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Eileen Visser's Northwest Passage Journey by Kayak
Track Eileen's progress with The Arctic Cowboys!
What is the Northwest Passage?
Any number of routes that wind through a series of large islands between the northern most coast of Canada and the North Pole known as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. European explorers gave it the name “northwest” because of the location in proximity to Europe. The length of the Passage from end it end is about 1,900 miles, depending on which route is taken. Well before the Passage was navigated via a water route, explorers and traders made their way in and around the archipelago, mapping and preparing for a time when the frozen ocean would thaw.
Where is the Northwest Passage?
Just a few miles north of the Arctic Circle and about 1,200 miles south of the North Pole. The Passage is bordered in the east by Baffin Bay and in the west by the Beaufort Sea. Sailors know as soon as they depart the open ocean of Baffin Bay or the Beaufort Sea they are likely to encounter frozen seas, shifting sea ice, shallow rock-strewn shoals, thick fog and desolation.
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