De Courcy Island

De Courcy Island is one of the Gulf Islands located between Pylades and Stuart Channels approximately 16 km (9.9 mi) south-east of Nanaimo, British Columbia and approximately 38 km (24 mi) south-west of Vancouver, British Columbia. The island was named after Michael de Courcy, captain of HMS Pylades and is about 460 acres (186.2 ha) in area.

BC Parks marker for Pirate's Cove, De Courcy Island, British Columbia

The island was the home of Brother XII, a mysterious cult figure in the 1920s and of Pirate's Cove Marine Park.

The only access to the island is by boat or floatplane. Gulf Island Seaplanes flies to the island daily.

It gives its name to the De Courcy group of islands which consist, from north to south, of Mudge Island, Link Island, De Courcy Island, Ruxton Island and Pylades Island. This island group runs parallel to the east coast of Vancouver Island inside the protection of the larger Gabriola Island and Valdes Island. Access by boat from Nanaimo in the north is through Dodd Narrows. From Vancouver, vessels pass between Gabriola Island and Valdes Island through Gabriola Passage. Both Dodd Narrows and Gabriola Passage have strong tidal currents. Gabriola and Valdes Islands protect these smaller islands from the more open Strait of Georgia. The island is named for Vice Admiral Michael de Courcy. [1]:61

References
  1. Akrigg, G.P.V.; Akrigg, Helen B. (1986), British Columbia Place Names (3rd, 1997 ed.), Vancouver: UBC Press, ISBN 0-7748-0636-2


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