Isanotski Strait

The village of False Pass, Alaska on Isanotski Strait

Isanotski Strait is a strait connecting the northern Gulf of Alaska with the Bering Sea, in the U.S. state of Alaska. Isanax̂ (variously spelled Issannakh, Isanak etc.) is the Aleut name for present day Isanotski Strait, and means gap, hole, rent, or tear in the Aleut language which was rendered as Isanotski (or Issanakskie, Isanotskoi, Isanakh etc.) in transliterated Russian. The strait appears as Исанакъ in 1802 and Исаноцкый in 1844 on Russian maps.[1][2][3]

The strait is used by most vessels that are less than 200 feet (61 m) in length, when traveling between northern Alaska and points in southwestern and southeastern Alaska and the "lower 48" states.[4] The city of False Pass, Alaska is situated on Isanotski Strait.[5]

Ikatan Bay in foreground, with entrance to Isanotski Strait in background.
  1. ^ Vilbrekht, A.: Karta morskikh otkrytīi Rosīiskimi moreplavateliami na Tikhom i Ledovitom moriakh, 1802, Norris Peter Co., Washington, D.C., 1898, L.C.
  2. ^ Karta Ledovitago moria i Vostochnago okeana, Hydrographic Department, St. Petersburg?, 1844, L.C.
  3. ^ Baker, Marcus: Geographic Dictionary of Alaska, United States Geological Survey, Bulletin No. 299, Series F, Geography 52, Second Edition, USGPO, Washington, 1906
  4. ^ Black, Lydia (1999). The History and Ethnohistory of the Aleutians East Borough, Chapter 4: False Pass, An Ethnography, by Lydia Black & Jerry Jacka. Fairbanks, Alaska: Limestone Press.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference SurveyJarvis1900 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).