The Aleutian Islands
The most remote archipelago in the Northern Hemisphere
An arc of islands between two worlds
The Aleutian Islands form an arc of more than 200 islands stretching 1,100 miles (1,770 km) from the Alaska Peninsula westward, well into the eastern hemisphere. They mark the northern boundary of the Pacific Basin, which covers a third of the planet’s surface.
“The Aleutian arc is one of the most remarkable physiographic features on Earth. Its suboceanic trench extends from Kamchatka to the Gulf of Alaska.” — Scientific geological description
Far from being a frigid, remote edge of the Earth, this arc of islands connects vital expanses. It is the dividing chain between the cold Bering Sea (the third largest sea in the world) and the warmer North Pacific Ocean.
Ulak Island
The San Patrick was wrecked on the islet of Ulak, in the Delarof Islands, in the central area of the Aleutians.
Wreck coordinates
| Transmitted (09:10 AKST): | 51°20′N 179°05′W |
| Actual position (USCG): | 51°18.7′N 178°57.8′W |
| Specific point: | Hasgar Point |
| Island group: | Delarof Islands |
Approximate distances
| To Adak (USCG base): | ~150 km |
| To Amchitka: | ~100 km |
| To Anchorage: | ~2,150 km |
| To Bilbao: | ~9,500 km |
An unforgiving sea
The waters of the Aleutians are considered among the most dangerous in the world for navigation. The convergence of currents, the extreme weather and the treacherous geography have sunk hundreds of vessels.
Hurricane-force winds
Williwaws: katabatic winds that can exceed 160 km/h without warning, characteristic of the Aleutians.
Treacherous currents
The exchange between the Bering Sea and the Pacific generates unpredictable currents in the passes between the islands.
Zero visibility
Persistent fog, horizontal rain and snow reduce visibility to a few metres for much of the year.
Freezing waters
Water temperature between 2°C and 7°C. Survival in the water without proper gear is measured in minutes.
Rocky shores
Vertical cliffs, submerged rocks and no beaches. There are no natural shelters.
Total isolation
No overland communications, safe ports hundreds of kilometres away, air rescue limited by the weather.
The Aleut people
The Aleutian Islands have been inhabited for at least 2,500 years by the Aleut people (Unangan), who developed a maritime culture extraordinarily adapted to this hostile environment.
Mythology
According to Aleut tradition, the island of Umnak was the place where the Aleuts descended from the heavens. Each island had its own heroes and guardian spirits.
Adaptation
The Aleuts developed kayaks (baidarkas), techniques for hunting marine mammals and waterproof clothing that allowed them to survive where others perished.
The naturalist John Muir described the region as “remarkably interesting, with its warm, eager, sentient wildlife”. Other scientists have called it a “region of gigantism” for the exceptional size of its fauna.
Military importance
The strategic position of the Aleutians made them the setting for military operations during the Second World War and the Cold War.
Main islands of the archipelago
The Aleutians are divided into several island groups. The San Patrick was wrecked in the Delarof Islands, the central group of the archipelago.