The Salish Sea extends from the northern reaches of Desolation Sound to the south end of Puget Sound and west to the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It includes adja­cent inland waters of southern British Columbia and northern Washington state.

It covers a total area of about 18,000 sq-km or 6,900 sq-miles. The Broughton Archipel­ago and the west coast of Van­couver Island are not part of the Salish Sea, but we include them anyway!

The Salish Sea was first pro­posed in 1988 by marine bi­ologist Bert Webber who saw a need for a common name to unite the entire ecosystem and recognize the commonality of water, air, wildlife and history on both sides of the border.  The name (SAY-lish) pays trib­ute to the Coast Salish people who inhabited these lands for thousands of years before Euro­pean explorers arrived.  In 2009, British Columbia and Washington state officially adopted the name Salish Sea.  

This guide is intended for used in conjunction with official government charts and publications by mariners knowledgeable about navigation to assist cruise planning.