In 1906, one wrong turn sent the SS Valencia into the Pacific's “Graveyard of the Pacific”, where more than 100 people died

In January 1906, the SS Valencia was nearing the end of what should have been a routine passenger voyage along the Pacific coast. The ship was carrying travellers from San Francisco to Seattle, following a route used regularly by coastal steamers. But as the vessel approached the waters near Vancouver Island, conditions began to change. Thick fog, strong winds and difficult navigation pushed the ship away from its intended course. Instead of reaching the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Valencia continued toward one of the most dangerous stretches of coastline in North America.

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