Henderson Lake

 lake, interesting place

Henderson Lake (15.45 sq km) on south-central Vancouver Island between Port Alberni and Barkley Sound, is the rainiest spot in North America. In 1997 it received a record 8,997.1 mm of precipitation, the wettest spot on the continent that year and an all-time record for Canada. The boomerang-shaped lake, surrounded by mountains, has a salmon hatchery at one end operated by the Uchucklesaht First Nation.

The traditiional name for Henderson Lake is Hucuktlis. The name means "place way inside" in the sense of a protected area. Uchucklesaht Tribe membership traditionally used this lake as well as the lands and mountains around the lake for their spiritual practices.

Robert Brown, commander of the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition named the lake in 1864: "....This lake I named Henderson lake, after my friend Captain John Henderson, who first communicated to me the supposed existence of this body of water, which may probably yet be of considerable value for inland communication, as the little outlet could be easily suited for the entrance of vessels at a comparatively small expense."

Henderson Lake received 16.61 inches of rain on 30 December 1926 - the most precipitation in a 24-hour period recorded anywhere in Canada, 1921-1950.