Robson Bight facts for kids
Robson Bight is a special bay located near Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It's famous for being a protected home for killer whales. These amazing whales often visit the beaches here to rub themselves. The bay is right next to Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park. The closest town you can get to Robson Bight is Telegraph Cove.
Robson Bight: A Safe Place for Whales
The Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve was created in 1982. It was made to be a safe place, or sanctuary, especially for killer whales. This area is about 10 kilometers southeast of Telegraph Cove. It is also about 40 kilometers from Port McNeill, British Columbia.
To keep the whales safe, people are not allowed to enter this area by boat or land. The Cetus Research and Conservation Society helps manage the Robson Bight Warden Program. This program teaches visitors about the reserve. It also makes sure people stay outside the protected boundaries. The reserve stretches 1 kilometer out into the water from special markers. The total size of the reserve, including land and water, is 5,460 hectares. It is named after a famous killer whale scientist, Michael Bigg.
How Robson Bight Got Its Name
Robson Bight is named after Lieutenant Commander Charles Rufus Robson. He was an officer on a gunboat called HMS Forward. He passed away in Victoria, British Columbia in 1861. He had a very good career before his death.
The Barge Spill Cleanup
On August 20, 2007, a barge was carrying vehicles and logging equipment. It accidentally lost 11 pieces of equipment into the water. This happened right inside the protected area of Robson Bight.
In April 2008, the government announced they would work together to clean up the equipment. The equipment was very deep, about 350 meters below the surface. It also contained about 10,000 liters of diesel fuel. On May 20, 2009, the cleanup was a success! Workers first put a special yellow container around a sunken fuel truck. This stopped any fuel from leaking out. Then, a crane lifted the equipment onto a floating barge.
