Catala Island Marine Provincial Park
Encyclopedia
Catala Island Marine Provincial Park is a provincial park
in British Columbia
, Canada
, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island
at the mouth of Esperanza Inlet, between Kyuquot Sound
(N) and Nootka Sound
(S). The park is 850 ha. in size and was established in July 1995.
explorer Dionisio Galiano
. Galiano named it for Magin Catalá
, a Franciscan
who was serving as chaplain at the Spanish garrison at Nootka Sound
at the time. Catala, who returned to California in 1794, was born in 1761 in Catalunya in Spain, and had arrived in Mexico in 1786. Serving 44 years as a missionary on the Spanish-American coast, he died in Santa Cruz, California
in 1830.
Provincial park
A provincial park is a park under the management of a provincial or territorial government in Canada.While provincial parks are not the same as national parks, their workings are very similar...
in 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...
, located 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...
at the mouth of Esperanza Inlet, between Kyuquot Sound
Kyuquot Sound
Kyuquot Sound is a complex of coastal inlets, bays and islands on northwestern Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Name:...
(N) and Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound is a complex inlet or sound of the Pacific Ocean on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Historically also known as King George's Sound, as a strait it separates Vancouver Island and Nootka Island.-History:The inlet is part of the...
(S). The park is 850 ha. in size and was established in July 1995.
Name origin
Catala Island, which is one of the islands comprising the park, was originally named Isla de Catala on a chart made in 1792 by SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
explorer Dionisio Galiano
Dionisio Alcalá Galiano
Dionisio Alcalá Galiano was a Spanish naval officer, cartographer, and explorer. He mapped various coastlines in Europe and the Americas with unprecedented accuracy, using new technology such as chronometers...
. Galiano named it for Magin Catalá
Magin Catalá
Magin Catalá ) was a Catholic missionary....
, a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
who was serving as chaplain at the Spanish garrison at Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound is a complex inlet or sound of the Pacific Ocean on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Historically also known as King George's Sound, as a strait it separates Vancouver Island and Nootka Island.-History:The inlet is part of the...
at the time. Catala, who returned to California in 1794, was born in 1761 in Catalunya in Spain, and had arrived in Mexico in 1786. Serving 44 years as a missionary on the Spanish-American coast, he died in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
in 1830.