Native name:
Ksgaxl | |
|---|---|
Northeast end of Stephens Island, as seen from Brown Passage
| |
  Stephens Island
| |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 54°09′28″N 130°43′54″W / 54.15778°N 130.73167°W / 54.15778; -130.73167 (Stephens Island)[1] |
| Area | 14,000 ha (35,000 acres) |
Stephens Island is an island on the British Columbia Coast, Canaded in the Hecate Strait to the northwest of Porcher Island and to the southwest of the city of Prince Rupert.[1] Its main geographic feature is Mount Stephens, at 432 m (1417 feet),[2] on the island's southeast end at 54°07′39″N 130°40′15″W / 54.12750°N 130.67083°W / 54.12750; -130.67083 (Mount Stephens).[3] To its northwest is Congreve Hill, at 150 m (492 feet),[4]at54°09′29″N 130°42′31″W / 54.15806°N 130.70861°W / 54.15806; -130.70861 (Congreve Hill).
The island was named by Captain Vancouver in honour of Sir Philip Stephens, secretary to the Admiralty from 1763 to 1795.[5]: 255
The Early Cretaceous Stephens Island pluton dates to the Albian era (102±8 Ma).[6]
Squaderee Indian Reserve No. 91 is located on the west side of the island's northern part, at 54°08′00″N 130°47′00″W / 54.13333°N 130.78333°W / 54.13333; -130.78333 (Squadaree IR No. 9)[7] on Skiakl Bay at 54°08′17″N 130°47′02″W / 54.13806°N 130.78389°W / 54.13806; -130.78389 (Skiakl Bay),[8] in which there is a small island, Skiakl Island, at 54°07′38″N 130°45′44″W / 54.12722°N 130.76222°W / 54.12722; -130.76222 (Skiakl Island).[9]
Off Stephens Island's northern tip is Avery Island at 54°12′42″N 130°45′32″W / 54.21167°N 130.75889°W / 54.21167; -130.75889 (Avery Island),[10] the whole of which constitutes Avery Island Indian Reserve No. 92,[11] Both it and Squadaree IR No. 9 are under the administration of the Metlakatla First Nation.[12][13] It lies in Qlawdzeet Anchorage which is at 54°12′15″N 130°46′09″W / 54.20417°N 130.76917°W / 54.20417; -130.76917 (Qlawdzeet Anchorage).[14] Overlooking that from the south, at the northern tip of Stephens Island itself, is Qlawd Hill at 54°11′28″N 130°46′29″W / 54.19111°N 130.77472°W / 54.19111; -130.77472 (Qlawd Hill).[15]
Other small islands adjoining Stephens Island include Skiakl Island, Philip Island, Parry Island, Arthur Island, and Joyce Island.[16]
Prescott Island is the largest of the small islands around Stephens Island, lying to its southeast between it and Porcher Island at 54°11′28″N 130°46′29″W / 54.19111°N 130.77472°W / 54.19111; -130.77472 (Prescott Island).[17]
