Hermitage Channel

The Hermitage Channel is a deep underwater passage off Newfoundland's southern coast, leading towards Hermitage Bay and Bay d'Espoir. It separates Burgeo Bank from St. Pierre Bank and connects the coastal inlets with the Laurentian Channel. Warm, salty deep water enters from offshore beneath a colder layer, although underwater sills restrict its passage into the fjords. Above it, islands and steep shores shelter the bays from the open Atlantic.