Mabel Island is an uninhabited island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is about long and wide. The closest community is Cambridge Bay, away by air or sea.
The island has a small harbour on its north coast, but the rest of it is covered with a tundra vegetation. The island is administered by Iqaluit as part of Qikiqtani mangajavit (“the area between the Coppermine and Humboldt Currents”). There is no settlement on Mabel Island, but it has a weather station.
Contents
All About Of Mabel Island
History
Mabel Island was first documented in 1821 by Captain George Back, who named it for his wife Mabel. The island did not see any human activity until the 1930s, when a small number of seals were hunted there.
In 1955, a party led by Gordon Wilcox landed on the island to establish an Arctic research station; however they could not stay long because of weather conditions and lack of food. In 1984, Iqaluit bought the island from its owners, the Mattamy family.
Climate
Mabel Island has a subarctic climate, with very cold winters and mild summers. The climate of Mabel Island is close to the average between all numbers in Nunavut in terms of annual mean temperature.
But due to its position at the end of “the zone”, it has long and cold winters. The warmest month is July with a daily mean temperature which only reaches .
In January 2008, temperatures dropped below for two nights without snow falling; this type falls under arctic conditions as far south as ), although even mid- summers, there is never more than of snow every year.
Heavy falls occur only on the 3rd to 5th days in September when warm fronts from Quebec traveling up over Hudson Bay drive cold air across southern Nunavut and put temperatures below , although they rarely fall as low as.
Culture
Mabel Island is uninhabited, so there is no human culture on the island. Mabel Island is home to a weather station operated by Iqaluit. In 1999 Mabel Island was host to a small satellite weather station run by the British.
The island had no permanent human inhabitants at that time; this is because housing in Iqaluit was still being built, so buildings were not yet finished when Back established its name on February 1st 1821.
Politics
Mabel Island is part of Iqaluit, a Canadian territory in the Arctic. The island has no municipalities or political subdivisions other than Nunavut’s regional constituencies and the mainland municipal district of Iqaluit.
The nearest Canadian Provincial electoral district, Hudson Bay is in northern Manitoba. Mabel Island is in the Minto electoral district.
Government Services
The Canadian Coast Guard operates a weather station on the island. Telephone service was only established in Iqaluit in 1996 and is provided by Telus Searchlight.
There is no permanent population, so there are no hospitals or other government services available on Mabel Island. Postal services are provided by Canada Post branded postage stamps that cannot be purchased in Nunavut, even as a souvenir.
Tourism
Mabel Island is uninhabited, so there are no tourist attractions on the island. The only industries located on Mabel Island are the weather station, and a small coastal research project.
Since there is no permanent human population on Mabel Island during summer months due to construction of new housing in Iqaluit, there have never been many buildings or roads made not suitable for tourism without exposing workers to extreme cold including winter.
Transport
There is no regular transportation to or from Mabel Island. The only means of getting there are by plane, helicopter, or boat. In the early 1900s, Mabel Island was called Tom Black’s Point and in 1913 it was renamed after Colonel Thomas Broun.
The island wasn’t named for its colour until 1941, when a group of artists from British Columbia joined up to bring home money by painting itself green.
Cuisine
Since there is no permanent population on Mabel Island, the cuisine is limited to supplies brought in by helicopter or boat. The only food available on Mabel Island are cold packs and sandwiches. City-level representation
No City services are available on Mabel Island. There is no permanent government presence due to seasonal construction of new housing in Iqaluit for people working at CFB Igloos or the North Star Mine, as well as snowmobilers from across Nunavut using Mabel Island during winter months before moving to Pond Inlet.
Wildlife
There is no wildlife on Mabel Island, as it is uninhabited. This includes polar bears and whale watching boats from the south.
Visitors who do come onto Mabel Island to capture a polar bear or glimpse a breaching humpback cannot bring their own vehicles, aircrafts, fuel oil products of any kind as they are subject to stringent park regulations related with transportation within Uqqurmiit National Park Reserve such as use of snowmobiles in prohibited areas and consumption on established trails.
Conclusion
Mabel Island is a small, uninhabited island located in the middle of the Detroit River. The island was first discovered by French explorers in 1701 and was named for the wife of General James Robertson, one of the first explorers to explore the area.
The island became a popular spot for fishermen in the 1800s, but saw a decrease in activity starting in the 1940s.
In 1967, the island was purchased by businessman John R. Fisher for $1 million and began to be developed into a residential destination. Today, Mabel Island is home to luxury residences, a golf course, and a marina.
FAQs
1.What Is The Climate Like On Mabel Island?
Ans: The climate on Mabel Island is characterized by cold, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The highest wind speed ever recorded on the island was 109 mph.
2.How Far Is Mabel Island From Other Communities?
Ans: The closest community to Mabel Island is Cambridge Bay: away by air or sea. Other settlements include Tuktoyaktuk and Rankin Inlet, which are also around .
3.How Many People Live On Mabel Island?
Ans: Tens of thousands more people than can stand on the island at one time. Construction is expected to begin for about 40 luxury residences in 2016 by developer Dreamcatcher Management Ltd.,and units are projected to be completed in 2018, with a maximum market value of over $1 million each.
The first 10 homes range from 3 bedrooms (595 sq ft) to 5 baths (745 sq feet). Two other residences have received 3.5-star reviews with a 575 sq ft interior, and another has been fully renovated (1 bath) at 641 sq feet.
4.What Are The Community Facilities Like?
Ans: Several area services provide residents with internet service, satellite TV reception, cell phone reception and access to doctors if necessary.
The post office is expecting settlement by fall 2016 of these new homes on three dockside developments; an early prep school ; a new community centre; and several water system services.
5.How Many People Are Involved?
Ans: 15,000 to 30,000 (it depends on what’s happening). We can say it will be over 20-25K because we have a lot of Canadians who fly from Edmonton and Seattle.
It is more than just Inuit since there are other foreign workers going thir too; also most shops asking for Chinese/Russian customers now .
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