Calm Harbour, Turbulent Seas: A History of Ucluelet

Shirley Martin weaves accounts of shipwrecks and sea serpents, settlement and dispossession, tragedy and resilience, unsolved mysteries and surprising revelations to depict the rich and vibrant history of Ucluelet and surrounding area.

Once an isolated outpost, now a touted tourist destination, Ucluelet sits at the gateway to Barkley Sound, epitomising “life on the edge.”

The history of Ucluelet begins with stories shared by local Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) and t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥ (Toquaht) people about life before European contact. The arrival of fur traders, whalers and missionaries brought cataclysmic changes and compelling personal stories of the settlers and the pre-emptionists who followed. Drama abounds in the depiction of shipwrecks, lifeboat rescues and the building of the iconic Amphitrite Point Lighthouse. Martin describes the ships that were once a lifeline to the outside world, and details the struggle for the long-awaited road.

Chapters on mining, fishing and logging demonstrate Ucluelet’s roots as a resource-based town and examine the profound changes brought about by the “War in the Woods.” With the turnaround from resource-based employment, Ucluelet shifted into tourism.

Calm Harbour, Turbulent Seas captures the essence of Ucluelet, including an account of the still-thriving art scene, and concludes with a look at the present-day community—what has changed and what remains the same.

“What makes this comprehensive history of Ucluelet so absorbing is the clear and compelling voice of historian and author Shirley Martin. Her inclusion of First Nations’ history and contemporary cultural and language preservation achievements are integrated meaningfully from start to finish. Martin’s history of Ucluelet is based on decades of research and interviews, along with her own fourth-generation experiences, often delivered with a delightful sense of humour. Her abiding sense of justice and respect for all members of her community shines through this major contribution to West Coast history, often turbulent, like the seas that pound its shores.”

“Martin has written an epic and intimate history of Ucluelet, told with the authority and salty candour of a writer whose family was among the area’s first settlers. Martin’s ‘turbulent seas’ are both literal and metaphorical, from harrowing shipwrecks and souls lost at sea to the injustices of colonialism on the local Indigenous peoples. She punctuates the storytelling with childhood vignettes, calming moments of family and friends, of love and longing. It’s a seminal work that will hopefully spark more dialogue on Ucluelet’s past to better inform its future.”