January 23

He began his seafaring career in the merchant navy before joining Arctic expeditions in the early 17th century. In 1612, he explored the waters near Greenland and later undertook two voyages in search of the Northwest Passage. During his 1616 voyage, he charted a vast inlet now known as Baffin Bay, extending European knowledge of the Arctic. His precise navigational skills and journal entries provided valuable data for future explorers. Later, he served aboard a fleet seeking a maritime route to the East Indies and the Persian Gulf. He was lost at sea in 1622, leaving behind a legacy celebrated by cartographers and navigators.