M'Clure Strait facts for kids

M'Clure Strait, Northwest Territories, Canada.     Nunavut     Northwest Territories     Yukon Territory     Regions outside Canada (Alaska, Greenland)

The M'Clure Strait is a narrow waterway in the Canadian Northwest Territories. It's a key part of the Parry Channel, which stretches east to Baffin Bay. This makes it a possible path for the famous Northwest Passage. The strait is named after Robert McClure, an Irish explorer. He was the first person to travel through the Northwest Passage using both a boat and a sledge.

Where is the M'Clure Strait?

This strait connects the Beaufort Sea in the west with Viscount Melville Sound in the east. It is surrounded by several islands. To the north are Prince Patrick Island, Eglinton Island, and Melville Island. To the south is Banks Island.

Ice and Shipping Challenges

The M'Clure Strait is usually covered in thick sea ice. This makes it very hard for ships to pass through. For example, in 1969, a large tanker called the SS Manhattan tried to go through. It got stuck in the ice. A Canadian icebreaker had to help free it. The Manhattan then had to take a different route through the Prince of Wales Strait.

Canada and the United States have had discussions about who controls these waters. Canada believes the waters around its Arctic Islands are its own.

When the Ice Melts

Sometimes, the M'Clure Strait becomes completely free of ice. This happened in August 2007 and again in August 2008. The European Space Agency reported that the Arctic's Northwest Passage was fully open. This created a clear path between Europe and Asia.

First Journeys Through the Strait

On August 29, 2012, a special boat called Polar Bound made history. It was the first private yacht to sail through the M'Clure Strait. David Scott Cowper was the captain, with Jane Maufe as his crew. Soon after, a sailboat named Belzebub II also completed the journey. It had three sailors on board. This made it the first sailboat to travel this route.

The M'Clure Rift

The M'Clure Strait sits within an area called the M'Clure Rift. This rift is part of a larger valley under the sea. Scientists consider it a "rift zone." This means it's a place where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart. However, not much movement has happened here yet. There is no new oceanic crust forming in the middle of the strait.

See also

In Spanish: Estrecho de McClure para niños