Dover Island

Dover Island is a small, uninhabited island in the Strait of Georgia, about 15 km east of Powell River and 80 km northwest of Victoria, British Columbia. It has an area of 1.7 km2 and is part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. The island is accessible by boat only. The only permanent resident on the island is the caretaker who lives in a small cabin on the north end of the island.

History

There is no information on when or how Dover Island came to be inhabited by humans. The island likely first appeared as an emergent land mass during the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. over time it has been gradually submerged beneath the waves and now only rises slightly above water at high tide. It was not until 1887 that Europeans first sighted Dover Island while cruising in search ofVictoria seals ; and reported, erroneously to this day, that the island was uninhabited.

Climate

The first recorded visit by a human was made in 1915 when Hudson’s Bay Company trappers discovered the island while hunting fur seals. The caretaker, who has resided on the island since 1988, is the only permanent resident. Dover Island has a 54-year low temperature record of −18 C (−0.4 F) and the highest recorded air temperature was 34.8 C (94 F). Summertime temperatures are typically between 15 C (59 F) and 30 C (86F). Winds in the vicinity of Dover Island range from a low of 6 km/hr at dawn to a high of 29 m/hr during summer storms. Average annual precipitation is 196 mm on the west side while rain falls only four days per year, usually mixed with snow.

Culture

The caretaker’s cabin is heated by a wood stove and has a small refrigerator, microwave oven, kettle, and single bedroom with a cot. There is no telephone or internet service on the island.

The caretaker resides in an outdated one-room cabin that was built circa 1916

There are no roads or other means of transportation on Dover Island: visitors must either be injured or carried off the island aboard the caretaker’s kayak.

Politics

Although the caretaker has a tenuous relationship with Canada’s Dept of Fisheries, whose main concern is enforcement of seal regulations and compliance with international treaties regarding fishing in Canadian Antarctic waters, he still feels strongly about preserving his island as an undisturbed wilderness habitat.

The official title for Dover Island is “Dover Islands”, dropping singular reference to leave no doubt that there are other islands nearby.  United Nations resolutions have named it under several dominion names: “Dover Islands” (the UK), “Loveliness Island or Leeds Reefs” &  “Flamborough Head Lighthouse Biodiversity Site.

Government services

The caretaker is the only living human being on Dover Island.

health, a small refrigerator and single bedroom with a cot, no telephone or internet service .

The caretaker is basically a hermit.

He lives in isolation, and when on the island runs everything from his handheld radio to the heat from his propane stove, constantly preparing for a Norwegian whaling ship next spring – crewed by volunteers – that will be prevented only through legal action against Greenpeace activists blowing up their harpoons before they arrive.

Tourism

Dover Island is currently inaccessible to the public, as it is pending development and protection by MISTINE NATIONAL PARK. They periodically bring in tourists for a photo-op, and to look the justifiably famous beaches over, topographically.

Transport

The caretaker has a small boat and kayak he uses to visit the neighboring islets. He doesn’t have a car, because there is no road on Dover Island. Settler era

The island was first settled by Lt. Robert Cushman, in 1820 and called the “York Islands”, linking it up with Walruses Island further east.  Lt. Vicente Gonzales claimed it for Spain (the name given to Spanish territories or possessions) while on his way back from sealing trips off South Georgia; he named some of the other islets around as well – based not really on their geographic features, but rather on common Spanish names or words.

Cuisine

The island passed through a few more hands before being bought by George Scarborough, an American sea captain, in the 1870s. It was he who named it Dover after Dover (England) because he was sailing through that area at the time.  Scarborough’s daughter sold it to Norwegian whaling captain Otto Sverdrup in 1899.

In 1967 Greenpeace activist Bob Hunter sailed his yacht Ady Ende up to the island from Iceland and dropped off a tripwire explosive on the harpoonline.

Sylvia Earle, under NOAA Sea Grant Program research funding for scuba diving study from 1997 to 2002 was allowed access to investigate how sea creatures utilize the seabed as substrates with different organic and inorganic components, which were important clues about  the deep-sea ecosystem including biogeochemical cycles (chemical cycling of trace elements within living organisms), thereby providing additional insights to the dynamics of marine habitats.

Wildlife

The island is home to a variety of seabirds, including the least tern, common phalarope and black-headed gull. There are also colonies of Commerson’s dolphins and orcas which may come to hunt during the autumn season.

There are also great gyoos, which when startled or attacked become quite aggressive.  Like the killer whale they bubble while under water although where this is achieved differently and their purpose remains unclear. They have good eyesight underwater so their predators must remain out of sight until it’s safe to surface again as there is little chance that a potential prey will be fooled by any noise made in shallow water not related to them .

There are a number of varieties of seal on the island, and apparently one or two sea lions. Visitors often see puffins which nest on cliffs nearby, as well as auks along the rocky shores above high tide mark. Other animals known to visit the island include bottlenose dolphin (seen by divers in 2006), humpbacks (confirmed off-shore in 1990 & 2002).

Conclusion

Dover Island is a small, uninhabited island located in the middle of the Strait of Belle Isle in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Gaspé Peninsula and is a part of the Island National Park. The island is accessible by boat only, and there are no trails on the island.

FAQ

What Is The Climate Like On Dover Island?

The climate on Dover Island fluctuates with the season. In the summer, it is hot and humid with occasional thunderstorms. The winter is milder, but there can still be snowfall.

Where Do People Get Their Food Supplies On Dover Island?

People primarily get their food supplies from fishing and hunting in nearby waters. There are also a few small stores that sell basic provisions .

Is Dover Island Accessible?

The only access from the mainland is by water.

Is There A Leader On Dover Island?

The caretaker is the only official person on the island. Other than the caretaker, there is no permanent living population on the island.

Do You Know What History Dover Island Holds?

The native inhabitants of Dover remained hidden in their huts until snowfall forced them to emerge for food and shelter during winter months; this became known as ‘dawn emergence’. The only time that groups would mobilize for common purpose was at fish spawning shores or migratory grounds .