East Beach Live Cam

History

The story of East Beach traces back thousands of years, long before the arrival of European explorers. Indigenous Semiahmoo people, part of the Coast Salish Nations, harvested shellfish and carved cedar canoes along the shore of Semiahmoo Bay. Oral traditions speak of the rich clam beds and seasonal salmon runs that sustained village sites tucked behind the sandstone bluffs. The geological formation now known as the White Rock was a sacred landmark, its chalky white face visible for miles and serving as a navigational beacon for canoes navigating the complex shoreline.

In the mid‑19th century, as Hudson’s Bay Company trading posts dotted the Fraser River, small groups of settlers began to venture into the region. The advent of the Canadian Pacific Railway line to nearby South Surrey in 1912 sparked a modest tourism boom, with horse‑drawn carriages offering daily excursions from Semiahmoo Station to the emerging resort at White Rock Beach. East Beach, with its expansive sandy shore and gentle tidal flats, soon became prized for picnics and promenades, and early postcards—collectible today—feature families beneath striped beach umbrellas.