Digges Islands
Encyclopedia
The Digges Islands are members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
in the territory of Nunavut
. The two islands, West Digges and East Digges, are located in Digges Sound
, an arm of Hudson Bay
, where the strong currents of the bay meet Hudson Strait
.
The hamlet of Ivujivik
, on the Ungava Peninsula
, is south of the islands. East Digges Island is closer to the northern tip of the Ungava Peninsula than West Digges. Mansel Island
is to the southwest, while Nottingham Island
is to the north.
The islands' rocky cliffs topography
is ideal for seabirds; Thick-billed Murre colonies are abundant.
Inuit
occurred on Digges Islands during Henry Hudson
's last expedition. Hudson named many Arctic
points after patrons who financed the voyage, including Dudley Digges
, the namesake of the Digges Islands.
The area was explored again soon after by Jens Munk
during his 1619 voyage.
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 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...
. The two islands, West Digges and East Digges, are located in Digges Sound
Digges Sound
Digges Sound is a Canadian Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. The sound is located at the juncture where the Hudson Strait meets northeastern Hudson Bay close to the northern tip of the Ungava Peninsula, between Digges Islands and Cape Wolstenholme...
, an arm of Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
, where the strong currents of the bay meet Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait links the Atlantic Ocean to Hudson Bay in Canada. It lies between Baffin Island and the northern coast of Quebec, its eastern entrance marked by Cape Chidley and Resolution Island. It is long...
.
The hamlet of Ivujivik
Ivujivik, Quebec
Ivujivik is the northernmost settlement in the Canadian Province of Quebec. It is also the northernmost settlement in any Canadian province...
, on the Ungava Peninsula
Ungava Peninsula
The Ungava Peninsula of Nunavik, Quebec, Canada, is bounded by Hudson Bay to the west, Hudson Strait to the north, and Ungava Bay to the east. The Ungava Peninsula is part of the Labrador Peninsula and covers about 252,000 km²...
, is south of the islands. East Digges Island is closer to the northern tip of the Ungava Peninsula than West Digges. Mansel Island
Mansel Island
Mansel Island , a member of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, is an uninhabited island in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut. It is located in Hudson Bay off of Quebec's Ungava Peninsula. At in size, it is the 159th largest island in the world, and Canada's 28th largest island...
is to the southwest, while Nottingham Island
Nottingham Island
Nottingham Island is an uninhabited island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Hudson Strait, just north of the entrance into Hudson Bay.-History:...
is to the north.
The islands' rocky cliffs topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
is ideal for seabirds; Thick-billed Murre colonies are abundant.
Arctic exploration
In 1610, the first recorded encounter between Europeans and NunavikNunavik
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec...
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...
occurred on Digges Islands during Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
's last expedition. Hudson named many Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
points after patrons who financed the voyage, including Dudley Digges
Dudley Digges
Sir Dudley Digges , of Chilham Castle, Kent , was a Member of Parliament, elected to the Parliament of 1614 and that of 1621, and also a "Virginia adventurer," an investor who ventured his capital in the Virginia Company of London...
, the namesake of the Digges Islands.
The area was explored again soon after by Jens Munk
Jens Munk
Jens Munk was a Danish navigator and explorer who was born in Norway where his father, Erik Munk, had received several fiefs for his achievements in the Northern Seven Years' War. He returned to Denmark at the age of eight...
during his 1619 voyage.