Pleasant Island (Alaska) facts for kids
Pleasant Island is the biggest island in a place called Icy Strait in Southeast Alaska. It's located between Chichagof Island and the mainland. This island is near the town of Gustavus and the community of Excursion Inlet. Pleasant Island is quite large, covering about 49 square kilometers (19 square miles). No one lives on the island, and it has been uninhabited since at least 2000.
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Exploring the Wilderness
Pleasant Island is part of a special protected area called the Pleasant/Lemesurier/Inian Islands Wilderness. This wilderness area covers about 23,151-acre (93.69 km2) and is found in Icy Strait, within the Tongass National Forest. It includes three main islands and several smaller ones nearby.
Getting to the Islands
You can reach this wilderness area by boat, kayak, or even a float plane. It's a great place for adventurers!
What Makes Pleasant Island Special?
Pleasant Island is pretty flat. It has a mix of very old trees, called old-growth forest, and open, boggy areas known as muskeg. There are a couple of small lakes you can hike to from the shore. The island also has many nice beaches, perfect for small boats or kayaks to land. Many people enjoy camping here. Pleasant Island is only a few miles from Gustavus, Alaska, and the famous Glacier Bay National Park. Kayakers often stop at Pleasant Island for lunch or to camp overnight when they are traveling to or from the park.
Discovering Lemesurier Island
Lemesurier Island is to the west of Pleasant Island. It looks very different because it rises high out of Icy Strait, reaching about 2,180 feet (660 m) above the sea. The very top of this island doesn't have forests; instead, it's a sub-alpine area, which means it's like a mountain environment below the treeline. There's one small lake on the south side of the island that you can hike to from the shore. You'll find several nice beaches around the south and north sides of Lemesurier Island. These spots are good for small boats or kayaks to land, and they are also popular for camping.
The Inian Islands and Their Challenges
The lnian Islands are even further west, closer to the big Pacific Ocean. Because of their location, they get strong waves and winds from the open ocean. This group of about six small islands offers a safe place for boats to hide from the rough seas, winds, and strong tides between the open ocean and Icy Strait.
However, you need to be careful when traveling through the narrow passages between these islands. One famous spot is called the "laundry chute." It's named that because your boat can be pulled through this pass very quickly during certain tides!
Amazing Marine Life
Icy Strait is like a highway for a lot of ocean water that flows through to places like Chatham Strait and Lynn Canal. The higher the tides, the more water moves through. Even though this can make planning boat trips tricky, it's also why there is so much amazing marine life in Icy Strait!
This area is one of the best places in Southeast Alaska to watch for marine mammals. You can often see many humpback whales and orca (killer whales) here. You might also spot seals, Steller sea lions, sea otters, and porpoises. Near the shores, you can see lots of sea and land birds, including murrelets, gulls, terns, and bald eagles.
Island Animals
The islands are home to many animals. You might see brown bears, Sitka black-tailed deer, marten, mink, land otters, and red squirrels. There are also birds like ptarmigan and grouse. In the 1920s, the Inian Islands were used for fox farms. Today, their harbors are still used by commercial fishing boats.
Facilities and Trails
It's important to know that there are no public cabins, shelters, or marked trails on these islands. This means visitors should be prepared to be self-sufficient and know how to navigate in the wilderness.
