Toba Inlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toba Inlet |
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| French: Baie Toba | |
Looking southwest toward the mouth of Toba Inlet
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 Toba Inlet
Location in British Columbia
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Toba Inlet extends northeast from East Redonda Island
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| Location | Strathcona RD, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 50°24′39″N 124°36′14″W / 50.41083°N 124.60389°W |
| Type | Fjord |
| Primary inflows | Toba River |
| Primary outflows | Pryce Channel, Homfray Channel |
| Max. length | 35 kilometres (22 mi) |
Toba Inlet is a long, narrow arm of the sea, also known as a fjord. It is located on the British Columbia Coast in Canada. This inlet is one of the main fjords in the area. It is the fourth one north of the 49th parallel, which is a line of latitude. The city of Vancouver is located on Burrard Inlet, which is the first fjord in this series.
East of Toba Inlet is Jervis Inlet. Between them is Powell Lake, which is a freshwater fjord. A small hydro project uses water from Powell Lake to create electricity. This power helps run a large pulp mill in Powell River. This town is the main community on the Malaspina Peninsula.
The Klahoose First Nation has a reserve called Klahoose 1 Reserve. It is located at the mouth of the Toba River, right at the head of Toba Inlet. The Toba Inlet and its valley are also known for being home to many grizzly bears.
Exploring Toba Inlet's Geography
Toba Inlet is not as long as some other major coastal inlets. It is about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) wide on average. The inlet stretches for about 35 kilometers (22 miles). It goes from the mouth of the powerful, but short, Toba River to its own mouth. At its mouth, Toba Inlet meets Pryce Channel and Homfray Channel. This area is near the northern tip of East Redonda Island.
The History of Toba Inlet
The first non-Indigenous people to explore Toba Inlet arrived in 1792. These were British and Spanish explorers. They came to the area at the same time. The British expedition was led by George Vancouver. The Spanish expedition was led by Dionisio Alcalá Galiano. They worked together to explore the region.
They set up a base in Desolation Sound. From there, they sent out boats to explore. On June 25, 1792, Vancouver suggested sending out three boat parties. The Spanish offered to explore Toba Inlet. Cayetano Valdés left with his boat party early that day. He returned on June 27. He had found that the inlet was a closed bay, meaning it did not connect to another body of water.
Valdés described Toba Inlet as very deep. He noted its steep shores and tall mountains around it. On the east side of the inlet, Valdés found a wooden plank. It was covered with paintings, which he called "hieroglyphics of the natives." They also found several empty villages. The Spanish explorers did not meet any people there. Valdés named the inlet "Canal de la Tabla" after the plank he found. "Tabla" means "plank" in Spanish.
The British explorers checked the inlet right after Valdés. They confirmed what the Spanish had reported. Vancouver kept the Spanish name. However, a mistake by a Spanish mapmaker later changed the name to its current form, Toba Inlet.
The Coast Salish people have their own name for Toba Inlet. It is called Yekwamen (yɛkʷamɛn).
See also
In Spanish: Toba Inlet para niños
