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Cape Mercy, Nunavut, Canada

John Davis (1550 - 1605) originally named this southern Baffin feature "Cape of God's Mercy" on his landmark voyage in 1585.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Warning_System

The North Warning System (NWS) is a joint United States and Canadian early-warning radar system for the atmospheric air defense of North America. It provides surveillance of airspace from potential incursions or attacks from across North America's polar region. It replaced the Distant Early Warning Line system in the late 1980s.

DEW Line at Cape Mercy
Established in July 1992 as an unattended NWS Short Range Radar site to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps. The site consists of a radar tower, communications facility, and small storage building.

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/john-davis

John Davis (1550 - 1605)
Davis made it his life's work to become the first European to find and travel the Northwest Passage, launching three failed expeditions between 1585 and 1587. During these endeavours, Davis reached Greenland, which had largely been forgotten by Europeans since the 13th century. Davis explored the strait named for him and the east coast of present-day Baffin Island. He was later credited as the first European to sight the Falkland Islands, as they are now called. He contributed to European knowledge of the Arctic and its inhabitants, and invented the backstaff navigational instrument.

Davis caught his contemporaries’ sense of excitement over the possible existence of a northern water route around the Americas. In 1583, Davis and his colleagues proposed an exploratory mission to the queen’s secretary, Sir Francis Walsingham, who later became a funder of the Davis expeditions. Davis left Dartmouth with two ships in June 1585, returning on 30 September. It was during this expedition that Davis first made contact with the Inuit. He also crossed the southern part of what subsequently became known as Davis Strait and reached the east coast of present-day Baffin Island during this voyage.

John Davis returned to the Arctic in 1586 and again in 1587. During his second expedition, Davis piloted a fleet of four ships: the Sunneshine, the Mooneshine, the Mermayde and the North Starre. While attempting to locate a passage between Greenland and Iceland, the North Starre was lost. Davis continued to Davis Strait, but the ice eventually proved unnavigable, and he returned to England on 14 October.

Although Davis’ second expedition failed in that it did not lead to the Northwest Passage, he launched a third journey in 1587. Davis was successful in reaching about 73° north along the Greenland coast (Hope Sanderson), and then sailed west before turning south along the Baffin Island coast. He noted the entrances to what became known as Frobisher Bay and Hudson Strait. Davis also navigated what is now Davis Inlet and the vicinity of Hamilton Inlet along the Labrador coast before returning to England. It would be his last trip to the Arctic.

During all three expeditions, Davis recorded much of the uncharted coast while making keen observations about various aspects of the Arctic, including local weather, geology and vegetation. His stories of the Inuit are considered some of the most accurate and sympathetic accounts of the region’s inhabitants to be produced by a European explorer. At times, Davis enjoyed cordial relations with the Inuit, who reacted positively to music and dancing performed by his crew. However, violent clashes also occurred.

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Cape Mercy, Nunavut, Canada

Ship Log's description of the weather

© All Rights Reserved

Cape Mercy, Nunavut, Canada

John Davis (1550 - 1605) originally named this southern Baffin feature "Cape of God's Mercy" on his landmark voyage in 1585.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Warning_System

The North Warning System (NWS) is a joint United States and Canadian early-warning radar system for the atmospheric air defense of North America. It provides surveillance of airspace from potential incursions or attacks from across North America's polar region. It replaced the Distant Early Warning Line system in the late 1980s.

DEW Line at Cape Mercy
Established in July 1992 as an unattended NWS Short Range Radar site to cover any Long Range Radar surveillance gaps. The site consists of a radar tower, communications facility, and small storage building.

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/john-davis

John Davis (1550 - 1605)
Davis made it his life's work to become the first European to find and travel the Northwest Passage, launching three failed expeditions between 1585 and 1587. During these endeavours, Davis reached Greenland, which had largely been forgotten by Europeans since the 13th century. Davis explored the strait named for him and the east coast of present-day Baffin Island. He was later credited as the first European to sight the Falkland Islands, as they are now called. He contributed to European knowledge of the Arctic and its inhabitants, and invented the backstaff navigational instrument.

Davis caught his contemporaries’ sense of excitement over the possible existence of a northern water route around the Americas. In 1583, Davis and his colleagues proposed an exploratory mission to the queen’s secretary, Sir Francis Walsingham, who later became a funder of the Davis expeditions. Davis left Dartmouth with two ships in June 1585, returning on 30 September. It was during this expedition that Davis first made contact with the Inuit. He also crossed the southern part of what subsequently became known as Davis Strait and reached the east coast of present-day Baffin Island during this voyage.

John Davis returned to the Arctic in 1586 and again in 1587. During his second expedition, Davis piloted a fleet of four ships: the Sunneshine, the Mooneshine, the Mermayde and the North Starre. While attempting to locate a passage between Greenland and Iceland, the North Starre was lost. Davis continued to Davis Strait, but the ice eventually proved unnavigable, and he returned to England on 14 October.

Although Davis’ second expedition failed in that it did not lead to the Northwest Passage, he launched a third journey in 1587. Davis was successful in reaching about 73° north along the Greenland coast (Hope Sanderson), and then sailed west before turning south along the Baffin Island coast. He noted the entrances to what became known as Frobisher Bay and Hudson Strait. Davis also navigated what is now Davis Inlet and the vicinity of Hamilton Inlet along the Labrador coast before returning to England. It would be his last trip to the Arctic.

During all three expeditions, Davis recorded much of the uncharted coast while making keen observations about various aspects of the Arctic, including local weather, geology and vegetation. His stories of the Inuit are considered some of the most accurate and sympathetic accounts of the region’s inhabitants to be produced by a European explorer. At times, Davis enjoyed cordial relations with the Inuit, who reacted positively to music and dancing performed by his crew. However, violent clashes also occurred.

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Cape Mercy, Nunavut, Canada

Zodiacs departing

Taken on September 1, 2018 (uploaded 3/21/19)

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