Fjords in Canada are long, narrow
inlets characterized by steep sides, created in a valley carved by
glacial activity. A
fjord can have two or more basins separated by
sills. The bowls can have a depth of 20 to 500 m (66 to 1,640 ft) and the dividing sills can raise up to a few metres below the water surface. Mountainous glaciated areas in Canada are along the
British Columbia Coast: from the
Alaskan border along the
Portland Canal[1] to
Indian Arm.[2]Kingcome Inlet is a typical west coast fjord.[3]
When a portion of the high cliff wall falls off, it may cause a
tsunami. This occurred in the early 20th century at Western Brook Pond of Gros Morne National Park when a 30 m (98 ft) tsunami was created after Broke Off Cliff fell.[13]
Fjords listed here may consist of several complex waterways. These waterways may contribute to the length of the fjord. For more information on these please see the main fjord source or Wikipedia article. Some examples are
Dean Channel[14] and
Douglas Channel.[15] The locality of
Hagensborg in the
Bella Coola Valley in the Dean Channel fjord was settled by Norwegian immigrants in 1894 as it reminded them of home.[16] The total length of the fjord from the head of Dean Channel to the mouth of
Fitz Hugh Sound[17] is about 170 km (110 mi) rivalling
Hardangerfjord in
Norway for length. The Hardangerfjord, the Queen of fjords, at a length of 179 km (111 mi) is claimed to be fourth largest fjord in the world and second largest of Norway.[18][19]
Anaktalak Bay, Saglek Fiord and Nachvak Fiord off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador are being studied for environmental changes due to
global warming. Increased tourism and marine traffic, contaminants from air, water or industrial pollution, changing weather patterns are affecting what once had been pristine water basins of the fjords protected by sills.[20]
Some fjords on the British Columbian coast have
rapids, termed
skookumchucks which means strong waters in
Chinook Jargon). Skookumchucks are caused by the shallows and narrows near the mouth of a fjord as the water inside the fjord's depths is drawn through, to or from, the more open waters beyond.[22][23]
The phenomenon of
mountain-gap wind or
squamish or outflow affects the fjords of Canada and Norway. The outflow winds at the Salt and Bols fjords of Norway and the
Howe Sound[24] and
Portland Inlet[25] of Canada have been compared. European winds may be termed
bora. The cold dry air of the continental interior seeks out the easier passage through the fjord valley creating hurricane-force winds.[26]
According to the definition, fjord, Western Brook Pond and Trout River Big Pond in Newfoundland's Gros Morne National Park, are also often described as a fjords, but are actually freshwater lakes cut off from the sea, so is not a fjord in the English sense of the term. Such lakes are sometimes called "fjord lakes".[27] It is of interest to note that
Pissing Mare Falls at 350 m (1,150 ft) high, is one of several waterfalls to drain into Western Brook Pond, Along the British Columbia Coast, a notable fjord-lake is
Owikeno Lake,[28] which is a freshwater extension of
Rivers Inlet.[29]
A part of the fjord network Seymour-Belize Inlet Complex (SBIC), located on the north coast of British Columbia. Belize Inlet, which is 50 km (31 mi) in length has its own side inlets, narrow waterways named Wentworth Sound and Alison Sound.
Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia. The
City of Vancouver and surrounding cities are on the Burrard Inlet. Because of this, the shores of the fjord are heavily populated and the fjord is busy with shipping activity from the
Port of Vancouver.
The total length of the fjord from the head of Dean Channel to the mouth of Fitz Hugh Sound is about 170 km (110 mi) rivalling
Hardangerfjord in Norway for length.
Knight Inlet is one of the longest great saltwater inlets/fjords on the BC Coast at c. 125 km (78 mi) in length; it is about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) in average width.
See also
South Bentinck Arm. North Bentinck Arm is a deep fjord which runs about 15 km (9.3 mi) in length and is about 2.3 km (1.4 mi) in width. The fjord has a depth of between 200 and 400 m (660 and 1,310 ft).
