Bedwell Sound is a sound

Sound (geography)

In geography a sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight and wider than a fjord; or it may be defined as a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land ....

 on the West Coast of Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...

, British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is located in the Clayoquot Sound

Clayoquot Sound

Clayoquot Sound is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is bordered by the Esowista Peninsula to the south, and the Hesquiaht Peninsula to the North. It is a body of water with many inlets and islands. Major inlets include Sydney Inlet,...

 region to the north of Meares Island

Meares Island

Meares Island is one of the many islands surrounding the Village of Tofino, British Columbia, Canada. Its name was given in 1862 by George Henry Richards, captain of HMS Hecate, in honor of John Meares...

 and the resort community of Tofino. The Bedwell River

Bedwell River

The Bedwell River is a river in the Clayoquot Sound region of the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, emptying into Bedwell Sound, which lies to the north of Meares Island, near the tourist town of Tofino. The indigenous name in the Nuu-chah-nulth language is Oinimitis, which...

, originally the Bear River and called Oinimitis in the Nuu-chah-nulth language

Nuu-chah-nulth language

Nuu-chah-nulth is a Wakashan language spoken in the Pacific Northwest of North America, on the west coast of Vancouver Island from Barkley Sound to Quatsino Sound in British Columbia, by the Nuu-chah-nulth people...

, empties into and gets its current name from the Sound.

Name origin

The sound was named by Captain Richards for Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 Staff Commander Edward Parker Bedwell, second master aboard HMS Plumper, 1857-60. Master 1860, and appointed to HMS Hecate

HMS Hecate (1839)

HMS Hecate was a 4-gun paddle sloop launched on 30 March 1839 from the Chatham Dockyard.She was assigned to the Mediterranean Station between 1840 and 1843, she participated during the Syrian War of 1840. After a period of be laid in reserve she served as part of the West Africa Squadron off Africa...

, 1861–62, which vessel relieved the Plumper of her surveying duties in December 1860 and which is the namesake of Hecate Strait

Hecate Strait

Hecate Strait is a wide but shallow strait between the Haida Gwaii and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It merges with Queen Charlotte Sound to the south and Dixon Entrance to the north...

. His eventual rank at retirement in 1870 was Staff Commander.