Ikatan Peninsula facts for kids
The Ikatan Peninsula is a cool piece of land that sticks out from the southeastern part of Unimak Island in Alaska. It's like a finger of land pointing into the ocean.
Contents
What is Ikatan Peninsula?
The Ikatan Peninsula is about 13 miles (21 kilometers) long. It has three main groups of mountains. Low areas of land separate these mountains and connect the peninsula to the rest of Unimak Island. These low areas stretch between different coves and bays, like West Anchor Cove, East Anchor Cove, Dora Harbor, Otter Cove, and Ikatan Bay.
Cape Pankof
At the very eastern tip of the Ikatan Peninsula is a place called Cape Pankof. On its southern side, the cape ends in three tall cliffs, with the highest one reaching about 1,200 feet (366 meters) high! But on the northern side, the land slopes gently down to a low strip of land between East and West Anchor Coves.
Interesting Water Features
There are several interesting spots around the peninsula:
- Pankof Breaker: This is a spot where waves break, located a little over 2 miles (3.2 km) from the entrance to East Anchor Cove.
- Bird Island: This island is about half a mile (0.8 km) wide and 750 feet (229 meters) high. It's very steep and rocky. Bird Island is about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the south coast of the peninsula, near Dora Harbor. A hidden reef connects the island to the land.
Safe Harbors and Coves
Sailors look for safe places to anchor their boats, and Ikatan Peninsula offers a few:
- East Anchor Cove: This is a large cove on the north side of Cape Pankof. It offers good shelter from bad weather.
- West Anchor Cove: This cove is on the other side of the cape. It's open to winds from the south. However, between East and West Anchor Coves, boats can usually find a safe spot no matter which way the wind is blowing.
- Dora Harbor: Located on the south side of the peninsula, this harbor has ledges along its shore. These ledges are partly uncovered when the tide is low.
- Otter Cove: This cove is at the northwest end of the peninsula. It's open to southerly winds and waves from the Pacific Ocean, so there's often a lot of surf here.
The Community of Ikatan
The small community of Ikatan is located on Unimak Island. It was named after this very peninsula!
