James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. It borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Islands within the bay (the largest of which is Akimiski Island) are part of Nunavut. The James Bay watershed is the site of several major hydroelectric projects, and is also a destination for river-based recreation. Several communities are located near or alongside James Bay, including a number of Aboriginal communities such as the Kashechewan First Nation and the Crees of northern Quebec.
The eastern shores of the bay form the western edge of the Canadian Shield in Quebec. As such, the terrain here is rocky and hilly with boreal forest. The western shore is characterized by broad tundra lowlands that are an extension of the Hudson Bay Lowland. Its vegetation is mostly muskeg (a soil type (also a peatland or wetland type called a bog) common in arctic and boreal areas. Muskeg consists of dead plants in various states of decomposition (i.e., peat), ranging from fairly intact sphagnum moss, to sedge peat, to highly decomposed muck). A large portion of this area is part of the Polar Bear Provincial Park.
Hundreds of rivers flow into James Bay. The geography of the area gives many of them similar characteristics. They tend to be wide and shallow near the Bay (in the James Bay Lowlands), whereas they are steeper and narrower further upstream (as they pour off the Canadian Shield).
The shores of James Bay are extremely sparsely populated. On the eastern shore there are nine coastal communities belonging to the Crees, the indigenous people of the region.
Many of the rivers flowing into James Bay are popular destinations for wilderness canoe trippers. Among the more popular rivers are:
Albany River (Ontario)
Moose River (Ontario)
Missinaibi River - recognized as a Canadian Heritage River
Broadback River (Quebec)
Rupert River (Quebec) - to be diverted in 2007 for hydro-electric development
The Harricana River flows into James Bay several miles east of Moosonee, so anyone wishing to take this route must allow about 2 days to cross the bay, an extremely dangerous proposition if the tides and the weather are against you.
The bay first came to the attention of Europeans in 1610, when Henry Hudson entered it during his exploration of the larger bay that bears his name. James Bay itself received its name in honour of Thomas James, an English captain who explored the area more thoroughly in 1631.
