Lake Melville

Where is Lake Melville?

Countries on its shores: Canada.

Middle of the lake: 53.68° N, 59.72° W

The story behind it

Lake Melville reaches about 140 km inland from the Atlantic coast of Labrador, through Hamilton Inlet. Because it is linked to the ocean, the water rises and falls with the tides. Big rivers such as the Churchill and the Naskaupi pour fresh water into it. This light fresh water floats on top, while heavier salty water stays down below. In some places the lake is very deep; one study measured up to 256 metres. From December to May the surface is covered with ice. To the south rise the Mealy Mountains. The biggest town on the shore is Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where an air base was built in 1941. Other villages are North West River, Sheshatshiu and Rigolet, and a ferry links some of them. Inuit and Innu have lived here for a very long time; the Innu call the water Atatshuinapek.

Find it on the globe

Lake Melville is there as a small blue dot with its name, right on the water. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.

It sits at its real coordinates, not near them — the same numbers listed in the facts above. Switch off the layer for this kind of place and it disappears again; the buttons for that are down the right-hand edge.