Bay d'Espoir facts for kids
Bay d'Espoir (pronounced bay-DƏS-pair) is a long, narrow part of Hermitage Bay. It is found on the south coast of Newfoundland, an island in Canada. This bay connects to the larger Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Several small towns and communities are located along Bay d'Espoir. These include Milltown-Head of Bay d'Espoir, Morrisville, St. Alban's, St. Joseph's Cove, St. Veronica's, and the Miawpukek community.
What's in a Name?
The name "Bay d'Espoir" has been spelled in many different ways over time. You might see it written as Bay D' Espoir, Bay of Despair, Baie D' Espoir, or even Baie Despair.
Locally, people often translate "Bay d'Espoir" in two ways: either "Bay of Hope" or "Bay of Despair." It's a bit confusing!
Some historians believe the name "Bay of Despair" came first. A French mapmaker named Jacques-Nicolas Bellin called it "Baie du Desespoir" on his map in 1743. "Desespoir" means "despair" in French. Later, an English map from 1733 by Henry Popple also used "Bay of Despair." Even the famous explorer James Cook mentioned "Bay of Despair" in his navigation guides.
It seems the name might have started as "Bay of Despair" (or "Baie du Desespoir") and then changed over time to "Baie d'Espoir," which sounds a bit like "hope" but might have come from the word for "despair."
