Canalave City: Byron's Port, the Library of Myths and Iron Island

Canalave City is the port at the far western edge of Sinnoh. A canal splits it into two banks joined by a drawbridge; it's home to Byron's Steel-type Gym, the region's only library and the boat to Iron Island. Canalave City is also where the adventure takes a turn: an earthquake there signals Team Galactic's offensive.

Contents

• Canalave City, an isolated port in western Sinnoh
• Byron's Steel-type Gym and the Mine Badge
• Library, Move Deleter and Harbor Inn
• The adventure's turning point in Canalave City
• The Pokémon of the Canalave canal
• Canalave City in the anime and manga
• Canalave City at a glance
• Frequently Asked Questions

Canalave City, an isolated port in western Sinnoh

Canalave City sits at the far western edge of Sinnoh, a little apart from the rest of the region. The signs in Diamond and Pearl and in Platinum describe it as a merchant port, those in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl as a town that sparkles by the water; the map, for its part, stresses its exotic feel and the large ships always moored at its docks.

The center is cut in two by a canal spanned by a movable bridge, and the Gym stands at the far west. A Poké Mart, a Pokémon Center and five houses round out the picture of a modest town with only twenty residents.

Only one route leads there: Route 218, which runs east to Jubilife City and can only be crossed with Surf. The port makes up for this isolation, since a Sailor stationed near a boat on the canal takes Trainers to Iron Island free of charge.

Byron's Steel-type Gym and the Mine Badge

Devoted to the Steel type, the town's Gym is the sixth of Sinnoh's eight Gyms. Its Gym Leader, Byron, rewards those who beat him with the Mine Badge, along with Flash Cannon on TM91.

The badge has a practical use: it allows Strength outside of battle, handy for pushing the boulders that block certain paths. Before challenging Byron, it's wise to toughen up your team on Iron Island, which you reach by boat from the port. The Gym Leader is no stranger, either: he's the father of Roark, who runs the region's first Gym, in Oreburgh City.

Library, Move Deleter and Harbor Inn

In the northwest stands the Canalave Library, the only library in Sinnoh. Its shelves devoted to Pokémon, their training and above all to the region's myths draw curious Trainers. In Platinum, late in the game, you can even run into Lucian, of the Elite Four, engrossed in a book on the ground floor.

Just north of the Poké Mart lives the Move Deleter of Sinnoh. He makes a Pokémon forget any move, HMs included, free of charge, which frees up a slot taken by Surf or Strength. In the northeast, the Harbor Inn stays closed to anyone who can't show the Member Card, the item that opens the trail to Darkrai.

The town also holds a few items: a resident of the southeastern house gives you TM48, in three copies in the remakes, TM89 U-turn waits south of the canal for anyone who surfs that far, and a Pearl, a Big Pearl in Platinum, is hidden on the south side of Sailor Eldritch's house. At the Poké Mart counter, Quick Balls, Timer Balls and Repeat Balls join the usual Poké Balls on the shelves.

The adventure's turning point in Canalave City

Canalave City hosts a new showdown with Barry, your rival from Twinleaf Town. In Diamond, Pearl and the remakes, Staravia and Heracross appear on every one of his teams, and his evolved starter always has the edge over yours: Monferno against Turtwig, Prinplup against Chimchar, Grotle against Piplup. Platinum raises the bar: all of his Pokémon have reached their final form, up to level 38.

With the Mine Badge in hand, the player meets up with Professor Rowan at the Library. As soon as the meeting is over, an earthquake shakes all of Sinnoh. Team Galactic has just struck, and the professor sends the player to Lake Valor, the lake of Azelf.

Finally, the port keeps a surprise for later. Once you've obtained the National Pokédex, the canal Sailor offers a second destination: Fullmoon Island, home to Cresselia.

The Pokémon of the Canalave canal

In Canalave City, wild encounters all happen on the water. Surfing on the canal, you'll mostly run into Tentacool, then Wingull, and more rarely Tentacruel or Pelipper. Platinum replaces those two birds with Shellos and Gastrodon, in their West Sea form; the remakes go back to the Diamond and Pearl list.

As for fishing, each rod has its own list. The Old Rod only reels in Magikarp, the Good Rod adds Finneon, and the Super Rod gets bites from Gyarados, Lumineon and Staryu, the first two up to level 55 in Platinum.

🎣 Gyarados bites on the Super Rod in the Canalave canal: find it in our Gyarados collection.

Canalave City in the anime and manga

In Pokémon the Series, the town appears notably in episode 569. It's during season 12 that Ash Ketchum earns the Mine Badge there against Byron, his sixth Sinnoh badge.

The Pokémon Adventures manga makes it the setting for a kidnapping. In town for a conference at the Library, Rowan and Mr. Berlitz vanish, locked inside a soundproof cube by the masked Advanced-level Grunt. Diamond, Pearl and Platinum rush over aboard the Drifblim belonging to Fantina; suspecting Byron of being involved, Platinum sees her Empoleon pushed back by the Gym Leader's two Bronzong , before her Ponyta manages to turn the battle around.

Once the misunderstanding is cleared up, Platinum learns that her companions weren't the bodyguards her father had hired, and she runs off. While she sleeps, the Advanced-level Grunt slips into her room and reveals Team Galactic's plan out loud: to drain a lake within a week in order to capture Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf. The next day, Platinum's Ponyta evolves into Rapidash, Byron gives her the Mine Badge, her sixth in twenty-five days, then offers Diamond his Shieldon, Don, before sending him off to train on Iron Island.

Canalave City at a glance

Frequently Asked Questions

• What type of Pokémon does the Canalave Gym use?
  Steel type. Its Gym Leader, Byron, awards the Mine Badge, along with Flash Cannon on TM91. It's Sinnoh's sixth Gym.
• How do you get to Canalave City?
  Via Route 218, from Jubilife City to the east. It's the only route leading there, and you need to know Surf to take it.
• Where is Sinnoh's Move Deleter?
  In Canalave City, just north of the Poké Mart. He makes a Pokémon forget any move free of charge, HMs included.
• How do you get to Iron Island?
  Talk to the Sailor standing near a boat on the Canalave canal. The crossing is free, and Fullmoon Island joins the destinations once you've obtained the National Pokédex.
• What can you find at the Canalave Library?
  Books about Pokémon, their training and Sinnoh's myths. It's the region's only library, and Professor Rowan summons the player there after the sixth badge.

In short

Canalave City may sit at the end of Route 218, but it marks a turning point in the adventure: the sixth badge, the Library's myths and Team Galactic going into action around the lakes. On the other side of Mt. Coronet, the Great Marsh of Pastoria City shows a whole other side of Sinnoh: catching Pokémon in the Safari Zone.