Henry Hudson was an English explorer and navigator who explored parts of the Arctic Ocean and northeastern North America. The Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay are all named for him. His several voyages were commissioned either to search for a "Northeast Passage" or a "Northwest Passage" to the Orient.
On his fourth voyage, under the auspices of a group of London merchants, later to be known as "The Adventurers," Hudson set out to look for a Northwest Passage to the Orient. His ship, the Discovery, entered Hudson Strait in June 1610. Upon reaching the western end of the strait, he passed between the islands and the mainland, naming the headlands Cape Digges and Cape Wolstenholme. Hudson then continued along southwards to the head of James Bay, but found no outlet to the Pacific. There the Discovery was frozen in, with the crew becoming the first Europeans to "winter" in the Canadian Arctic. In the spring Hudson's crew mutinied, and he, his son, and a few men were set adrift in a small boat, presumably perishing soon after. Of the crew only eight made it back to England, but their reports of giant tides in Hudson Strait flowing from the west and reaching heights of more than 20 feet, were brought back to England. This led the "Adventurers" to the conclusion that the Northwest Passage lay west or northwest of Digges Islands.
Or so they thought. In reality, Hudson had formed the BB team, the AAA, and was hiding out until he could return and join them.