Lloyd Island is a small and uninhabited island located in the middle of the Hudson Strait within the Canadian province of Nunavut. The island is a part of the Tuktoyaktuk River delta, and is located about 430 kilometres northeast of Cape Dorset, Nunavut. The island is an important nesting site for seabirds, including the hooded seal, harpy eagle, and ivory gull.
Contents
All Discussion Of Lloyd Island
History
The island was first mentioned by cartographers in 1616 as part of the French colony of New France. The first European to visit it was François Baudin, who named it “Ile de la Cloche” after his ship’s anchor. In 1825 Hudson Bay Company fur trader Peter Skene Ogden charted and named the island “Lloyd Island” in honor of English colonial governor George Lloyd.
The population on the island dropped from five residents in the late 1940s to a mere sixteen by mid-1950. In 1982, Canadian industrialist Edward Gurney and two others developed “Lloyd Island Resort” for holidays and tours of Canada’s Arctic islands.
Climate
The climate of Lloyd Island is Arctic tundra. Precipitation averages just over 130 mm a year, with most falling in the winter months. Annual temperature averages varies between -3 C and 0 C, with lows reaching to as low as -29 C. The rainy season is from June through September in which snow mixes with water droplets on the ground during fall.
Culture
Lloyd Island’s culture is Inuit. The island has a shaman, who can perform spirit quests and heal injuries. Lloyd Island is situated at the northern rim of an undeveloped and largely uninhabited portion of Melville Bay, about north-northwest of Dufresne Rock. Lloyd Island stretches for with two small peaks rising above it: Lawson Peak () in the west and Townsend Hill () east.
The island lies between Cape Dorset, Nunavut’s most easterly point , to its west across Hudson Strait by boat , and Anvik Island to its east by boat.Due north of Lloyd is Minto Inlet, which separates the island from Bylot Island across Hudson Strait; both are part of the Arctic Ocean.
Politics
Lloyd Island has been under the jurisdiction of the Qiniq Borough, Northwest Territories since its establishment in 1996. Prior to that it was part of Cape Dorset Municipality which also includes Adams Lake and Baker Lake. Population: 18 as at 2012.
Since settlement and through the island’s history there have been only a handful of people that call Lloyd Island home; they are descended from native families that came across with the Hudson Bay Company (HBC) to serve their 20 year contracts in the fur trade during its most prominent period of profitability, between 1770-1822.
Government services
There is no permanent population on Lloyd Island. Services are provided by the Qiniq Borough and/or emergency response from Nunavut’s Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. There is no habeas corpus on Lloyd Island.
Whale-viewing opportunities take place from the shoreline, but viewing does not involve a boat (there are no caribou or other large mammals to be seen here). Two bird species that may be spotted at times reside in the vicinity: Arctic tern and Hudsonian godwit.
Tourism
The island’s limited infrastructure means that tourism is not a major industry. However, visitors who arrive by boat can experience the solitude and beauty of this remote Arctic island.
The island is also a fine place to spot beluga whales as they cruise through the channels. No fishing is permitted on the island. Only subsistence and regulated hunting by registered hunters can be practiced in certain areas during designated hours every day of the year without a permit.
Transport
The only transport available to visitors is by boat. A small dock provides access for vessels of up to 12 meters in length, but larger boats must travel around the island via the two channels. Vessels approaching the island must verify their position using a GPS nearby and obey all local traffic laws.
Lloyd Island is connected to Canada only by land, which can be traversed on foot thanks to its 1 km long boardwalk.
Cuisine
There is no permanent population on Lloyd Island, so the only food available comes from wild game that can be hunted or caught. Domestic chicken and eggs are not available.
The most important traditional dish is probably seal meat (particularly blubber), but other items such as whale, caribou, gull and whitefish can also be found on the island’s menu.
Wildlife
Lloyd Island is home to a wide variety of Arctic wildlife, including beluga whales, Arctic tern and Hudsonian godwit. The island’s remoteness means that sightings are not always guaranteed, but visitors who visit during the right season may be lucky enough to spot these creatures in their natural habitat. Remarks
The Lonesome, Arctic Island Belugas’ annual meeting is held every summer on Lloyd Island. Visitors are invited to bring gifts of food and other recreational activities for the whales during their stay here from July till mid-August.
The 2006 meeting brought more than 700 visitors who enjoyed a campfire singalong with beluga speakers – along with ample finger foods given to Mallory’s merry guests! When all was said and done , roughly half of the visitors were with Mallory, while the other half happened to be on Lloyd Island.
Conclusion
Lloyd Island is a small uninhabited island located in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River, approximately 100 kilometers north-east of Quebec City, in Canada. The island is part of the Regional County Municipality of Pontiac.
FAQ
1.What Is The Population Of Lloyd Island?
Ans: There is no permanent population on Lloyd Island, as it is an uninhabited island. However, there are a number of seabirds that make the island their home, including the hooded seal, harpy eagle, and ivory gull. As such, it is likely that the populations of these birds fluctuate depending on prevailing conditions.
2.What Climate Does Lloyd Island Have?
Ans: Lloyd Island has a continental climate, which is characterized by cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature on Lloyd island has slightly decreased over the past 40 years due to global warming.
3.How Far Away Is Lloyd Island From Any Other Populated Areas?
Ans: The closest major city (Burin) lies 85 kilometres away in Quantaykalik Baye Inuit Settlement Region; as such, it will take an hour or so to get there by kayak.
4.What Type Of Wildlife Can I See On Lloyd Island?
Ans: The hooded seal (or common seal) and harpy eagle are the main animals that make their home on Lloyd Island, in addition to some roe deer, birdsnests and likely other wildlife species that do not stay year-long or return each year once spotted occasionally at nearby Puffin Lake (an inland lake near Burin ).
5.What Type Of Wildlife Can I Find In The Surrounding Area?
Ans: The large expanses of frozen sea ice that cover this northern part of Canada make it a great place to seek out some arctic wildlife such as polar bears, walruses and whales. However, Lloyd Island is not located on or close to sections or coasts designated by federal legislation as important mammal areas (such as Porcupine caribou, marine mammals & seabirds; or polar bear) so the likelihood of finding such animals is low.
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