In this painting I have endeavoured to bring the waterfront of Vancouver to life as it would have looked in 1889. The view is looking west from roughly near the foot of Gore Street. At the time the harbour was lined with various wharves and slips built into deep water to enable the vessels of the day to berth and to deliver their cargos and to load new ones. To the left is simple float for smaller vessels plying the harbour. Nearby is the busy City Wharf with a variety of coastal sailing ships and steamers. In the distance can be seen the early CPR docks with larger deep sea ships alongside. In the foreground a small sailing vessel is towed to its dock by oar power, while beyond a sailing ship is towed from its anchorage by a steam tug. All this is happening on an early autumn morning with a mist shrouded, setting moon hanging over the harbour.