Shipwreck Icon West Coast TrailPeople of the Southwest Coast of Vancouver Island is R. Bruce Scott's third wonderful book on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. His first book was "Breakers Ahead!", which focussed on the incredible number of shipwrecks along the coast of Vancouver Island. His incredible knowledge of the area allowed him a deeper understanding of the tragic events along the coast. "Breakers Ahead!" is arguably the best book on West Coast Trail shipwrecks.

While "Breakers Ahead!" was written to motivate the creation of the park that would encompass the West Coast Trail, R. Bruce Scott's second book, Barkley Sound A History of the Pacific Rim National Park Area laid out a wider history of the area. This amazing book published in 1972 has a chapter on Pacific Rim National Park, a few chapters on some of the first European explorers. He then has chapters covering some of the trading posts and early settlements along the islands West Coast. He has an interesting chapter on the Cape Beale Lighthouse, the Carmanah Point Lighthouse and the Pachena Point Lighthouse. Another chapter is devoted to the history of the West Coast Telegraph line. The extraordinary story of the Valencia shipwreck he tells beautifully in Chapter 13. Chapter 16 is all about the West Coast Lifesaving Trail. He also has several chapters on the history of Bamfield where he resided for much of his life. Scott's third book of the trilogy is People of the Southwest Coast of Vancouver Island. Published in 1974 this amazing book delves into the lives of many noteworthy people along the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Daykin of Carmanah is an amazing chapter on the history of Phil Daykin, the lighthouse keeper that we hear about often when reading about West Coast Trail shipwrecks.

People of the Southwest Coast of Vancouver Island

Phil Daykin was the lightkeeper of the Carmanah Point Lighthouse from 1891 to 1912. He kept a meticulous lighthouse diary in which he recorded every ship sighted from his commanding view from the lighthouse tower. Daykin's son, also named Phil Daykin and David Logan of Clo-oose responded to numerous shipwrecks along this particularly brutal and notorious stretch of the Graveyard of the Pacific. They both arrived at the cliff overlooking the horrific scene of the Valencia shipwreck, just moments before its 36 hour ordeal of being pounded by waves finally smashed her and remaining survivors into the sea.

Carmanah Lighthouse on the West Coast Trail

Phil Daykin of Carmanah Point Lighthouse

In R. Bruce Scott’s excellent book, People of the Southwest Coast of Vancouver Island, he writes about his interesting life during the years he manned the Carmanah Point Lighthouse. Scott also recalls the tragic deaths of two of Daykin’s sons. One of his sons, at just 17, was taking the trolley that ran from the lighthouse down to the shore. This steep, cable trolley was powered by a gas powered winch. One day as his son was riding the trolley down and a cable broke, throwing the boy off and he died instantly falling onto the rocks far below. He lost another son years later when his son and a friend went on a hunting trip up Nitinat Lake. When they did not return a search party went to find them and discovered their boat floating in the lake. Their guns, gear, bedrolls and all their belongings were on the boat, yet no sign of them or where they could have gone. It was thought unlikely that they could have drowned as they were both excellent swimmers and the disappearance remains a mystery to this day. The Daykin's had a confrontational relationship with the local First Nations people and one plausible theory is that they were murdered and their bodies hidden.

Phil Daykin Retires to Victoria

He continued as lighthouse keeper at Carmanah Point Lighthouse until he was unable to physically keep up with all the rigorous tasks. He was replaced in 1912 and transferred to the Macaulay Point Lighthouse at the entrance of Victoria Harbour. This posting was much easier for him to cope with, with his failing health. He would eventually die of the flu, which he often suffered very badly from and was blamed on one winter night climbing the exposed stairs up to the top of the lighthouse.

The Surprising History of Clo-oose

Chapter 8 is an amazing history of Clo-oose. This town was thought to become a popular tourist town and various circumstances resulted in it not taking hold and after a few busy decades it was abandoned. You will walk through Clo-oose when hiking the West Coast Trail and see that is is now comprised of just a few First Nations houses. Yet another amazing chapter is entitled, David Logan of Clo-oose. Most of the major shipwrecks along the West Coast Trail involved him to some degree. Logan and the Daykin's facilitated the rescue of countless shipwreck survivors. An amazing book, and without it many of these interesting characters would be largely forgotten from history. People of the Southwest Coast of Vancouver Island can be found online at a few places including Amazon.

More Books About West Coast Trail Shipwrecks

West Coast Trail Shipwreck Books

The Wreck of the Steamer Valencia, written in 1906 is the result of the intense investigation by US government as directed by President Theodore Roosevelt. The result of the thorough investigation was made into a book widely distributed at the time. It lays out ...
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More Shipwrecks of British Columbia by Fred Rogers follows his first book Shipwrecks of British Columbia. Taken together, these books cover a staggering number of shipwrecks all around Vancouver Island. What sets these two books apart from all other West Coast ...
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West Coast Trail A to Z

The Cape Beale Lighthouse was built in 1873 and lit up the southern tip of the entrance to Barkley Sound. Barkley Sound is the huge gap in Vancouver Island filled with islands, with Ucluelet at the north end of the gap and Bamfield and Cape Beale at the south end. ...
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Owen Point, at about the 67km mark on the West Coast Trail is home to a stunningly colourful and well hidden area of sandstone caves carved out by the ocean. Centuries of crashing waves have gouged out huge, circular openings in the cliffs jutting out into the ...
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There are quite a few books about West Coast Trail shipwrecks, though many of them are tough to find and written decades ago. Here is a list of the ones we have found with the best information on the often scarce history of many of the lesser known shipwrecks ...
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Best West Coast Trail Sights

The West Coast Trail by Day

Amazing Whistler Hiking Trails

Explore BC Hiking Destinations!

The West Coast Trail

The West Coast Trail was created after decades of brutal and costly shipwrecks occurred along the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  One shipwreck in particular was so horrific, tragic and unbelievable that it forced the creation of a trail along the coast, which ...
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Victoria Hiking Trails

Victoria has a seemingly endless number of amazing hiking trails.  Most take you to wild and beautiful Pacific Ocean views and others take you to tranquil lakes in beautiful BC Coastal Rainforest wilderness.  Regional Parks and Provincial Parks are everywhere you turn ...
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Whistler Hiking Trails

Whistler is an amazing place to hike. Looking at a map of Whistler you see an extraordinary spider web of hiking trails. Easy trails, moderate trails and challenging hiking trails are all available. Another marvellous thing about Whistler is that Garibaldi Provincial Park ...
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