A Note to the Reader

What sort of author starts a book with a disclaimer? A writer of local history, that’s who. My research for this book has gone oceans wide and fathoms deep—yet I sometimes encountered contradictory findings and conflicting timelines. Rest assured I have been diligent in my fact-​seeking. However, even Margaret Thompson, a lifelong Ucluelet resident with a steel-​trap memory, cautioned me during an interview: “That’s how I remember it. Would I swear on a Bible? Probably not.”

This book is organized thematically. You can read it cover to cover or seek out areas of interest. I could not possibly include everything, but hope this offering gives you a taste of (and for) the history and people of Ucluelet, “safe harbour,” this place I call home.

I have avoided using words that are inappropriate because of their colonial connotations, except when they appear in specific quotations from the past, reflecting the vernacular of the times.