Inland waters now named ‘Salish Sea’: Designation recognizes first peoples, unified ecosystem
SAN JUAN ISLANDS, Wash. – These waters have been the marine highway of the region’s first peoples since the glaciers retreated an estimated 15,000 years ago, leaving behind a network of sounds and straits dotted by islands…
The first peoples called these waters “Whulge.†Late-comers gave the sounds and straits a jumble of foreign names. For example, the San Juan Islands are bounded by the Strait of Georgia to the north, Haro Strait to the west, Rosario Strait to the east, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the south. The area is often called Puget Sound, which is a misnomer, because Puget Sound begins at Admiralty Inlet to the southeast.
But now, these waters have a collective name: the Salish Sea.
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