The Tlingit name for the narrow strait between the North Pacific and the Alexander Archipelago in southeast Alaska is Chatham Strait or Shee ya xhaak. Deep and narrow, the Chatham Strait is 240 kilometers long and has a long history of habitation by explorers and fur trappers. Baranof has many inlets and bays that lead deep into the island’s rough, rocky interior, perfect for keeping a look out for wildlife. To the south, you may be able to make out the abandoned whaling stations, salmon salteries and canneries, mines, and fish-meal plants that have been taken over by the forest.
It is the island’s bear population, however, that has brought Admiralty Island its greatest fame. About 1,500 to 1,700 brown bears call the island’s forested slopes, lakes, and rivers home. Wildlife such as pods of humpback whales feeding cooperatively, pods of killer whales swimming among icebergs, black and brown bears searching for food, sea otters lounging in the kelp, packs of rowdy Steller sea lions, soaring bald eagles, a verdant temperate rain forest, vibrant local communities, and so much more. Chatham Strait, Alaska’s land and seas gave us experiences we’ll never forget, rain or shine.
