George River (Quebec)
Encyclopedia
George River) is a river in northern Quebec
, Canada
, that flows from Lake Jannière mainly north to Ungava Bay
.
The George is a big and wide river
. It offers relatively easy and inexpensive access to Ungava Bay
, compared to other major rivers of this area, making it popular for canoe camping
trips.
until it reaches Indian House Lake (Naskapi: Mushuan Nipi (The big lake in the barrens)), which stretches 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) if measured by Canadian topo maps
, or 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) if measured by its flatwater character.
After Indian House Lake, the George really starts to flow. It offers an abundance of rapids with various levels of difficulty until it reaches Kangiqsualujjuaq close to Ungava Bay
. Because of its easy access, many people without the necessary experience and skills have travelled this river and unfortunately some lost their lives. The river is big and powerful - the French
word "Fleuve", also used to describe the Saint Lawrence River
, describes its character better than the word "Rivière". The power of the George leaves no room for error. Climatic conditions
are ideal for hypothermia
. Canoeists have to contend also with serious tidal effects in the last 40 kilometres (24.9 mi).
came first to Okak
in Labrador
, then to Ungava Bay
with a vision to evangelize the Inuit
. They wrote in their diary: "We then proclaimed the name of the Kangertlualuksoak henceforth to be 'George River' ". The Moravian brothers wanted to honour George III, king of Great Britain
and Ireland
from 1760, who, in 1769, granted the Moravians land on the Labrador coast for permanent settlement.
In the winter of 1839-1840, the Hudson's Bay Company
built a post called Fort Trial on the eastern shore of Indian House Lake. It was functional only until June 15, 1842. Well into the twentieth century, this lake appeared as "Erlandson's Lake" on charts, and Fort Trial was often referred to in HBC correspondence as "Erlandson's Post", named after Erland Erlandson, HBC clerk and the first European to travel overland from Hudson Strait
to the Atlantic coast.
The George River was associated with the ill-fated Leonidas Hubbard
expedition of 1903 and the subsequent successful canoe
expeditions of Mina Hubbard and Dillon Wallace
in 1905, and Hesketh Prichard
in 1910.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, that flows from Lake Jannière mainly north to Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay is a large bay in northeastern Canada separating Nunavik from Baffin Island. The bay is shaped like a rounded square with a side length of about and has an area of approximately...
.
The George is a big and wide river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
. It offers relatively easy and inexpensive access to Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay is a large bay in northeastern Canada separating Nunavik from Baffin Island. The bay is shaped like a rounded square with a side length of about and has an area of approximately...
, compared to other major rivers of this area, making it popular for canoe camping
Canoe camping
Canoe camping is a combination of canoeing and camping. It is similar to backpacking, but canoe campers travel by canoes or kayaks...
trips.
Geography
The George River originates about 175 kilometres (108.7 mi) east of Schefferville in Lake Jannière, between bogs and swamps. The headwater lakes are shallow, connected by rushing rapids. After Lake Advance, the river runs through heavy whitewaterWhitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
until it reaches Indian House Lake (Naskapi: Mushuan Nipi (The big lake in the barrens)), which stretches 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) if measured by Canadian topo maps
National Topographic System
The National Topographic System or NTS is the topographic system used by Canada for providing general purpose maps of the country. NTS maps are available in 1/50,000 and 1/250,000 scales. The maps provide details on landforms and terrain, lakes and rivers, forested areas, administrative zones,...
, or 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) if measured by its flatwater character.
After Indian House Lake, the George really starts to flow. It offers an abundance of rapids with various levels of difficulty until it reaches Kangiqsualujjuaq close to Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay is a large bay in northeastern Canada separating Nunavik from Baffin Island. The bay is shaped like a rounded square with a side length of about and has an area of approximately...
. Because of its easy access, many people without the necessary experience and skills have travelled this river and unfortunately some lost their lives. The river is big and powerful - the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word "Fleuve", also used to describe the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
, describes its character better than the word "Rivière". The power of the George leaves no room for error. Climatic conditions
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
are ideal for hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
. Canoeists have to contend also with serious tidal effects in the last 40 kilometres (24.9 mi).
History
The George River was (re)named on August 12, 1811, by two Moravian missionaries Benjamin Gottlieb Kohlmeister and George Kmoch. These two missionariesMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
came first to Okak
Okak, Newfoundland and Labrador
Okak is a former community located at on Okak Bay in northern Labrador. It was founded in 1776 by Jens Haven, a missionary of the Moravian Church....
in Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, then to Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay
Ungava Bay is a large bay in northeastern Canada separating Nunavik from Baffin Island. The bay is shaped like a rounded square with a side length of about and has an area of approximately...
with a vision to evangelize the 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...
. They wrote in their diary: "We then proclaimed the name of the Kangertlualuksoak henceforth to be 'George River' ". The Moravian brothers wanted to honour George III, king of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from 1760, who, in 1769, granted the Moravians land on the Labrador coast for permanent settlement.
In the winter of 1839-1840, the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
built a post called Fort Trial on the eastern shore of Indian House Lake. It was functional only until June 15, 1842. Well into the twentieth century, this lake appeared as "Erlandson's Lake" on charts, and Fort Trial was often referred to in HBC correspondence as "Erlandson's Post", named after Erland Erlandson, HBC clerk and the first European to travel overland from 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...
to the Atlantic coast.
The George River was associated with the ill-fated Leonidas Hubbard
Leonidas Hubbard
Leonidas Hubbard was a journalist and adventurer.He was born in Michigan and studied at the University of Michigan , choosing journalism as a career. In 1901 he married Mina Adelaine Benson, a woman two years senior and at the time an assistant superintendent of a Staten Island hospital. They met...
expedition of 1903 and the subsequent successful canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
expeditions of Mina Hubbard and Dillon Wallace
Dillon Wallace
Dillon Wallace was an American lawyer, outdoorsman, author of non-fiction, fiction and magazine articles. His first book, The Lure of the Labrador Wild was a best-seller, as were many of his later books.-Biography:...
in 1905, and Hesketh Prichard
Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard
Major Hesketh Vernon Hesketh-Prichard, DSO, MC, FRGS, FZS was an explorer, adventurer, big-game hunter and marksman who made a significant contribution to sniping practice within the British Army during the First World War...
in 1910.