Queen Maud Gulf, Arctic bay in Nunavut, Canada.
Queen Maud Gulf lies between Victoria Island and mainland Canada, stretching from Cambridge Bay in the west to Simpson Strait in the east. The gulf contains shallow waters with numerous islands and narrow passages throughout.
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen named this gulf in 1905 to honor Maud of Wales, queen of Norway at the time. The exploration of this Arctic region was part of the era's push to map the last unexplored northern waters.
Indigenous peoples from nearby settlements depend on these waters for hunting and fishing, practices that remain central to daily life today. The gulf continues to sustain these communities as it has for centuries.
Navigation here demands careful planning because of shallow waters and seasonal ice that appears and disappears with the seasons. Travelers should prepare for changing ice conditions and unpredictable weather throughout the year.
The wreck of HMS Erebus rests on the seafloor in the eastern section of these waters. This ship belonged to John Franklin's polar expedition and has remained preserved in the cold depths for over 150 years.
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