James Island, one of British Columbia's Gulf Islands, lying in Haro Strait, approximately 2.4km off the coast of Vancouver Island, and 145km from Seattle, Washington. James Island lies between Sidney Island and the coast of Vancouver Island near Sidney, British Columbia. James Island has an elevation of 58 meters (190 feet) above sea level at its highest point, and has a total land-mass of 315 ha (778.3 Acres) in size. There are sea-cliffs on the Southern, Western, and Eastern shores of this island. The Southern sea-cliffs are the highest.ToponymyIn SENĆOŦEN, the language of the <u>WSÁNEĆ nations, the island is named P'AQwƎČ.According to Walbran the island was "Named by the early settlers, circa 1853, after... James Douglas...". Douglas was a chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company and was second governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island. Further, Walbran stated "Name adopted by Captain Richards, HMS Plumper, 1858." From 1857 to 1862 Richards supervised hydrographic surveys of the southern coast of British Columbia.
