| Port History Before Europeans arrived there in the late 18th Century, the area that became Victoria was inhabited by the Coast Salish peoples. Both Spain and Britain began exploring the coastal area of the northwestern American continent in the late 1770s. The Hudson's Bay Company established a trading post there named Camosun in 1843. When gold was discovered in British Columbia in 1858, the Port of Victoria was the outfitting and supply center and port for miners. Victoria became the provincial capital in 1871 when British Columbia joined the Confederation of Canada. It was incorporated as a city in 1862, and nearby Esquimalt was made the North Pacific home to the Royal Navy in 1865. When the Canadian Pacific Railway reached Vancouver in 1886, the Port of Victoria lost its commercial leadership. City fathers determined to overcome this setback began developing an image of gentility. They opened Butchart Gardens in 1904, and the Canadian Pacific Railway opened the Empress Hotel in 1908. When the real estate boom ended before World War I, the Port of Victoria was left with many Edwardian homes and buildings that contribute to today's distinctive character. Victoria Harbour is known as one of the world's most beautiful harbors. Although the Port of Victoria is a major tourist destination, it is primarily a working harbor. It services the cruise ship industry, promotes whale watching and ecotourism, and operates ship repairing facilities and a float plane aerodrome. The Port of Victoria is located on the southern end of Vancouver Island, and it has a temperate climate that is protected by the Olympic, Cascade, Coast Mountains, and Island Ridge ranges. Port Commerce The Port of Victoria's Ogden Point offers four deep water berths. The harbor is open all day every day. It has two passenger terminals. The Esquimalt Graving Dock is one of the largest ship repair facilities on North America's west coast, and it can accommodate the largest ships. Cruising and Travel Cruise ships bring over 300 thousand visitors to the Port of Victoria during each year's cruise season (from April to November). Among the popular cruise lines that visit the Port of Victoria are Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Royal Caribbean International, and Celebrity Cruises. |
