Hastings Arm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hastings Arm |
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 Hastings Arm
Location in British Columbia
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| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Coordinates | 55°30′14″N 129°46′04″W / 55.50389°N 129.76778°W |
| Type | Fjord |
| Part of | Observatory Inlet |
Hastings Arm is a long, narrow arm of the sea, also known as a fjord. It is located on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. This waterway is the northwest branch of Observatory Inlet. Observatory Inlet is one of two main branches that come off Portland Inlet. The other main branch is the Portland Canal, which forms part of the border between Canada and the United States.
Hastings Arm stretches for about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). It begins near a place that used to be a smelting town called Anyox. From this point, another arm, Alice Arm, branches off to the east for about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles). The start of Hastings Arm is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from where Observatory Inlet opens up near Nass Bay. At the very end of Hastings Arm, you'll find the mouth of the Kshwan River and the historic Nisga'a village-site of Kswan.
The Story Behind the Names
The names of places often tell interesting stories about their history and the people who lived there. Hastings Arm has both an indigenous name and an English name.
The Nisga'a Name: K'alli Kshwan
The local Nisga'a language has its own name for this inlet: K'alli Kshwan. This name literally means "upriver water teeth." It comes from a story about the tribe's founder, Tseemsim. He once cupped his hands to drink from the Kshwan River and found the water so cold that it hurt his teeth!
The English Name: Honoring a Commander
The English name, Hastings Arm, was given in 1869. Captain Daniel Pender named it after Rear Admiral the Honorable George Fowler Hastings. Admiral Hastings was a very important naval officer. He was the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Station from 1866 to 1869. His main ship was the 20-gun HMS Zealous. Another nearby landmark, Mount Fowler, was also named in honor of Admiral Hastings.
