SPANISH BANKS

An historic journey, and the names they left behind

Where the City of Vancouver reaches westward into the Gulf of Georgia there is a place called Spanish Banks. The name commemorates the meeting in 1792 of English explorer George Vancouver with Spanish explorers Galiano & Valdes. 

These two parties worked in tandem up the Discovery Pass, exchanging information and at times socializing. In many instances, these were the first Europeans to contact the Indigenous Peoples whose villages for eons had lined these pristine waters. Many of the local place names we’re familiar with date back to these historic expeditions.

George Vancouver (1758-1798) was born in England and entered the Royal Navy in 1771 upon receiving an appointment from Captain James Cook. He accompanied Cook on his voyage around the world in 1772-74 and served as a midshipman on Cook’s explorations along the West coast of North America. Vancouver was promoted to commander of the ship Discovery in 1790.

Vancouver spent three years surveying the coast. He produced superb charts of the Coast of NW America and wrote a lengthy account of his voyage entitled A Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific ocean, and Round the World (1798).

Joseph Baker's Telescope  Joseph Baker (whom Mount Baker, Washington was named for) was a Midshipman on Vancouver's 1792 voyage to the Northwest Coast. He was an expert cartographer (map-maker) who job it was to collect all the data collected and turn it in to a chart.

Arnold Chronometer - This device could be used to determine a ships position and was used by Vancouver during his 1792 exploration. It was later issued to Captain William Bligh of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame, during his exploration of the Australian Coastline.

Joseph Baker's Sextant - This instrument would have been used in George Vancouver's Day. By measuring the angle between the horizon and a certain star or planet, a navigator of could determine the position of his ship. This sextant once belonged to Joseph Baker, a midshipman and cartographer on Vancouver's voyage of discovery in 1792.

 

Filmed at the Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River, BC on November 20th, 2021 as part of the "Music from the Edges of Canada" concert series. 

Performed by Tiller’s Folly: 

Bruce Coughlan: lead vocals, guitar 
Laurence Knight: bass, support vocals 
Eric Reed: electric guitar 
Mike Sanyshyn: mandolin

Spanish Banks

Tiller's Folly

Buy track
Where the City of Vancouver reaches westward into the Gulf of Georgia there is a place called Spanish Banks. The name commemorates the meeting in 1792 of English explorer George Vancouver with Spanish explorers Galiano Read more
Where the City of Vancouver reaches westward into the Gulf of Georgia there is a place called Spanish Banks. The name commemorates the meeting in 1792 of English explorer George Vancouver with Spanish explorers Galiano & Valdes. The two parties worked in tandem up the Discovery Pass, exchanging information and at times socializing. These were the first Europeans to contact many of the indigenous peoples whose villages for eons have lined these pristine waters. Many Pacific Northwest place names date back to this historic exploration.
0:00/???
  1. Spanish Banks

SPANISH BANKS

I walked the road to Spanish Banks
And where the cliffs rise o'er the sandy shoals below
I wondered, how it appeared to them
Two hundred years ago

In wooden ships the iron men
Braved the oceans from half the world away
Venturing on to each new horizon
Charting as they sailed

What if they had seen the years unfolding
Would they have believed a world so changed?
Could they have foreseen in all their wildest fantasies
This place that bares their names?

When George Vancouver crossed the bay
There met the Spaniards; Galiano & Valdes
Names that leap from my atlas pages
Were present on that day

In tandem up the coast they faired
Through Salish, the Nootka, Kwakwak'l & Haida Guaii
The ancient people watched them pass and they knew
Their world could never be the same

Now I walk the road to Spanish Banks
And where the cliffs rise over sandy shoals below
I wondered how it felt to be alive
Two hundred years ago

 

Words & Music by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN)

Stirring Up Ghosts is an initiative begun in 1997 by songwriter Bruce Coughlan in an effort to preserve a measure of Pacific Canadian history, heritage and culture in story & song. His band Tiller's Folly have recorded and performed these songs far and wide, sharing our unique stories in the Bardic tradition which is a timeless part of our Celtic Culture.

 

Some images ©