The Last Island: A Naturalist's Sojourn on Triangle Island

David Allinson is the president of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria, B.C.

Located off the northern tip of Vancouver Island, Triangle Island has
long enticed biologists, birders, and naturalists to its lonely,
forbidding rock formations in the Pacific Ocean. This small island is
home to British Columbia’s largest seabird colony, with over a million
birds present. However, the island’s remoteness can be further
exacerbated by windstorms and long stretches of fog.

Written in the form of a memoir or diary, The Last Island begins with
an account of the author’s four-month stay on the island (conducting
seabird research for the Canadian Wildlife Service and Simon Fraser
University). The second half of the book relates Watt’s nostalgic and
bittersweet return to the island 16 years later. In addition to the
daily routines of working on the island with her companion, biologist
Anne Vallée, we learn about the island’s history—from Native lore,
to its early years as a telegraph station, to the families that ran the
lighthouse. The lively watercolors by the author bring to life the
surprisingly rich biodiversity of sea life, birds, insects, and plants
that populate the island.

The book has a darker theme. We see the face of death not only in
nature, but also for the researchers who endured isolation and harsh
conditions while working on the island. Tragically, Vallée lost her
life in a fall shortly after the author left. Furthermore, in the
ensuing years, global warming and fluctuating ocean temperatures have
led to disastrous breeding seasons for the puffins, with thousands of
chicks dying as a result of reduced fish stocks. Beautifully written and
researched, this book is highly recommended for those with an interest
in nature, art, and the human spirit.