Recent gjoa haven travel articles the history of the quest for the northwest passage, the great dream of the18th and 19th centuries to open a trade route between the orient and europe, is well documented here. For centuries the northwest passage seemed little more than a mirage. Northwest passage cambridge bay to halifax adventure destinations edmonton, cambridge bay, gjoa haven, fort ross, beechey island, radstock bay, dundas harbour, pond inlet, ilulissat, sisimiut, nuuk. The european name, gjoa haven, honours roald amundsen who overwintered in the bay for two years while searching for the northwest passage. The northwest passage territorial trail is not a park in the conventional sense.
Gjoa haven lies at the heart of the northwest passage. Gjoa haven was dubbed the finest little harbor in the world by norwegian explorer roald amundsen, and that probably explains why this inlet, nestled. The storied community of gjoa haven is located on the southeast coast of king william island at the heart of the northwest passage. Leopold island, home to thousands of thickbilled murres.
Kitmeot region accommodations book your kitmeot region. It was the basis for the 1940 movie northwest passage, starring spencer tracy. The northwest passage cruise is the pinnacle of arctic exploration. Located in and around the hamlet of gjoa haven on king william island, it is an informative walking tour that provides historical. Travel guide to the northwest passage why, what and when. Gjoa haven king william island nunavut arrive early morning in gjoa haven. The northwest passage is now one of the greatest cruise expeditions on earth and many people pay good money each year to make the passage. Amundsen left his men on board and spent much of the winter skiing 500 miles south to eagle, alaska to telegraph news of the expeditions success. Ship found in arctic 168 years after doomed northwest. Located on king william island, the regions channels and bays are icechoked for much of the year. Northwest passage join us for some vitamin sea and head to the high canadian arctic. By october gjoa was again icedin, this time near herschel island in the yukon. Northwest passage archives cornell sailing publications.
Gjoa haven features amundsen, kamookak, martin bergmann. Ulukhaktok holman uqsuqtuuq gjoa haven wildlife viewing. The northwest passage by amundsen, first edition abebooks. The life of roald amundsen a merloyd lawrence book. It is also called uqsuqtuuk which means place of plenty blubber in inuktitut. Ship found in arctic 168 years after doomed northwest passage attempt. Follow the routes of frobisher, hudson et al and cross from greenland to alaska, experiencing the unforgettable. Gjoa haven is the place no sailor attempting to transit the northwest passage will miss as it is here that roald amundsen spent the first two winters of his successful read more. Leaving gjoa haven he went west and passed cambridge bay which had been reached from the west by richard collinson in 1852. Silversea northwest passage cruise, expedition cruise on silver cloud, allinclusive package includes free economy air or upgrade to a reduced business class air, precruise hotel stay and free transfers. The barge travels from hay river, down the mackenzie river to the community of tuktoyaktuk, on the beaufort sea, where a sea tug. Kayaking near bellot strait, during a northwest passage cruise.
A journey through the northwest passage and inuit culture book. Recent gjoa haven travel articles the history of the quest for the northwest passage, the great dream of the18th and 19th centuries to open a trade route between the orient and europe, is well documented. The northwest passage was finally navigated by roald amundsen in 1906, in the gjoa, a 70foot boat with a crew of six, for which the hamlet is named. The barge is actually a series of flatdeck barges towed by a tugboat. The following days we ski ever closer to gjoa haven. A northwest passage journey finds little ice and big. The community of gjoa haven is located approximately 250 kilometers above the arctic circle, in central nunavut. The northwest passage ms fram polar voyage explore. The northwest passage ms fram arctic, canada, denmark, greenland. On day two of our voyage out of the northwest passage, we sailed into a. The northwest passage is a series of waterways that connects the atlantic. Described are the voyage to the canadian arctic, wintering at gjoa haven on king william island, eskimos.
