115- The SS Valencia Disaster

The History Of The Evergreen State

The coastal passenger liner SS Valencia ran aground on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island on the 22nd of January, 1906, as it was traveling from San Francisco to Seattle with a total of 108 passengers and 65 crew members on board.
The ship had just passed the entry to the Strait of Juan de Fuca when it encountered poor weather and was unable to continue its journey. The ship was stranded on a reef, hemmed in by towering cliffs of rock on both sides and crashing waves. It was impossible for rescue vessels to approach from the ocean because of the uncharted cliffs and the violent winds.
When the passengers' lifeboats became disabled or capsized in the waves, a large number of people were lost at sea. In the following thirty-six hours, scared people huddled together on the storm deck or clung to the rigging as the ship was gradually dismantled by the enormous waves.
The ordeal was finally over when, as the rescuers watched, shocked and helpless, a massive wave swept the remaining passengers and crew members into the water. In what is considered to be one of the most devastating maritime tragedies in the history of the Pacific Northwest, there were a total of 136 victims and 37 survivors.
Listen now to learn more about this tragic maritime incident in the first of four "spooky" themed episodes running all October!
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