Baffin Bay pack ice. Winds are predominantly north-western through the whole year. South-eastern and eastern winds are common in July and August. Between May and July (sometimes April), a significant portion of navigable open water (polynya) forms at the extreme north of the bay, presumably due to the relatively warm Greenland Current. With an area of about in summer, it is the largest polynya of the Canadian Arctic and covers the Smith Sound between the Ellesmere Island and Greenland. This polynya has a stable position and existed for at least 9,000 years. It was first described in 1616 by William Baffin and
Seal Island (Investigator Strait) Seal Island (Investigator Strait) Seal Island is an island located in Investigator Strait off the south coast of Yorke Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia about south south-west of Stenhouse Bay. Since 1972, it has been part of the Althorpe Islands Conservation Park. Seal Island is about south south-west of Stenhouse Bay. It is described as an ‘elevated hump’ rising to a height of with a series of ‘segmented islets’ at its west side. Seal Island is reported as being best accessed via its north coast and during the ‘calmest weather’. A number of sources consider Seal Island