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Gjoa Haven

Gjoa Haven (Norwegian: Gjøahavn, Inuktitut: Uqsuqtuuq, "lots of fat", referring to the abundance of sea mammals in the nearby waters) is a famous natural harbour 250 km above the Arctic Circle, with its adjacent hamlet, on the southeast coast of King William Island, in Nunavut.

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7 places

  1. Do

    Gjoa Haven Arena

    Hockey rink. A 2020 review on Google Maps suggests it "needs to be renovated or torn right down for a brand new one".

  2. See

    Nattilik Heritage Centre

    Opened on 17 October 2013. It displays knowledge about Netsilik Inuit culture, including a collection of Netsilik handmade harpoons, snow goggles and snow knives purchased by Amundsen, and returned here after years on display at the museum of cultural history in Oslo. Its shop gets many online compliments. The first recovered artefacts from the wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror are on display here.

  3. Buy

    Qikiqtaq Co-Op

    Groceries, furniture, hunting and camping supplies, toys, practically everything locals need.

  4. Do Not mapped

    Northwest Passage Territorial Park

    The park consists of six areas that show in part the history of the exploration of the Northwest Passage and the first successful passage by Amundsen. The first area is the Nattilik Heritage Centre. As of 2020, it's marked for expansion to include a proper museum; a replica of the Gjøa is already in display. The second is the actual harbour. The third area is the old Hudson’s Bay trading post, established in 1927 and still in use today by The North West Company. The fourth (and the one marked in this page's map) is a cairn dedicated to Amundsen, with a bronze memorial plaque describing his life, his ship and his journey. Amundsen erected here a few temporary buildings, whose only evidence remaining today are some earth mounds. The fifth area is a at the island's northern shore, believed to be one of the burial places of members of John Franklin's crew. The final area is about 90 km north, a shelter where Amundsen made observations on the North Magnetic Pole. He used a marble slab as observation point, and also erected a cairn here, to honor his teacher George Von Neumayer. Years later, the Hudson’s Bay Co. rebuilt the cairn – the marble slab remains intact to this day.

  5. See Not mapped

    Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site

    It protects the wrecks of HMS Erebus (discovered in 2014) and HMS Terror (2016), the two ships of Sir John Franklin's last expedition. The site is "remotely and actively patrolled" by Parks Canada and the local Inuit people, with restricted access. On 5 September 2019, passengers of Adventure Canada on MS Ocean Endeavour were the first underwater visitors of the wreck of HMS Erebus, as part of a trial by Parks Canada in creating a visitor experience for the wreck site. Underwater videos of both ships have become easily available on YouTube.

  6. See

    Church of the Sacred Heart of Mary

    Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church

    Catholic church.