Park overview
Known as Eagle Island before becoming a provincial park in 1981, the small, rocky Whaleboat Island is part of the beautiful De Courcy Group of islands. These islands provide stunning paddling, boating and wildlife viewing opportunities around the interesting geological formations and sheltered intertidal shore. Inhospitable steep rocky banks have prevented any kind of development on Whaleboat Island, which is blanketed with second-growth forest.
Small marine islets like Whaleboat Island are important wildlife habitat as they are isolated from larger land predators. Birds like American black oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, gulls and cormorants are potential nesters on these islands and marine mammals such as harbour seals, California and Steller’s sea lions and killer whales have been spotted foraging in the reefs offshore.
Park Size: 10 hectares (7 ha of foreshore, 3 ha upland)
Special Notes: Due to the rocky terrain, the upland portions of this park are extremely difficult to access.
Advisories
Activities
Fishing is permitted as per provincial and federal fishing regulations. All anglers should check the current regulations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada prior to fishing. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
Rockfish Conservation Areas occur within this park. Fishing activities are limited in Rockfish Conservation Areas. Before you go fishing please refer to the Rockfish Conservation Area descriptions available from Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO.
Maps and location
Whaleboat Island is located northeast of Ladysmith off the east coast of south Vancouver Island. This tiny island sits between Ruxton and Valdez Islands in Pylades Channel and is access is by boat only. Boaters can reference marine chart #3443 for more information on this area.
Nearby communities include: Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Yellow Point
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: November 5, 1981
- Size: 11 hectares
Nature and culture
- Cultural Heritage - Traditionally these islets were important to First Nations for bird egg gathering and food plant collection. In the 1940s there was a booming logging industry in the area and Whaleboat Island was logged. Remnants of this industry lie hidden in the now reforested understory.
- Wildlife - Small marine islets like Whaleboat Island are important wildlife habitat as they are isolated from larger land predators. Birds like American black oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, gulls and cormorants are potential nesters on these islands. Marine mammals such as harbour seals, California and Steller’s sea lions, orcas and dolphins have been spotted foraging in the reefs off the islands.
- General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.