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The foremost of our harbour’s heroes are the generations of Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations who weathered the tsunami of the settlers’ ways. The current renaissance of their culture is a result of their steadfast honouring of ancient ways and beliefs.
In the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century came the maritime explorers who, like the astronauts of our own time, bravely set forth to explore the Pacific Northwest when the only charts and maps available were those of their own creation. Their masterfully documented exploration paved the way for the enterprisers who followed in their wake, establishing a little community so far from home that, through their labours, grew to become Victoria.
Creative folk have expressed their impressions of this harbour world since before the founding of the fort. Adventure-seeking mariners have sailed far beyond Macaulay Point to satisfy their curiosity and have their skills tested. The efforts of citizens, both as individuals and gathered into groups, have long enhanced the harbour’s potential for the benefit and enjoyment of us all.