Gambier Island

Gambier Island is the largest of four islands located in Howe Sound, British Columbia, Canada (not to be confused with the 14 small Gambier Islands, located 1600 km southeast of Tahiti). The BC island is approximately twenty-five square miles with only 125 permanent residents, primarily located in New Brighton, Gambier Harbour and West Bay - the number swells to over 600 in the summer. BC Ferries provides passenger service between Langdale and New Brighton and there are gravel roads connecting the three communities. We have electricity and telephone and some of us even have high-speed internet access. There is no car-ferry access - something most residents want to preserve.

A Little History

* In 1889, the HMS Plumper, under the command of Captain George Richards, undertook the first hydrographic survey of the Sound and also named additional features including Gambier Island after a British Admiral of the fleet, Lord James Gambier.
* The three prominent bays on the south side of Gambier West, Centre and Long Bays were named by early settlers to the sound.
* The first industry took place in 1865 when Hastings Sawmill leased hundreds of hectares for lumber.
* In 1875, A.C. Fraser applied for the first homestead.
* By 1890 a shingle mill was established on the island.
* Forest activities dominated the early development of Gambier.
* By the late 1920s, West Bay, Centre Bay and Long Bay became the site of large log booming operations, the cement pilings to moor the booms are still visible today in some locations .
* As actual logging activities decreased in the 30s, more settlers set up year-round and summer residences.
* An attempt by Gambier Island Copper to creat a mine in the early 70s rallied the residents and the end result was the creation of the 1974 Islands Trust Act and the 1979 Gambier Island Zoning By-law, which now limits development on Gambier to recreational, residential or forestry.
* The Gambier Island community consists of approximately 320 permanent residences.

Above info thanks to Rick

See The Pretty Map

We arent actually anywhere the little red dots are but its a nice pic so I figured, hey! Why not. It fills the spot for now until I can come up with some content..