Griffith Island (Nunavut)
Encyclopedia
Griffith Island lies within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of northern Canada
's territory of Nunavut
. It is one of the mid-channel islands in the western sector of Barrow Strait
.
Griffith Island lies directly across from the Inuit
hamlet
Resolute
on Cornwallis Island, separated by the 6.5 mi (10.5 km) wide Resolute Passage.
Capt. Horatio Austin, on board the Resolute and seeking the lost Sir John Franklin
expedition, wintered off Griffith Island in 1851. Explorations that winter by second master, George F. McDougall, included McDougall Sound
, the waterway to the north of Griffith Island.
Griffith Island is 18 by, and 189 km² (73 sq mi) in area.
Since 1958, the southeast coast of Griffith Island has experienced uncommon change, from discontinuous flying spits to continuous fringing barriers.
Canadian Arctic Archipelago
The Canadian Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Arctic Archipelago, is a Canadian archipelago north of the Canadian mainland in the Arctic...
in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
's territory of Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. It is one of the mid-channel islands in the western sector of Barrow Strait
Barrow Strait
Barrow Strait is a shipping waterway in Northern Canada's territory of Nunavut. Forming part of the Parry Channel, the strait separates several large islands including Cornwallis Island and Devon Island to the north, from Prince of Wales Island, Somerset Island, and Prince Leopold Island to the...
.
Griffith Island lies directly across from the Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
Resolute
Resolute, Nunavut
Resolute or Resolute Bay is a small Inuit hamlet on Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, Canada. It is situated at the northern end of Resolute Bay and the Northwest Passage and is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region....
on Cornwallis Island, separated by the 6.5 mi (10.5 km) wide Resolute Passage.
Capt. Horatio Austin, on board the Resolute and seeking the lost Sir John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
expedition, wintered off Griffith Island in 1851. Explorations that winter by second master, George F. McDougall, included McDougall Sound
McDougall Sound
McDougall Sound is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It's located between southeastern Bathurst Island and western Cornwallis island. The sound's southern mouth opens to the Parry Channel, and beyond that, to the Barrow Strait. The sound's northern mouth opens to Crozier Strait...
, the waterway to the north of Griffith Island.
Griffith Island is 18 by, and 189 km² (73 sq mi) in area.
Since 1958, the southeast coast of Griffith Island has experienced uncommon change, from discontinuous flying spits to continuous fringing barriers.