Who Discovered the Northwest Passage? Roald Amundsen's Historic Voyage

The Northwest Passage—a sea route through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago connecting the Atlantic and Pacific—was first successfully navigated by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen.

The Expedition (1903–1906)

• Ship: Gjøa (47-ton converted herring boat, shallow draft)
• Crew: 6 men
• Route: Baffin Bay → Lancaster Sound → Peel Sound → James Ross Strait → Rae Strait → Simpson Strait → Queen Maud Gulf → Coronation Gulf → Amundsen Gulf → Beaufort Sea → Pacific
• Wintering: Two winters at Gjoa Haven (King William Island), where Amundsen learned Inuit survival skills and conducted magnetic observations.

Significance

Amundsen proved the passage existed but was impractical for commercial shipping due to ice. His meticulous preparation, small crew, and Inuit collaboration contrasted with the disastrous Franklin Expedition (1845). The route became seasonally navigable only in the 21st century due to Arctic warming.