Northwest Passage
Roald Amundsen · 1903 CE – 1906 CE · Earth
Navigate the Northwest Passage by ship.
Historical context
For centuries European powers sought a sea route around the north of the Americas. Sailing a small wooden sloop, Amundsen spent three winters in the Arctic learning from Inuit techniques that larger expeditions ignored.
The voyage, step by step
Departure from Oslo
1903 CE
Amundsen sails in a small sloop, the Gjøa, to complete the Northwest Passage.
Past Greenland
1903 CE
He threads the ice of Baffin Bay and enters the Arctic archipelago.
Winter at Gjøa Haven
1904 CE
The crew spends two winters learning Inuit skills from the Netsilik.
Through the passage
1905 CE
The Gjøa slips through the narrow channels to the western ocean.
First complete transit
1906 CE
Amundsen reaches the Pacific, completing the first full Northwest Passage.
Outcome
Completed the first confirmed passage in the Gjøa.
Roald Amundsen
Norwegian polar explorer who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole and the first confirmed traverse of the Northwest Passage.
Sources
Continue exploring
- South Pole expeditionRoald Amundsen · 1910 CE – 1911 CE
- North Pole expeditionMatthew Henson · 1908 CE – 1909 CE
- North Pole attemptRobert Peary · 1908 CE – 1909 CE
- Terra Nova expeditionRobert Falcon Scott · 1910 CE – 1912 CE