Telegraph Cove

Telegraph Cove is a community of about 20 people in the North Vancouver Island region. It is a former fishing and cannery village that has become a launch point for eco-tourism. Telegraph Cove serves as the send-off point for kayakers and other whale-watchers who are interested in sightings of the large number of Orca Whales that spend the summer months in Johnstone Strait which separates the northern part of Vancouver Island from the rest of British Columbia.

Understand


The community grew out of a one-room station at the northern terminus of the Campbell River telegraph line. Next to the arts and crafts gallery stands the home of community pioneer Fred Wastell, whose father purchased most of the land around the cove. Together with Japanese investors, he established a chum salmon saltery and a small sawmill.

Today, Telegraph Cove's economy is based primarily on tourism due to its prime location on Johnstone Strait and its proximity to Robson Bight ecological reserve. The old fishing village of Telegraph Cove has been turned into a resort where numerous small businesses head up operations that take tourists into the Johnstone Strait. Stubbs Island Charters (Telegraph Cove Whale Watch) helped put the cove on the whale watching world's radar in the 1980s. They remain a leading tourism draw for Telegraph Cove and the north island.

Beaver Cove is 3 km (2 mi) up the inlet.


 * Tourism website

Get in
Telegraph Cove is 349 km northwest of Nanaimo, 14 km east of Highway 19 (Inland Island Highway), paved the whole way. Driving to Telegraph Cove from Nanaimo takes just over four hours.

Get around
Everything within Telegraph Cove can be seen on foot - the entire village can be walked across in around five minutes. While not wheelchair-friendly, it is partially accessible.

Buy
There are few opportunities for shopping: a small general store and a couple of small shops that sell art, postcards, and fishing supplies.