Strait of Belle Isle
Encyclopedia
The Strait of Belle Isle , sometimes referred to as Straits of Belle Isle or Labrador Straits) is a waterway in eastern Canada
that separates the Labrador Peninsula
from the island of Newfoundland, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
.
The strait is approximately 125 kilometres long and ranges from a maximum width of 60 km to just 15 km at it narrowest, the average width being 18 km.
Navigation in the strait can be extremely hazardous with strong tidal currents interacting with the Labrador Current
, depths reaching several hundred metres in places, sea ice for 8–10 months of the year, and variable weather conditions including gales and fog.
The strait is the northern outlet for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
, the other two being the Cabot Strait
and Strait of Canso
. As such, it is also considered part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. While sea ice prevents year-round shipping, the Canadian Coast Guard
maintains a vessel traffic service
(VTS) to ensure collisions do not occur.
The name is derived from Belle Isle
(Beautiful Island), located at the extreme eastern end of the strait and roughly equidistant between Table Head, Labrador
, and Cape Bauld
, Newfoundland.
A seasonal ferry
service (April through January) operates at the western part of strait between St. Barbe
, Newfoundland, and Blanc Sablon
, Quebec
. New road construction for the Trans-Labrador Highway
resulted in the removal of ferry services to outports
in the northeastern part of the strait in 2002.
The idea of building a fixed link across the strait between Labrador and Newfoundland, known as the Newfoundland-Labrador fixed link
, has been raised numerous times in recent decades following an unsuccessful attempt to build a tunnel carrying electrical wires in the mid-1970s. If such a link were built, it would likely be a 17-km-long submerged rail
tunnel. The proposal is meant to reduce the province's reliance upon the Marine Atlantic
ferry service to Nova Scotia
, but the project's high costs and lack of suitable road network between Labrador and Quebec have been cited as major obstacles. The October 2003 provincial election resulted in the newly elected PC
government announcing joint federal-provincial funding for a study of the concept, which was promptly derided by The Economist
.
Leiv Eriksson called the strait Straumsfjord.
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 separates the Labrador Peninsula
Labrador Peninsula
The Labrador Peninsula is a large peninsula in eastern Canada. It is bounded by the Hudson Bay to the west, the Hudson Strait to the north, the Labrador Sea to the east, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the south-east...
from the island of Newfoundland, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
The strait is approximately 125 kilometres long and ranges from a maximum width of 60 km to just 15 km at it narrowest, the average width being 18 km.
Labrador Current
The Labrador Current is a cold current in the North Atlantic Ocean which flows from the Arctic Ocean south along the coast of Labrador and passes around Newfoundland, continuing south along the east coast of Nova Scotia...
, depths reaching several hundred metres in places, sea ice for 8–10 months of the year, and variable weather conditions including gales and fog.
The strait is the northern outlet for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
, the other two being the Cabot Strait
Cabot Strait
Cabot Strait is a strait in eastern Canada approximately 110 kilometres wide between Cape Ray, Newfoundland and Cape North, Cape Breton Island. It is the widest of the three outlets for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence into the Atlantic Ocean, the others being the Strait of Belle Isle and Strait of Canso...
and Strait of Canso
Strait of Canso
The Strait of Canso , is a strait located in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It divides the Nova Scotia peninsula from Cape Breton Island....
. As such, it is also considered part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. While sea ice prevents year-round shipping, the Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
maintains a vessel traffic service
Vessel Traffic Service
A vessel traffic service is a marine traffic monitoring system established by harbour or port authorities, similar to air traffic control for aircraft...
(VTS) to ensure collisions do not occur.
The name is derived from Belle Isle
Belle Isle (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Belle Isle is an uninhabited island just off the coast of Labrador and north of Newfoundland at the Atlantic entrance to the Strait of Belle Isle which takes its name...
(Beautiful Island), located at the extreme eastern end of the strait and roughly equidistant between Table Head, 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...
, and Cape Bauld
Cape Bauld
Cape Bauld is a headland located at the northeasternmost point of Great Northern Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
, Newfoundland.
A seasonal ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service (April through January) operates at the western part of strait between St. Barbe
St. Barbe, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. Barbe is a settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the northwestern peninsula of the island of Newfoundland.It is connected by a ferry across the Strait of Belle Isle to Blanc-Sablon, Quebec...
, Newfoundland, and Blanc Sablon
Blanc-Sablon, Quebec
Blanc-Sablon, Quebec is the easternmost community in the province of Quebec, Canada, between the municipalities of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent and L'Anse-au-Clair, in Labrador...
, Quebec
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....
. New road construction for the Trans-Labrador Highway
Trans-Labrador Highway
The Trans-Labrador Highway is a Canadian highway located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the primary public road in Labrador and one of the few in that part of the province....
resulted in the removal of ferry services to outports
Newfoundland outport
An outport is the term given for a small isolated coastal community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Originally the term was just used for coastal communities on the island of Newfoundland but the term has also been adopted for those on the mainland area of Labrador as...
in the northeastern part of the strait in 2002.
The idea of building a fixed link across the strait between Labrador and Newfoundland, known as the Newfoundland-Labrador fixed link
Newfoundland-Labrador fixed link
The Newfoundland-Labrador fixed link refers to various proposals for constructing a fixed link consisting of bridges, tunnels, and/or causeways across the Strait of Belle Isle, connecting the province of Newfoundland and Labrador's mainland Labrador region with the island of Newfoundland...
, has been raised numerous times in recent decades following an unsuccessful attempt to build a tunnel carrying electrical wires in the mid-1970s. If such a link were built, it would likely be a 17-km-long submerged rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
tunnel. The proposal is meant to reduce the province's reliance upon the Marine Atlantic
Marine Atlantic
Marine Atlantic Inc. is an independent Canadian Crown corporation offering ferry services between the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.Marine Atlantic's corporate headquarters are in St...
ferry service to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, but the project's high costs and lack of suitable road network between Labrador and Quebec have been cited as major obstacles. The October 2003 provincial election resulted in the newly elected PC
Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...
government announcing joint federal-provincial funding for a study of the concept, which was promptly derided by The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
.
Leiv Eriksson called the strait Straumsfjord.
External links
- Strait of Belle Isle ecoregion
- Now let's dig an expensive hole Economist article