At the Edge of the River Delta

The establishment of the settlement of Steveston at the mouth of the Fraser river, which flows into the Pacific ocean on Canada's west coast, began after a land purchase by W.H. Steves in 1886.

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Its strategic location made it ideal for fishing salmon in particular but also sturgeon and other fish. Tall ships came from all over the world to load the precious and tasty cargo.

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The Kaiwo Maru

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But the boom-times came to an end for a number of reasons such as decline in salmon industry, town fire, Great Depression, and World War 2.

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The city now is a tourist attraction for its quaint waterfront village atmosphere that speaks of its history and heritage. In the village, streets are lined with old style buildings housing a variety of shops, restaurants, museums, and more. One can visit the old cannery and learn more about its history, and its importance to the local economy.

There are several fish-and-chips joints nearby from where I took this photograph. The fish is usually a choice of salmon, cod, and halibut. I prefer halibut personally, and now I know it came from 110 fathoms deep.

The city has been featured in shows like Once Upon a Time, The X-Files, Stargate, Supernatural, MacGyver, Godzilla, Taken, Scary Movie, War for the Planet of the Apes, and many more.

In some ways, Steveston is frozen in time. The city was meant to rival its bigger sister, Vancouver, but it has instead remained a small ever-playful sibling at the edge of the river delta.

Thank you for joining me in this harbour. Cheers!