Sandspit, British Columbia

Sandspit (Haida: K'il Kun)[2] is the largest community on Moresby Island, in Haida Gwaii off the Pacific coast of British Columbia, Canada. The only town on Moresby Island, Sandspit has accommodations, a campground, supermarket and 85-berth harbour serving visitors to Gwaii Haanas.[3]

Sandspit
K'il Kun
Unincorporated community
The "Spirit of Sandspit"
The "Spirit of Sandspit"
Sandspit is located in British Columbia
Sandspit
Sandspit
Location of Sandspit
Sandspit is located in Canada
Sandspit
Sandspit
Sandspit (Canada)
Sandspit is located in North America
Sandspit
Sandspit
Sandspit (North America)
Coordinates: 53°14′35″N 131°49′16″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
RegionHaida Gwaii
Regional districtNorth Coast
Area
[1]
 • Total5.85 km2 (2.26 sq mi)
Elevation
6 m (20 ft)
Population
 (2016)[1]
 • Total296
 • Density51/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zonePST
Forward sortation area
V0T
Area code(s)250, 778, 236

The unincorporated community had a population of 296 as of the 2016 census, down from 297 in 2011.[1] The community is served by Sandspit Airport with daily flights to and from Vancouver, as well as multiple ferry voyages from Alliford Bay to Skidegate Landing on Graham Island.[3]

Near the airport is the "Spirit of Sandspit", a copper and cedar sculpture of a salmon by island artist Lon Sharp dominates the main road.[3] Sandspit is also home to the Open Ocean totem pole by Jesse Jones, Jimmy Jones and Jason Goetzinger.[4]

The Circle Tour leaves and returns to Sandspit on active gravel logging road past Skidegate Lake, Copper River, Gray Bay beach, and Copper Bay, where traditional Haida people fish for sockeye salmon and hang the fish out to dry in May and early June.[3]

Climate

Sandspit experiences an oceanic (Köppen Cfb) with a rainy season in the colder months, typical for the Pacific Northwest. It is very warm for its high latitude in North America, and its annual average temperature is the same as Port Hardy, which is located almost 3 degrees further south.[5]

Climate data for Sandspit Airport
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high humidex 13.9 13.5 13.5 17.9 23.2 28.5 30.9 30.3 27.4 24.5 17.9 15.0 30.8
Record high °C (°F) 12.4
(54.3)		 13.4
(56.1)		 13.9
(57.0)		 18.9
(66.0)		 21.7
(71.1)		 26.7
(80.1)		 27.8
(82.0)		 26.7
(80.1)		 24.1
(75.4)		 20.6
(69.1)		 16.3
(61.3)		 13.4
(56.1)		 27.8
(82.0)
Average high °C (°F) 6.4
(43.5)		 6.7
(44.1)		 7.8
(46.0)		 9.7
(49.5)		 12.3
(54.1)		 15.0
(59.0)		 17.3
(63.1)		 18.1
(64.6)		 16.1
(61.0)		 12.2
(54.0)		 8.4
(47.1)		 6.7
(44.1)		 11.4
(52.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.0
(39.2)		 4.1
(39.4)		 4.9
(40.8)		 6.6
(43.9)		 9.4
(48.9)		 12.2
(54.0)		 14.5
(58.1)		 15.2
(59.4)		 13.2
(55.8)		 9.4
(48.9)		 5.7
(42.3)		 4.2
(39.6)		 8.6
(47.5)
Average low °C (°F) 1.6
(34.9)		 1.5
(34.7)		 1.9
(35.4)		 3.4
(38.1)		 6.4
(43.5)		 9.3
(48.7)		 11.6
(52.9)		 12.2
(54.0)		 10.2
(50.4)		 6.6
(43.9)		 3.0
(37.4)		 1.7
(35.1)		 5.8
(42.4)
Record low °C (°F) −13.9
(7.0)		 −12.3
(9.9)		 −12.2
(10.0)		 −5.1
(22.8)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 2.2
(36.0)		 5.0
(41.0)		 1.9
(35.4)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −3.1
(26.4)		 −15.5
(4.1)		 −12.8
(9.0)		 −15.5
(4.1)
Record low wind chill −22.9 −24.1 −22.9 −10.8 −3.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 −10.7 −26.0 −20.8 −26.0
Average precipitation mm (inches) 190.7
(7.51)		 130.8
(5.15)		 116.8
(4.60)		 97.7
(3.85)		 66.4
(2.61)		 51.7
(2.04)		 48.1
(1.89)		 62.2
(2.45)		 83.5
(3.29)		 169.5
(6.67)		 193.8
(7.63)		 196.2
(7.72)		 1,407.5
(55.41)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 178.4
(7.02)		 120.8
(4.76)		 112.0
(4.41)		 96.6
(3.80)		 66.4
(2.61)		 51.7
(2.04)		 48.2
(1.90)		 62.3
(2.45)		 83.5
(3.29)		 169.5
(6.67)		 191.8
(7.55)		 190.0
(7.48)		 1,371.2
(53.98)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 12.7
(5.0)		 9.9
(3.9)		 5.2
(2.0)		 1.0
(0.4)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 3.0
(1.2)		 6.0
(2.4)		 37.9
(14.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 23.3 19.2 21.5 19.9 17.7 15.8 14.9 14.8 17.3 22.8 24.0 23.8 234.9
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 21.8 17.8 20.9 19.8 17.7 15.8 14.9 14.9 17.3 22.8 23.3 22.7 229.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 3.6 2.8 2.2 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 2.0 13.0
Average relative humidity (%) 84.4 80.1 77.1 76.4 76.0 77.1 76.1 76.1 76.3 78.5 81.6 84.6 78.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 41.9 77.2 115.9 157.7 194.0 183.8 195.9 187.7 137.9 98.0 58.4 44.8 1,493.1
Percent possible sunshine 16.6 28.0 31.6 37.7 39.5 36.3 38.5 41.0 36.1 29.8 22.3 18.9 31.4
Source: 1981 to 2010 Canadian Climate Normals[6]

References
  1. "Sandspit, Unincorporated place [Designated place], British Columbia and British Columbia [Province]". Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  2. "Haida Gwaii" (PDF). Go Haida Gwaii. 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  3. "Sandspit". Haida Gwaii. Haida Gwaii Observer. 2018. p. 26.
  4. "The totem poles of Haida Gwaii". Haida Gwaii. Haida Gwaii Observer. 2018. p. 31.
  5. "Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data". Environment Canada. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  6. "Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data". Environment Canada. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
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