Hornby Island
Hornby Island as seen from the Hornby-Denman ferry
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Salish Sea |
| Coordinates | 49°31′10″N 124°40′0″W / 49.51944°N 124.66667°WCoordinates: 49°31′10″N 124°40′0″W / 49.51944°N 124.66667°W |
| Archipelago | Gulf Islands |
| Area | 29.97 km2 (11.57 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional district electoral area | Comox Valley A |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 958 (2011) |
| Pop. density | 32 /km2 (83 /sq mi) |
Hornby Island of British Columbia, Canada, is a Salish Sea island located near Vancouver Island's Comox Valley.
A small community of 958 residents (as of the 2011 census), Hornby is home to many artists, retired professionals, small business owners, remote workers, and young families who share a love of rural island life. Over the past 30 years, the island has become a coveted destination and its population easily quadruples in size during the summer months. The shoulder seasons are a preferred time for hiking, mountain biking, marine activities, weddings, and retreats. Most people reach the island by ferries from Buckley Bay, Vancouver Island. A growing number of private boats also visit through mooring at the Ford Cove Marina or anchoring at Tribune Bay. The closest airport is Comox Valley Airport in Comox, which provides regional, national, and international service.
The primary destinations on Hornby are Tribune Bay Provincial Park, Helliwell Provincial Park, Ford's Cove, Heron Rocks and Whaling Station Bay. The island is also a popular mountain biking destination, with a variety of designated trails in Mount Geoffrey Regional Nature Park, Mount Geoffrey Escarpment Provincial Park and Crown Land. The total land area is 29.92 square kilometres (11.55 sq mi), of which 40% is parkland.
The island is geographically distinctive as it was formed by post-glacial rebound with the retreat of the last ice age. Before the arrival of European settlers, the island was inhabited by the Pentlatch, a Coast Salish First Nations band who called the Island Ja-dai-aich, meaning The Outer Island. The island was found and named Isla de Lerena during the 1791 voyage of the Spanish ship Santa Saturnina, under Juan Carrasco and José María Narváez. The name honors the Spanish Finance Minister, Don Pedro López de Lerena, who supported the movement of Spanish Ships over there. In 1850 the British renamed it after Rear Admiral Phipps Hornby, then Commander of the Pacific Station.
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Wikipedia