WASHINGTON LEGENDS

An Anchor in Bellingham Bay

Between the years of 1791 and 1794, Captain George Vancouver, a British Officer, commanded the HMS Discovery and its accompanying ships on an exploratory voyage of the Pacific Northwest.  While surveying the northern Pacific Ocean, he and his crew were the first to record the sighting of Mount St. Helens and the first to explore Puget Sound.  Following the coasts of Oregon and Washington and intending to explore every bay and outlet of the region, he sent men in smaller boats to explore the Columbia River and enter the strait of Juan de Fuca. 

While the smaller vessels explored the many channels and rivers along the coast, the larger ships, including the Armed Tender of the HMS Discovery, called the Chatham, often anchored in safe harbors. On April 29, 1792, the ships entered the Straits of Juan de Fuca and anchored in the calm waters of Discovery Bay.  Utilizing the bay as a base, Vancouver and his men explored the waters of Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal.

After several weeks, the Chatham began to sail north across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to explore the San Juan and Lopez Islands.  After successfully doing so, the Chatham sailed southward in May to rejoin the HMS Discovery and continue their explorations south.

The explorations continued as far as Commencement Bay in Tacoma, before turning around and returning north, where the waters were safer.  Arriving at Puget Sound, they found a storm raging with severe currents and tides.  Crossing an unknown channel, the Chatham was caught by a flood tide and swept helpless.  To slow her progress, her stream anchor was dropped but the strain was too much and the cable snapped.  However, the Chatham survived and after sweeping the  waters unsuccessfully for the anchor, the ship rejoined the HMS Discovery.

Vancouver would write in his journal on June 9, 1792:

"We found tides here extremely rapid, and on the 9th in endeavoring to get around a point to the Bellingham Bay we were swept leeward of it with great impetuosity. We let go the anchor in 20 fathoms but in bringing it up such was the force of the tide that we parted the cable. At slack water we swept for the anchor but could not get it. After several fruitless attempts, we were at last obliged to leave it."

For treasure hunting divers, the anchor, which would be worth a fortune today, is thought to be lost in Bellingham Bay.

Kathy Weiser © March, 2006  

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Saloon Style Advertising Prints - What were on the walls of the saloons in the Old West?  Likely, much of the same as those you find today - advertisements for liquor, beer, and tobacco.  Plus the "decadent" women of the time.  In our Photo Print Shop, you'll find dozens of photographs for decorating your "real" saloon or den in a saloon type atmosphere.