Ucluelet (, also Ukee) is a district municipality (population 1,717) on the Ucluelet Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Ucluelet means "people of the safe harbour" in the indigenous Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) language. As of 2021, its population was 2,066, a 20.3% increase from 1,717 in 2016. Geography Ucluelet is located at the western edge of Barkley Sound, northwest of the British Columbia provincial capital, Victoria, on the outer west coast of Vancouver Island. The closest city is Port Alberni, which is approximately to the east. The District of Tofino is northwest of Ucluelet on Highway 4. In between Tofino and Ucluelet is the Long Beach unit of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Barkley Sound lies southeast of Ucluelet and is a marine area that features the Broken Islands Group unit of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The fishing and scientific research community of Bamfield lies on its farther shore. History Archaeological evidence indicated the presence of First Nations along the outer west coast of Vancouver Island for at least 4,300 years. British Columbia’s recorded history began with European explorers searching for the Northwest Passage. Juan Pérez anchored and traded in 1774 on the west coast of Vancouver Island, at Nootka Sound, north of Ucluelet. In 1775, Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra sailed along the coast of Vancouver Island, heading north for Alaska. He did not stop, but roughly charted the coast in the vicinity of Kyuquot Sound. Captain James Cook of the British Navy anchored in Nootka Sound and went ashore in 1778. Maritime fur traders followed, such as Charles William Barkley, captain of the Imperial Eagle, who in 1787 arrived near Ucluelet harbour in Barkley Sound in search of sea otter pelts. In 1870, fur sealers came to the area seeking ports for vessels working the Bering Sea sealing grounds. Captain Francis, the owner of several sealing schooners, established a trading post in Ucluelet harbour. Ucluelet began to grow along with the sealing industry and became a bustling town. In the 1890s, more settlers began arriving on the news of pending road access from Port Alberni. Fishing was excellent and gold was to be found on Florencia Bay. Gold was found, but it was so fine and in such little quantity that it could not be worked profitably. The Presbyterian Church built a Mission House and school and a