The island of Quadra and Vancouver

A book review

I have been reading a fascinating book about European navigators who charted many continents and oceans of the Atlantic and Pacific. The name of the book is Sextant, by David Barrie, published by HarperCollins. One such interesting explorer was the English man named George Vancouver. One of his goals was to map large sections of the western North American continent. He sailed in the years 1791 – 1795, spending his summers in Hawaii. Sounds like a nice assignment.

One episode in his journey of tedious map-work stands out, when the captain visited a Spanish settlement in Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island. (Just prior, he had sailed through the Johnstone Strait, proving that Vancouver Island was an island.) The Spanish governor reportedly got along so well with George Vancouver that he suggested that the explorer name some landmark after them both to commemorate their very amicable meeting. Undoubtedly, it was the English-styled fish and chips, or was it the Spanish wine, that made the encounter memorable?

The Spanish governor’s name was impressive. It was Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, but George Vancouver was undaunted. With elegant simplicity, he suggested, what better place than the one they were both standing on. Thus, the island was named ‘the island of Quadra and Vancouver’. It is sad that, with the passing of years, Quadra’s name was dropped from the name of Vancouver Island, but happily, it has moved to a nearby island instead. Can you find it?