Coral Harbour

Coral Harbour is a small Inuit community that is located on Southampton Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Its name is derived from the fossilized coral that can be found around the waters of the community and the name of the settlement in Inuktitut is Salliq which means flat.

The only way to reach this community is by plane and the main transportation on the island itself (nearly the same size as Switzerland) is by snowmobile and dog sleigh. The sea is frozen from November until July and is then travelled upon by snowmobile.

Coral Harbour is one of the best places in Nunavut to see marine wildlife. The nearby Coates Island is a resting place for colonies of walruses. Two bird sanctuaries, the East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary and the Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary are a must for bird watchers. Thousands of snow geese, as well as tundra swans, sandhill cranes and other species migrate to the area in spring. Local outfitters offer boat tours to view the wildlife in the area.

Coral Harbour is the only Nunavut community that does not observe Daylight Saving Time, remaining on Eastern Standard Time year-round.