Barkley Sound, also known historically as Barclay Sound, is south of Ucluelet and north of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island and forms the entrance to the Alberni Inlet. The Broken Islands Group lies in the sound.
Barkley Sound is part of the traditional territory of the Nuu-cha-nulth First Nations.
In 1787, Captain Charles William Barkley

Charles William Barkley

Charles William Barkley was a ship captain and maritime fur trader. He was born in Hertford, England, son of Charles Barkley....

 of the Imperial Eagle

Imperial Eagle (ship)

The Imperial Eagle was a 400 ton burthen British merchant ship that sailed on maritime fur trading ventures in the late 1780s. It was under the command of Captain Charles William Barkley until confiscated in India. The ship, Loudoun, was a decommissioned East Indiaman...

, explored the sound and named it after himself. Barkley traveled with his 17-year-old bride, Frances Barkley, the first European woman to visit British Columbia.

In 1791 the Spanish ship Santa Saturnina, under Juan Carrasco

Juan Carrasco (explorer)

Juan Carrasco was a Spanish naval officer, explorer, and navigator. He is remembered mainly for his work in the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century. He was second in command of the 1791 voyage of José María Narváez, the first European exploration of the Strait of Georgia.Many details...

 and José María Narváez

José María Narváez

José María Narváez was a Spanish naval officer, explorer, and navigator notable for his work in the Pacific Northwest of present-day Canada. In 1791, as commander of the schooner Santa Saturnina, he led the first European exploration of the Strait of Georgia, including a landing on present-day...

, explored Barkley Sound in detail. The Spanish named it Boca de Carrasco. Another Spanish name in common use at the time was Entrada Nitinat.

In 1933, 27 years after the sinking of the SS Valencia

SS Valencia

The SS Valencia was an iron-hulled passenger steamer wrecked off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia in 1906. Built in 1882 by William Cramp and Sons, she was a 1,598 ton vessel, 252 feet in length...

, the ship's lifeboat #5 was found floating in Barkley Sound. Remarkably, it was in good condition, with much of the original paint remaining. The boat's nameplate is now on display in the Maritime Museum of British Columbia

Maritime Museum of British Columbia

The Maritime Museum of BC reflects the Pacific maritime history and culture of Canada's west coast, with an exhibits and public program mandate for research, education, and partnership.-History:...

.