Bay Campground Michigan Creek at 12k Darling River at 14k Orange Juice Creek at 15k Tsocowis Creek at 16.5k Klanawa River at 23k Tsusiat Falls at 25k Cribs Creek at 42k Carmanah Creek at 46k Bonilla Creek at 48k Walbran Creek at 53k Cullite Cove at 58k Camper Bay at 62k Thrasher Cove at 70k Pacheedaht Campground
The incredible story of the Valencia is later told in Chapter 6. Another chapter tells of the Puritan shipwreck, which was a harrowing tale of this ship colliding with Bonilla Point just past the 48km point on the West Coast Trail. If you camp at the wonderful campsite at Bonilla Falls you will be sleeping between two shipwreck sites, Lizzie Marshall at 47km and the Puritan at 48.5km. On November 13th, 1896 the Puritan was caught in a storm at night off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. They were way off course and the captain and crew hoped to spot Cape Flattery Lighthouse that marks the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait. They were a considerable distance north of where they thought they were and were blindly heading for a collision with the reefs off Bonilla Point. Through the darkness the lookout spotted the telltale indication of land ahead. “Breakers ahead!” he shouted and an instant later the Puritan grinded across the reef and her hull was ripped open. With the waves smashing the ship and all around, they were unable to safely launch lifeboats. As the storm raged on and the ship crumbled on the reef the crew retreated up the masts and into the rigging to avoid being smashed into the sea by waves.
Hopeless Situation on the Puritan
When daylight arrived they were 300 metres from the beach and they had lost all their lifeboats during the night. Their only chance to save themselves was to swim a rope to the beach and use it to escape the wreck. With huge waves crashing over the ship and the reef attempting this seemed like suicide as the waves would smash you against the reef. None of the crew volunteered. The situation was hopeless as they scanned the shoreline for signs of life and saw just and endless wall of forest in both directions. Looking to the ocean they could only hope that a ship would find them. A ship didn’t come, but instead a canoe was spotted. Jimmy Nytom(other accounts show his name as Frank Knighton), from the local Ditidaht people had been fishing when he spotted the Puritan wrecked on the reef. Now all they had to do was pass a line to him and he could drag a large rope to shore and they were saved.
Jimmy Nytom's Relentless Determination
Despite his expert skill with a canoe, Jimmy was unable to get close enough to catch the line thrown to him. Repeated attempts came up far short and they had to give up. Jimmy then paddled to shore to attempt something from there. Between the Puritan and the beach there was a flat reef in shallow water. If he could get to that reef, he may be close enough to catch the line. Jimmy waited for low tide, then waded into the freezing water to get to the reef. Still the distance was too great and in desperation the crew and Jimmy continued to try. With a spectacular display of bravery and endurance, Jimmy stayed on the reef as the freezing surf rose and waves knocked him over.
Whole hours passed before they finally got the line to him and he triumphantly brought it to shore. They were then able to rig a bosons chair and after a few hours they were all safely on the shore. Jimmy led them to a lineman’s cabin for the night. The next morning, they returned to the site of the wreck and the Puritan was now on its side, masts and rigging gone and settling lower on the reef. They likely would have all been smashed into the sea had they not been rescued by the determined and unrelenting heroism of Jimmy Nytom. West Coast Adventures: Shipwrecks, Lighthouses, and Rescues Along Canada’s West Coast is definitely worth reading and highlights many historical events and characters along the West Coast Trail and beyond. You can get this book everywhere, including on Amazon here.
More Books About West Coast Trail Shipwrecks
West Coast Trail Shipwreck Books
West Coast Trail A to Z
The West Coast Trail by Day
Explore BC Hiking Destinations!
The West Coast Trail
Victoria Hiking Trails
Clayoquot Hiking Trails
Whistler Hiking Trails
Squamish Hiking Trails
Vancouver Hiking Trails