About the Port
Beechey Island lies at the eastern threshold of the Northwest Passage, a low, gravel-strewn outcrop joined to Devon Island by a narrow spit in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. It is best known as the 1845-46 wintering site of Sir John Franklin's ill-fated expedition, marked by three weathered wooden headboards that stand as one of the Arctic's most evocative historical sites. The surrounding waters of Lancaster Sound, known in Inuktitut as Tallurutiup Imanga, are prized for their concentration of seabirds, seals, and whales.
Landings here are made by small boat, as no pier or settlement exists on this remote shore, and conditions depend entirely on ice and weather. Travelers walk among the graves and the ruins of a supply depot, surrounded by stark cliffs and gravel plains that convey the isolation faced by nineteenth-century explorers. The visit offers a quiet, reflective counterpoint to the grandeur of the wider Arctic landscape.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Beechey Island.
Visit the Franklin Graves
Stand before the three weathered headboards marking crew members of Franklin's 1845-46 expedition, one of the Arctic's most haunting historical sites. Reached only by Zodiac landing, weather permitting.
Walk the Supply Depot Ruins
Wander the scattered remains of the depot left by later search expeditions, scraps of timber and metal against gravel plains that underscore the isolation early explorers endured.
Scan Lancaster Sound for Wildlife
Keep watch offshore for seabirds, seals, and whales moving through Tallurutiup Imanga's rich waters, best spotted from the ship or during the small-boat approach to shore.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Beechey Island
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 2026 | HX | MS Roald Amundsen | 25 | $23,436 | |
| Aug 14, 2026 | HX | MS Fridtjof Nansen | 25 | $22,423 | |
| Aug 14, 2026 | HX | MS Fridtjof Nansen | 25 | $22,423 | |
| Sep 2, 2026 | HX | MS Roald Amundsen | 20 | $15,087 | |
| Sep 3, 2026 | Swan Hellenic | SH Vega | 14 | $9,425 | |
| Aug 22, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Wind | 20 | $29,880 |