Historic Site · Nunavut
Beechey Island
The lonely Arctic gravesite of the Franklin Expedition's first lost winter.
About
Beechey Island, Qikiqtaaluk
A small barren island off the southwest tip of Devon Island, Beechey Island is one of the most haunting sites in the Canadian Arctic — where Sir John Franklin's lost 1845 expedition spent its first winter and buried three of its sailors before vanishing into the Northwest Passage.
Highlights
What not to miss
No. 01
Franklin Graves
Three weathered headboards mark the first sailors lost from the 1845 expedition.
No. 02
Northumberland House
Ruins of an 1854 supply depot left in case Franklin's men returned.
No. 03
Cliffs of Devon Island
Towering sandstone cliffs frame the island across Erebus Bay.
No. 04
Northwest Passage Waters
Standing here is to look out over the route Franklin's two ships sailed into history.
Through the year
Seasons of Beechey Island
Spring
Inaccessible — ice-locked except by helicopter from research stations.
Summer
Brief window of ship access; the only practical time to visit.
Autumn
Sea ice returns by mid-September; ships exit east.
Winter
Polar night; no access.
Insider tips
Local knowledge
- 01
Expedition cruise operators that include Beechey Island include One Ocean, Adventure Canada, and Quark.
- 02
Read Owen Beattie's Frozen in Time before going — it transforms the visit.
- 03
Bring sturdy waterproof boots — landings are wet zodiac transfers onto cobble beach.