A unique literary event will soon be held at the Sooke Region Museum, covering the tragic shipwreck of a vessel that ran aground just off Vancouver Island.
This event has been dubbed ‘Stories From the Graveyard of the Pacific,’ and will feature writers and poets who have created literary work regarding the wreck of the SS Valencia.
The night will begin with a poetry reading—Wreck of the SS Valencia by Doni Eve.
Eve’s poem will take listeners back in time 120 years, when the 252-foot SS Valencia iron hulled steamer ship was wrecked near Cape Beale after missing the entrance to the Juan de Fuca Strait on its way to Victoria.
The ship was last inspected before its final voyage on January 6th, 1906, and reportedly had the capacity to carry 286 passengers, but only had 368 life preservers and seven life boats.
All was found to be in good working order and the SS Valencia departed San Francisco on January 20th, 1906, bound for Victoria.
However, due to the deteriorating rain, fog and strong winds that were present at the time, the ship ran aground.
There were 37 survivors while 136 lost their lives.
This SS Valencia’s wreck reportedly prompted the Canadian government to make major improvements to its coastal marine service, which resulted in more lighthouses, detailed charting, improved rescue facilities and better land and sea communications.
However, this shipwreck was just one of many that sank in the same area of the Pacific waters, which is now known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.
Following the poetry reading, author Coll Thrush will tell stories of the other vessels that have sunk in the region from his book, Wrecked: Unsettling Histories from the Graveyard of the Pacific.
In Wrecked, Thrush points to the changing tides as a metaphor for the comings and goings of empire.
Thrush was just selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2026 Pacific Northwest Book Awards.
The event will kick off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 22nd.
