ESQUIMALT, BC — You may hear some booms in the Port Angeles area this week.
The Canadian Department of National Defense and Royal Canadian Navy have announced a training schedule for the land-based demolition range at Bentinck Island. The range will be operational from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, starting Tuesday, April 16, 2024, through Friday, and again next Monday.
Located near Rocky Point off the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Bentinck Island serves as an above-water terrestrial demolition range utilized by the Canadian Armed Forces. When the wind and atmospheric conditions are right, the weaponry sounds at the island can be heard clearly of the north Olympic Peninsula.
Canadian military officials say they’ve implemented stringent mitigation measures and procedures to limit acoustic impacts. Operations at Bentinck Island are also monitored by a third-party marine mammal observer. Prior to demolitions, military staff receive advisories on the presence of whales in the vicinity. If whales are sighted within or near the range, training events are postponed until the area is clear, ensuring the safety of marine life.