O'Reilly Island

O'Reilly Island
O'Reilly Island
Geography
Location Queen Maud Gulf[1]
Coordinates 68°2′N 98°59′W / 68.033°N 98.983°W / 68.033; -98.983Coordinates: 68°2′N 98°59′W / 68.033°N 98.983°W / 68.033; -98.983
Archipelago Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Area 34.6 km2 (13.4 sq mi)
Administration
Canada
Territory Nunavut

O'Reilly Island is an uninhabited island in Nunavut Territory, Canada.[1] It lies to the south of King William Island and to the west of the Klutschak and Adelaide Peninsulas, in the easternmost part of the Queen Maud Gulf.

History

The island and especially the islet to the northwest was extensively used by the Thule and later Inuit peoples to hunt seal and caribou.[2]

The wreck of HMS Erebus from Franklin's lost expedition was discovered just west of O'Reilly Island in Queen Maud Gulf, in September 2014.[3][4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Map of O'Reilly Island, Nunavut, Island – Canada Geographical Names with Maps".
  2. "Archaeology Reports: Central Arctic". Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. 1997. Retrieved 12 Sep 2014.
  3. Chase, Steven (9 September 2014). "Finding of Franklin ship fuels Harper's new nationalism". The Globe and Mail. Ottawa. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  4. "Franklin expedition ship found in Arctic ID'd as HMS Erebus". CBC News. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.


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