The Northwest Passage is one of Canada’s most exciting chapters of discovery, history and exploration. Show The Northwest Passage is a sea corridor connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Canada’s Arctic Archipelago islands and along the northern-most coast of North America. Europeans searched for 300 years to find a viable sea trade-route to Asia. Names of adventurers, like Henry Hudson and Sir John Franklin, are etched into the history of the Northwest Passage. The fascinating history has sparked an interest in travellers from around the world. Modern-day explorers are drawn to Canada’s High Arctic for the chance to walk in the footsteps of the first Arctic explorers. Early Attempts At The Northwest PassageIn the earliest attempts, explorers still believed they could find a passage across the continent. Rene-Robert Cavelier believed he could find a Northwest Passage from the Great Lakes. While exploring the Saint Lawrence River, Jacques Cartier falsely claimed that the rapids at present-day Montreal were the last obstacle keeping him from China. With little knowledge of just how large the continent is these early explorers may have failed but they furthered the knowledge that led to its success. Explorers began to look further north for a route around the continent, not through it. This led explorers towards Baffin Island and the Arctic. Exploring The NorthExplorers Martin Frobisher (1576) and John Davis (1585) described Baffin Island as a barren obstacle with ice-blocked passages to the west. Henry Hudson (1611) discovered Hudson Strait and the enormous Hudson Bay on his final expedition. When he wanted to travel further west after wintering in James Bay, his homesick crew mutinied and set him adrift as they sailed back to England. It is said that Hudson attempted to keep pace with the ship in his rowboat until the crew grew tired of this guilty presence and let down their sails leaving Hudson behind the horizon. The British were becoming frustrated by failing attempts and declared a £20,000 prize to anyone who discovered a northwest passage. This continued to stimulate and encourage future expeditions. Most of the attempts to find the Passage travelled west, departing from Europe. But there were several attempts from the west coast of North America by explorers like captains James Cook and George Vancouver. In 1776, the Admiralty in Great Britain dispatched James Cook to explore the west coast for a route. He was ordered to ignore all inlets and rivers until they reached the northern latitude of 65 degrees north. He traveled to the limits of the Alaskan Peninsula and reached 70 degrees north but came short of finding any such route. George Vancouver, who had accompanied Cook on his expedition, then lead his own trip from 1792 to 1794. He surveyed and mapped the passages and rivers of the Northwest Coast in detail. This confirmed to all that there was no great passage south of Bering Strait. The Second Era of ExplorationThe most famous of all attempts to find the Northwest Passage were Sir John Franklin’s tragic expedition and Sir Robert McClure’s grand success. In 1845, Sir John Franklin was chosen despite being 59 years old to lead a lavishly-equipped expedition to chart the last unknown parts of the Northwest Passage. The two ships became ice-locked in 1846 near King William Island, roughly halfway through the Passage. Franklin died in 1847, leaving Francis Crozier in command. In 1848, they abandoned the two ships and tried to escape south by sled across the northern tundra. None survived. Several searching expeditions were sent out when the ships failed to return to England. One of the attempts was by Sir Robert McClure. He was later credited with being the first to travel the entire Northwest Passage. After returning from the first Franklin search expedition, a new search party was sent in 1850, with McClure in command of the second ship, Investigator. The two boats set out together but soon became separated. They didn’t regain contact for the rest of their trips. McClure then travelled up the west coast and into the Bering Strait. Unfortunately, the ship became stuck in pack ice in the spring of 1853 and McClure and his crew were rescued by an expedition travelling from the east. McClure continued his journey by sled and became the first to transit the entire Northwest Passage. When McClure returned to England, he was first court-martialed, the penalty for a captain losing his ship. He was then given an honourable acquittal and was knighted and promoted. The British Admiralty awarded McClure and his men the prize for traversing the Northwest Passage.
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