Cloak Bay facts for kids

Cloak Bay is a beautiful bay located in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada. It's found on the west side of Langara Island, which is near Graham Island at the very northwest tip of Haida Gwaii. The bay is right next to Parry Passage, a narrow waterway between Langara and Graham Island. Inside Cloak Bay, you'll find several smaller islands, with Cox Island being the biggest. Important Haida communities, known as Indian Reserves, are also located nearby, including Guoyskun 22 and Kioosta 15. The historic Haida village of Kiusta was a very important settlement in this area.

Early European Visitors

The first European to explore the Cloak Bay area was a Spanish explorer named Juan Pérez. He arrived in July 1774. During his visit, he met with a group of Haida near the northwest part of Langara Island. This meeting was an early step in the history of contact between Europeans and the Haida people.

Haida Villages and Leaders

In the early days when Europeans first started visiting, Cloak Bay was home to several important Haida villages. These included Kiusta, Dadens, Yaku, Ta, and Chaahl. A powerful leader named Chief Cuneah from Kiusta had a lot of influence over this region during the time of the maritime fur trade. Other chiefs, like Eldarge, Cowe, Skilkada, and Shakes, were also important but looked to Cuneah as the main leader.

How Cloak Bay Got Its Name

Cloak Bay received its name from a fur trader named George Dixon. On July 3, 1787, Dixon visited the area and traded for many beautiful sea otter cloaks. He was so impressed by the number of cloaks he got that he decided to name the bay "Cloak Bay."

Many other fur traders also visited Cloak Bay and the Haida villages there. In 1789, a captain named Robert Gray managed to trade for 300 valuable sea otter skins. He got them for just one simple iron chisel each, which was an amazing deal for him! However, the Haida people in the area quickly learned the true value of their furs. Soon, they started asking for much higher prices. Even though the furs from Cloak Bay became some of the most expensive, the bay remained a very important trading spot for many years. Other early traders who came to Cloak Bay included William Douglas in 1789, John Boit on the ship Union in 1795, and Charles Bishop on the ship Ruby also in 1795, along with many others.