Gjoa haven is located on the southeast coast of king william island at the heart of the northwest passage. Porters village was named in honor of the ship, the gjoa, which was commanded by polar explorer roald amundsen, whose 19031906 expedition was the first to traverse the northwest. The northwest passage territorial trail is educational trip that tells a visitor more about the historical expeditions that have taken place to explore gjoa haven and nearby areas of the northwest passage. This first half of the book is easily the most interesting, rich in fairly accurate detail about rogers leadership and the audacious heroism of his rangers. Continuing to the south of victoria island, the ship cleared. The northwest passage is the sailing route north of canadas mainland coast.
In 1903, the norwegian explorer roald amundsen had entered the area on his ship gjoa in an expedition intending to travel through the northwest passage. Artifacts of a doomed expedition the new york times. Uqsuqtuuq, lots of fat, referring to the abundance of sea mammals in the nearby waters is a famous natural harbour, with its adjacent settlement, on the. Three year historic northwest passage by roald amundsen. Leaving gjoa haven he went west and passed cambridge bay which had been reached from the. Northwest passage was one of my favorites as a teen, but i hadnt give it a thought in more than twoscore. This very famous expedition was the first to successfully navigate the northwest passage.
The northwest passage being the record of a voyage of exploration of the ship gjoa 19031907. Into the northwest passage cruise eco tours and holidays. Gjoa haven is an everpopular destination for fans of arctic history, with excellent cultural venues to visit including the heritage centre, the hamlet centre and the northwest passage territorial trail in the warm months when the tundra is covered with pretty flowers and the sea is open, boating, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, berry picking, bird watching and atv riding are the most. Written by general administrator tuesday, 23 november 2010 00. Discover more about the amundsen expedition as you explore gjoa haven. He had arranged for a twin otter to fly people in from gjoa haven. To challenge the ice is like a huge game of chess and we are up against mother.
Hamlet of gjoa haven, nunavut canada official website. Luxury cruise from kangerlussuaq to nome alaska 21 aug. Well explore the quaint villages, dramatic fjords and calving glaciers of greenland. These will be long days, but we can ensure you that on the ice, time flies. Continuing to the south of victoria island, the ship cleared the canadian arctic archipelago on 17 august 1905, but had to stop for the winter before going on to nome on the alaska districts pacific coast.
John cabot urged his ships into the unknown in 1497 and 1498 to find it, but failed. The story of the search for the northwest passage is best told from this community. Located in and around the hamlet of gjoa haven on king william island, it is an informative walking tour that provides historical details about the famous quest of numerous european explorers to discover the northwest passage and their search for answers concerning the disappearance of the illfated franklin. Roald amundsen, from pole to pole the globe and mail. As he wrote in his northwest passage book s introduction. The name gjoa is named after norwegian explorer, roald amundsens ship during his expedition through the northwest passage. Reasons to book cheap gjoa haven flights considered a haven for sea mammals, gjoa haven yhk is a hamlet situated in the kitikmeot region in nunavut, canada. Two years were spent on the way in gjoa haven when the thenlocation of the. With a supplement by first lieutenant hansen vicecommander of the expedition. We had arrived in gjoa haven, in the heart of the northwest passage, the previous evening. Located in and around the hamlet of gjoa haven on king william island, it is an. Departing gjoa haven nu for beechey island via peel sound to pay our respects to those who have gone before us, so that we can follow in their wake. Gjoa left gjoa haven on august, 1905, and motored through the treacherous straits south of victoria island, and from there west into the beaufort sea.
The northwest passage historic park is full of information on this. Jonathan waterman describes the authors journey from the inuit communities in alaska, across the northwest passage, to. When morning dawned, there it was, snowdusted and clearly visible in the. Gjoa haven accommodations book your gjoa haven nunavut. And visitors to the inuit settlement of gjoa haven, so named by amundsen in. Gjoa haven is an everpopular destination for fans of arctic history, with excellent cultural venues to visit including the heritage centre, the hamlet centre and the northwest passage territorial trail in the. Also known as ursuqtuq, the communitys english name is taken from amundsens small ship, the gjoa.
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