Juan de Fuca

[ wahn di fyoo-kuh, foo- ]

noun

1. Strait of Juan de Fu·ca, a strait that is the main outlet from the Salish Sea to the Pacific Ocean, located between Vancouver Island and northwestern Washington State, with the Canadian-U.S. boundary running through its middle. 100 miles (160 km) long; 15–20 miles (24–32 km) wide.

Juan de Fuca

/ ˈdʒuːən dɪ ˈfjuːkə; xwan de ˈfuka /

noun

1. Strait of Juan de Fuca
   a strait between Vancouver Island (Canada) and NW Washington (US). Length: about 129 km (80 miles). Width: about 24 km (15 miles)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Juan de Fuca¹

First recorded in 1780–90; named after Greek navigator Juan de Fuca (1536–1602), who sailed in a Spanish expedition in 1592 to seek the Strait of Anián (now known as the Strait of Juan de Fuca ) by English sea captain and trader Charles William Barkley (1759–1832)

Example Sentences

Ferries chug several times a day between Port Angeles’ artsy downtown and Victoria, British Columbia, about a 90-minute ride across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

From Los Angeles Times

Charge your phone to ensure photos of the Olympic Mountains, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island — and, on a nice day, Mount Baker to the west.

From Seattle Times

In Washington’s case, the Juan de Fuca Plate is sliding underneath the North American Plate, resulting in the Cascades and related volcanoes.

From Seattle Times

The shipping lane bends west at Victoria to exit the Salish Sea through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, passing Port Angeles and Neah Bay, Washington, on the way out to the Pacific Ocean.

From Seattle Times

In 2023, the Ecology Department counted 173 oil tankers entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca bound for British Columbia terminals.

From Seattle Times