Gateway Between Nations and Seas
The Strait of Juan de Fuca stretches between Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, USA.
This vast channel, approximately 150 kilometers long, forms a vital maritime corridor connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Salish Sea and the harbors of Victoria and Vancouver.
Its waters are both busy and wild — home to migrating whales, powerful currents, and ships traveling between continents.
A Strait of Discovery and Legacy
The strait was named after Juan de Fuca, a Greek-born explorer sailing under the Spanish flag who, in 1592, claimed to have discovered this passage while searching for the fabled Northwest Passage.
Though his voyage was once debated, later explorers confirmed the existence of the waterway, cementing his name in Pacific history.
Over centuries, the Strait of Juan de Fuca became a route for explorers, traders, and settlers, shaping the early contact between Indigenous nations, Europeans, and the Pacific world.
Nature, Power, and Identity
Today, the Strait remains one of the most striking natural features of the Pacific Northwest.
It defines the maritime boundary between Canada and the United States, while also serving as a living ecosystem of immense biodiversity.
From stormy horizons to calm summer mornings, it captures the essence of coastal life — a meeting place of ocean and nation, wind and water, past and present.
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