Tales from the West Coast: Smugglers, Sea Monsters, and Other Stories

Ann Turner is the financial and budget manager of the University of
British Columbia Library.

These two volumes from the Amazing Stories series of popular histories
focus on the rugged and treacherous southwest coast of Vancouver Island,
the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Its legendary storms and fogs have
claimed hundreds of ships, but thanks to the heroic efforts of the
lighthouse keepers, telegraph linemen, and local sailors many of their
crews and passengers were saved.

West Coast Adventures offers seven tales of exploration, shipwreck, and
rescue dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries detailing the
hardships of life in this remote area. Tales from the West Coast ranges
further afield for its subjects, but its eight stories are centred in
the Victoria area. They include a bride ship, the sailing canoe Tilikum,
the rum-running schooner Malahat, reports of the area’s resident sea
monster Cadborosaurus, and a biography of author Capi Blanchet (The
Curve of Time). The Amazing Stories books in general are easy and
enjoyable reading, and these examples give a glimpse into B.C. history
and a good sense of the ocean-based West Coast life.