Smooth Island (Ontario)

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Smooth Island is an island in the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, in Ontario. [1]

Island Any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water

An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island in a river or a lake island may be called an eyot or ait, and a small island off the coast may be called a holm. A grouping of geographically or geologically related islands is called an archipelago, such as the Philippines.

Georgian Bay large bay of Lake Huron, Canada

Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To its northwest is the North Channel.

Lake Huron one of the Great Lakes of North America

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Geography

Smooth Island forms the southwestern side of the Minnicog Channel. The island is 0.2 miles (0.32 km) southwest of Minnicognashene Island. [2] It is approximately 180 metres (590 ft) above sea level. [3] Numerous shoals are in the vicinity of the island. [4]

Sea level Average level for the surface of the ocean at any given geographical position on the planetary surface

Mean sea level (MSL) is an average level of the surface of one or more of Earth's oceans from which heights such as elevation may be measured. MSL is a type of vertical datum – a standardised geodetic datum – that is used, for example, as a chart datum in cartography and marine navigation, or, in aviation, as the standard sea level at which atmospheric pressure is measured to calibrate altitude and, consequently, aircraft flight levels. A common and relatively straightforward mean sea-level standard is the midpoint between a mean low and mean high tide at a particular location.

Shoal A natural landform that rises from the bed of a body of water to near the surface and is covered by unconsolidated material

In oceanography, geomorphology, and earth sciences, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material, and rises from the bed of a body of water to near the surface. Often it refers to those submerged ridges, banks, or bars that rise near enough to the surface of a body of water as to constitute a danger to navigation. Shoals are also known as sandbanks, sandbars, or gravelbars. Two or more shoals that are either separated by shared troughs or interconnected by past or present sedimentary and hydrographic processes are referred to as a shoal complex.

Since 2012, Smooth Island has had a small bay with a sandy bottom. This bay has persistently low water levels. [5] The island is 1400 yards long and 350 yards wide. Its height is 20 yards. [4]

Sand A granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles, from 0.063 to 2 mm diameter

Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. It is defined by size, being finer than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of soil or soil type; i.e., a soil containing more than 85 percent sand-sized particles by mass.

Smooth Island has some sparse woods. [2] A bay on the island has dense populations of bulrushes, grasses, bushes, and reeds, which are able to grow there due to the low water levels. [5] There are a number of small rocks on the southeastern side of the island. Additionally, dry rocks extend almost 0.6 miles (0.97 km) beyond its northwestern edge. [2]

Forest dense collection of trees covering a relatively large area

A forest is a large area dominated by trees. Hundreds of more precise definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing and ecological function. According to the widely used Food and Agriculture Organization definition, forests covered 4 billion hectares (9.9×109 acres) (15 million square miles) or approximately 30 percent of the world's land area in 2006.

Bulrush species of plant

Bulrushes is the vernacular name for several large wetland grass-like plants in the sedge family (Cyperaceae).

Reed (plant) type of plant

Reed is a common name for several tall, grass-like plants of wetlands.

Some rocks near Smooth Island include Mohawk Rock and Skylark Rock. [4]

Coordinates: 44°53′42″N79°54′33″W / 44.8950000°N 79.9091666°W / 44.8950000; -79.9091666

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.

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Lake Michigan one of the Great Lakes of North America

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References

  1. ↑ Google Maps , retrieved December 22, 2014
  2. 1 2 3 Canadian Hydrographic Service (1977), Sailing Directions: Great Lakes, Volume 2, p. 153, retrieved December 22, 2014
  3. ↑ The Atlas of Canada - Toporama , retrieved December 22, 2014
  4. 1 2 3 United States Hydrographic Office, Sailing Directions for North Channel of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay , retrieved December 22, 2014
  5. 1 2 Doug Deeks (Spring 2012), News and Information from the Georgian Bay Association (PDF), p. 6, retrieved December 22, 2014
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