Estevan Point facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Estevan Point Lighthouse

Estevan Point Lighthouse Location in British Columbia
Location	Hesquiat Peninsula Vancouver Island Canada
Coordinates	49°22′58.6″N 126°32′38.7″W / 49.382944°N 126.544083°W / 49.382944; -126.544083
Year first lit	1909
Construction	concrete tower
Tower shape	octagonal tower with buttresses
Markings / pattern	white tower, red lantern
Height	30.5 metres (100 ft)
Focal height	37.5 metres (123 ft)
Original lens	First order Fresnel by Chance Brothers
Current lens	modern optic
Range	17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (2) W 15s.
Admiralty number	G5224
NGA number	14084
ARLHS number	CAN-173

The Estevan Point Lighthouse is a tall, important lighthouse located on the Hesquiat Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. It stands on a piece of land called Estevan Point.

This lighthouse is famous because it was attacked during World War II in 1942. A Japanese submarine, the I-26, fired shots at it. This was the first time an enemy had attacked Canadian land since the Fenian Raids way back in the 1800s.

Today, the Canadian Coast Guard still looks after the Estevan Point Lighthouse. Its light is still working as of 2008. The light flashes twice every 15 seconds. It shines from about 37.5 meters (123 feet) above the sea.

History of Estevan Point Lighthouse

Who first explored Estevan Point?

Long ago, in 1774, a Spanish explorer named Juan José Pérez Hernández visited this area. He came from a place called Mallorca. He traded with the local people, who are known as the Nuu-chah-nulth people. Pérez Hernández named the land "Punta San Esteban." Four years later, in 1778, the famous explorer James Cook also arrived nearby. He met the local people in Nootka Sound.

When was the Estevan Point Lighthouse built?

The Estevan Point Lighthouse was built in 1909. It was one of several lighthouses designed by an engineer named William P. Anderson. These lighthouses had strong supports called buttresses. The Estevan Point Lighthouse was made of concrete. It is an octagonal (eight-sided) tower, about 30.5 meters (100 feet) tall.

When it was first built, the lighthouse used a special lens called a First Order Fresnel lens. This lens was made by a company in England called Chance Brothers. In the 1980s, this original lens and its top part were taken out. They were later given to a local museum in 2004.

The 1942 Lighthouse Attack

During World War II, the Estevan Point Lighthouse became a target. On June 20, 1942, a Japanese submarine, the Japanese submarine I-26, came to the surface. It fired shells at the lighthouse and a nearby radio station. At the same time, another Japanese submarine, the Japanese submarine I-25, attacked Fort Stevens in Oregon, USA.

The Japanese submarine I-26 fired about 25 to 30 shells, each about 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) wide. But the submarine missed its target! The lighthouse and its station were not damaged. After the attack, five Canadian Navy patrol boats and a flying boat searched for the submarine. But they could not find the Japanese submarine I-26, which had already left.

One of the shells was found by a naval patrol after the attack. More pieces of shells were found in 1973. An army team destroyed one explosive piece. A non-explosive piece was given to the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. Even though no one was hurt and there was no damage, the government decided to turn off the lights of other lighthouses along the coast. This made it harder for ships to navigate.

Later, in 1995, a TV show called The Fifth Estate looked into the attack. Some people wondered if the attack might have been a "false flag" event. This means it might have been made to look like an enemy attack, but was actually done by Allied ships. The idea was that it might help get more support for Canada's Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and his wartime plans.

Climate at Estevan Point

The weather at Estevan Point can be quite rainy. It gets a lot of precipitation throughout the year. The warmest months are usually July and August. The coldest months are December and January. It doesn't snow very much there. The area also gets a good amount of sunshine, especially in the summer months.