Dixon Entrance

passage, Pacific Ocean

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Article History

Dixon Entrance, narrow passage (50 miles [80 km] wide) of the eastern North Pacific, stretching 50 miles east from the open ocean to Hecate Strait (Canada). The Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska lies to the north and British Columbia’s Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) to the south. Part of the United States–Canadian border follows the entrance. Once a path followed by the great continental glaciers as they pushed out to sea, the passage now serves as the principal approach to the port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. It was named (1788) by Sir Joseph Banks after Capt. George Dixon, who had sailed his ship Queen Charlotte through in 1787.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt.