Sir Charles Hamilton Sound, which has been shortened to and is more commonly known as Hamilton

Sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by ...

, is a body of water on the northeast coast of the island of

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

, between Fogo Island and the mainland to the south, and including (from west to east) Gander Bay, Dog Bay and Rocky Bay. The western half of ''Hamilton Sound'' is dotted with a number of islands, with the largest group being the

Indian Islands Indian Island can refer to several places: Populated places * Indian Island, Washington, an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Washington state * Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, near Old Town, Maine, known colloquially as Indian I ...

. At the east end of ''Hamilton Sound'' lie the Wadham Islands. The Gander River is the largest rivers to empty into ''Hamilton Sound'' through Gander Bay. The native peoples of Newfoundland, the

Beothuk The Beothuk ( or ; also spelled Beothuck) were a group of indigenous people who lived on the island of Newfoundland. Beginning around AD 1500, the Beothuk culture formed. This appeared to be the most recent cultural manifestation of peoples w ...

, is presumed to have used the Gander River to gain access to the rich bird population on the many islands that dot ''Hamilton Sound''. The sound and many of the bays that make up ''Hamilton Sound'', was first frequented by Europeans in the eighteenth century. By the late 1700s the salmon fishery was very well established and operated by Trinity-Poole merchants such as Benjamin Lester and Thomas Street. During the 1820s when many of the bays were being settled ''Hamilton Sound'' was named after Sir Charles Hamilton who had served as Commodore Governor from 1818 to 1825. The many communities in and around ''Hamilton Sound'' was largely settled in the period from 1840 to 1870 by settlers from Fogo in the western section and in the eastern section in communities such as

Musgrave Harbour Musgrave Harbour is a town and designated place in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. History Musgrave Harbour is a fishing community that was originally named Muddy Hole. The name was changed in 1886 in honor of Governor Ant ...

settlers arrived from

Bonavista Bay Bonavista Bay (BB) is a large bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. It opens directly onto the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is demarcated by Cape Freels to the north ...

and Conception Bay areas. Hamilton Sound was used to name the ferry which travelled the route from

Farewell Farewell or fare well is a parting phrase. The terms may also refer to: Places * Farewell, Missouri, a community in the United States * Farewell and Chorley, a location in the United Kingdom near Lichfield, site of the former Farewell Priory Fil ...

Change Islands Change Islands is an outport community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The community spans two small islands of the same name which lie off the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland between Notre Dame Bay and the L ...

and Fogo Island. It was a 387-ton vessel built in Quebec in 1968. After decommissioning from the ferry run and sold in 2015 it was then named Norcon Galatea.

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