The immense, Prince Rupert Harbour, operated by the
Prince Rupert Port Authority, is a complex of basins or channel waterways and sills. In alphabetical order the channels, and their respective sills are:
Fern Passage (29 m [95 ft], surrounded by sills of 7 m [23 ft] and 2.1 m [6 ft 11 in])
Kloiya Bay (23.5 m [77 ft] depth, Denise Inlet 39 m [128 ft])
Morse Basin (7 m [23 ft] depth, silled off); Porpoise Channel (51 m [167 ft] depth across
Flora Bank, 20 m [66 ft] outside sill)
Porpoise Harbour (25 m [82 ft]) depth
Prince Rupert Main Harbour (91 m [299 ft] depth, with three entrance sills -each 38 m [125 ft])
Tuck Inlet, is "silled-off" fjord (80 m [260 ft] depth, with entrance sill of 10.5 m [34 ft])
Upper Harbour (60 m [200 ft] depth, with entrance sill of 45 m [148 ft])
Venn Passage around the north end of
Digby Island (22 m [72 ft] depth contained by several wide sills of 4.9 m [16 ft], 3 m [9.8 ft], 6.4 m [21 ft] and 6.1 m [20 ft])
Wainwright Basin (5.7 m [19 ft], with sills of 3.7 m [12 ft], 9.1 m [30 ft] and 0.9 m [2 ft 11 in]).[206]
Princess Louisa Inlet is at the north east end of
Jervis Inlet, and the east side of
Queens Reach, and has a length of 6 km (3.7 mi), a width of 0.8 km (0.50 mi) and a depth of 179 m (587 ft).
Princess Royal Reach is the second arm of the
Jervis Inlet, between
Queens Reach and
Prince of Wales Reach, and has a length of 33 km (21 mi) and a maximum depth of 552 m (1,811 ft).
Sechelt Inlet is one of the principal inlets/fjords along the British Columbia Coast comprising
Narrows Inlet and
Salmon Inlet.[228] Sechelt Inlet (formerly Seechelt Inlet)[229]
A part of the fjord network, Seymour-Belize Inlet Complex (SBIC), located on the north coast of British Columbia. Seymour Inlet is one of the lesser travelled of the principal inlets/fjords of the British Columbia Coast and the main arm is 75 km (47 mi) long.
^Nasmith, Hugh (1962). Late glacial history and surficial deposits of the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Victoria, BC, Canada: BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
^Golden, L (1998–2008).
"The Prince Rupert Harbour Complex". Based on the book Title:"Biophysical Suitability of the North Coast and Queen Charlotte Islands Regions of British Columbia for Salmonid Farming in Net Cages" MAFF (1992). Retrieved 2008-11-09.
Fjords in Canada are long, narrow
inlets characterized by steep sides, created in a valley carved by
glacial activity. A
fjord can have two or more basins separated by
sills. The bowls can have a depth of 20 to 500 m (66 to 1,640 ft) and the dividing sills can raise up to a few metres below the water surface. Mountainous glaciated areas in Canada are along the
British Columbia Coast: from the
Alaskan border along the
Portland Canal[1] to
Indian Arm.[2]Kingcome Inlet is a typical west coast fjord.[3]
When a portion of the high cliff wall falls off, it may cause a
tsunami. This occurred in the early 20th century at Western Brook Pond of Gros Morne National Park when a 30 m (98 ft) tsunami was created after Broke Off Cliff fell.[13]
Fjords listed here may consist of several complex waterways. These waterways may contribute to the length of the fjord. For more information on these please see the main fjord source or Wikipedia article. Some examples are
Dean Channel[14] and
Douglas Channel.[15] The locality of
Hagensborg in the
Bella Coola Valley in the Dean Channel fjord was settled by Norwegian immigrants in 1894 as it reminded them of home.[16] The total length of the fjord from the head of Dean Channel to the mouth of
Fitz Hugh Sound[17] is about 170 km (110 mi) rivalling
Hardangerfjord in
Norway for length. The Hardangerfjord, the Queen of fjords, at a length of 179 km (111 mi) is claimed to be fourth largest fjord in the world and second largest of Norway.[18][19]
Anaktalak Bay, Saglek Fiord and Nachvak Fiord off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador are being studied for environmental changes due to
global warming. Increased tourism and marine traffic, contaminants from air, water or industrial pollution, changing weather patterns are affecting what once had been pristine water basins of the fjords protected by sills.[20]
Some fjords on the British Columbian coast have
rapids, termed
skookumchucks which means strong waters in
Chinook Jargon). Skookumchucks are caused by the shallows and narrows near the mouth of a fjord as the water inside the fjord's depths is drawn through, to or from, the more open waters beyond.[22][23]
The phenomenon of
mountain-gap wind or
squamish or outflow affects the fjords of Canada and Norway. The outflow winds at the Salt and Bols fjords of Norway and the
Howe Sound[24] and
Portland Inlet[25] of Canada have been compared. European winds may be termed
bora. The cold dry air of the continental interior seeks out the easier passage through the fjord valley creating hurricane-force winds.[26]
According to the definition, fjord, Western Brook Pond and Trout River Big Pond in Newfoundland's Gros Morne National Park, are also often described as a fjords, but are actually freshwater lakes cut off from the sea, so is not a fjord in the English sense of the term. Such lakes are sometimes called "fjord lakes".[27] It is of interest to note that
Pissing Mare Falls at 350 m (1,150 ft) high, is one of several waterfalls to drain into Western Brook Pond, Along the British Columbia Coast, a notable fjord-lake is
Owikeno Lake,[28] which is a freshwater extension of
Rivers Inlet.[29]
A part of the fjord network Seymour-Belize Inlet Complex (SBIC), located on the north coast of British Columbia. Belize Inlet, which is 50 km (31 mi) in length has its own side inlets, narrow waterways named Wentworth Sound and Alison Sound.
Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia. The
City of Vancouver and surrounding cities are on the Burrard Inlet. Because of this, the shores of the fjord are heavily populated and the fjord is busy with shipping activity from the
Port of Vancouver.
The total length of the fjord from the head of Dean Channel to the mouth of Fitz Hugh Sound is about 170 km (110 mi) rivalling
Hardangerfjord in Norway for length.
Knight Inlet is one of the longest great saltwater inlets/fjords on the BC Coast at c. 125 km (78 mi) in length; it is about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) in average width.
See also
South Bentinck Arm. North Bentinck Arm is a deep fjord which runs about 15 km (9.3 mi) in length and is about 2.3 km (1.4 mi) in width. The fjord has a depth of between 200 and 400 m (660 and 1,310 ft).
The immense, Prince Rupert Harbour, operated by the
Prince Rupert Port Authority, is a complex of basins or channel waterways and sills. In alphabetical order the channels, and their respective sills are:
Fern Passage (29 m [95 ft], surrounded by sills of 7 m [23 ft] and 2.1 m [6 ft 11 in])
Kloiya Bay (23.5 m [77 ft] depth, Denise Inlet 39 m [128 ft])
Morse Basin (7 m [23 ft] depth, silled off); Porpoise Channel (51 m [167 ft] depth across
Flora Bank, 20 m [66 ft] outside sill)
Porpoise Harbour (25 m [82 ft]) depth
Prince Rupert Main Harbour (91 m [299 ft] depth, with three entrance sills -each 38 m [125 ft])
Tuck Inlet, is "silled-off" fjord (80 m [260 ft] depth, with entrance sill of 10.5 m [34 ft])
Upper Harbour (60 m [200 ft] depth, with entrance sill of 45 m [148 ft])
Venn Passage around the north end of
Digby Island (22 m [72 ft] depth contained by several wide sills of 4.9 m [16 ft], 3 m [9.8 ft], 6.4 m [21 ft] and 6.1 m [20 ft])
Wainwright Basin (5.7 m [19 ft], with sills of 3.7 m [12 ft], 9.1 m [30 ft] and 0.9 m [2 ft 11 in]).[206]
Princess Louisa Inlet is at the north east end of
Jervis Inlet, and the east side of
Queens Reach, and has a length of 6 km (3.7 mi), a width of 0.8 km (0.50 mi) and a depth of 179 m (587 ft).
Princess Royal Reach is the second arm of the
Jervis Inlet, between
Queens Reach and
Prince of Wales Reach, and has a length of 33 km (21 mi) and a maximum depth of 552 m (1,811 ft).
Sechelt Inlet is one of the principal inlets/fjords along the British Columbia Coast comprising
Narrows Inlet and
Salmon Inlet.[228] Sechelt Inlet (formerly Seechelt Inlet)[229]
A part of the fjord network, Seymour-Belize Inlet Complex (SBIC), located on the north coast of British Columbia. Seymour Inlet is one of the lesser travelled of the principal inlets/fjords of the British Columbia Coast and the main arm is 75 km (47 mi) long.
^Nasmith, Hugh (1962). Late glacial history and surficial deposits of the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Victoria, BC, Canada: BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
^Golden, L (1998–2008).
"The Prince Rupert Harbour Complex". Based on the book Title:"Biophysical Suitability of the North Coast and Queen Charlotte Islands Regions of British Columbia for Salmonid Farming in Net Cages" MAFF (1992). Retrieved 2008-11-09.