Your letter of 29 March 1966 requested information on the use vessels of Alaska Steamship Company make of Shelikof Strait. The answers to your three questions follow.

1) Under what circumstances would our vessels utilize Shelikof Strait in proceeding from Seattle to Western Alaska?

Proceeding directly from Seattle to Western Alaska our vessels would probably not use Shelikof Strait. The only exceptions would be if an intermediate stop were scheduled at Yakutat, Prince William Sound, Seward, or Cook Inlet, or if the weather would be so severe as to drive the vessel to the north of Kodiak Island. The last is not likely as it is far off the course from Seattle to Western Alaska.

2) When one of our ships is destined for Western Alaska but with an intermediate stop at Kodiak, what route to the westward do you use upon leaving Kodiak---does the ship pass through Shelikof Strait or do you pass around the seaward side?

The answer to this would depend on the type ship and the weather. Generally the vessels would proceed around the seaward side and through Sitkinak Strait but if there were adverse weather reports our smaller 'knot' type ships would pass through Shelikof Strait. The larger 'liberty' type vessels (which are the regularly scheduled Kodiak-Adak ships) would also use Shelikof Strait but only if the weather were extremely adverse. The reason the liberty vessels are more hesitant to use Shelikof Strait is the

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necessity of traversing Whale Pass to get to Shelikof Strait. pass is narrow, twisting, and has relatively strong currents. liberty vessels are not as maneuverable as the knot vessels and consequently traverse the pass less often.

This

The

3) When one of our ships is coming from the westward with a stop at Anchorage, does it pass through Shelikof Strait or does it pass around the seaward side of Kodiak and then enter Cook Inlet?

The vessel would definitely use Shelikof Strait when proceeding to Anchorage or any port in Cook Inlet from the westward.

I hope these answers provide the information you sought. Please call on me if I can be of any further assistance.

I have your letter of 29 March regarding the routes taken by
Japanese ships to and from Alaska.

As a general rule, the Japanese ships travel the Great Circle route, skirting the Pacific side of the Aleutians. However, during the winter and severe weather - the ships will drop south and during the past winter we have had several ships that dropped down to 45° and one down to 35°. However, this is on

the unusual side.

As to Shelikof Strait, when the ships are bound for Anchorage,
this pass is usually used; and, we have had tankers from the
Orient, bound for Nikiski, use this Strait as it saves time.
If, as and when the chip mill gets into operation at Homer and
the gas reduction plant gets into operation, you will see more
and more Japanese ships calling on Cook Inlet and you may be
certain they will chart the shortest possible course. To travel
on the outside of Kodiak Island requires additional steaming
time.

I trust this information will be of some benefit to you, as
well as to the Coast & Geodetic Survey.

Part of a Map of Krenitsin and Levashev's Voyage to the
Fox Islands in 1768 and 1769

"Published April 13th 1780 according to Act of Parliamt. by T. Cadell in the Strand.
T. Kitchin Sen" sculpsit." From William Coxe, Account of the Russian Discoveries
between Asia and America (London, 1780). The part of the map that is not reproduced
shows Kamchatka, the Commander Islands, the "Eastern Ocean" from the Commander
Islands to the Fox Islands, with the courses of Krenitsin and Levashev. No islands are
represented between the Commander Islands and the Fox Islands.

Source: Masterson, J. R., Bering's Successors 1745-1780

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