Marine Exchange of Alaska

St. George Island, the southernmost of the Pribilof Islands, consists mainly of high volcanic hills and ridges, and its entire coast is a precipitous cliff except for a few miles on the N side and short intervals at Garden Cove and Zapadni Bay. The E and W extremities of the island, Tolstoi Point and Dalnoi Point, are bold promontories. High Bluffs, on the N side of the island, 1,012 feet high, is a prominent landmark and is visible from St. Paul Island, a distance of nearly 40 miles, on a clear day.

St. George Harbor, on the SE side of Zapadni Bay, is the only harbor on St. George Island. The channel is dredged and in 1993-2002, had a controlling depth of 17 feet. The entrance is protected by breakwaters and marked by a 076° lighted range and daybeacons. The N breakwater is marked by a light. There are two docks on the E side of the basin; N dock is 60 feet and S dock is 75 feet, both with 19 feet alongside and staging areas. An additional 250 feet of moorage is provided by dolphins on theWside with 22 feet alongside. The harbormaster assigns berths (telephone 907-859-2263) and monitors VHF-FM channels 16 and 12.Water, sewage pumpout, a boat ramp, and marine supplies are available. The harbor is owned and operated by the village of St. George. Anchorage can be had at North Anchorage, Garden Cove, and Zapadni Bay, according to the direction of the wind; the anchorages are poor except with the wind directly off the land. At a distance generally not greater than 2 miles from the island the depth of the water is but little less than the surrounding sea, and in thick weather it is not safe to depend upon soundings for picking up the land unless sure of the position. Vessels should not approach the island in less than 12 fathoms of water. There are no outlying dangers except the rock awash 0.6 mile NE of East Landing, and the small reefs at Zapadni Bay and North Anchorage. A rocky shoal, covered 1¾ fathoms, is 9.3 miles 078° from Tolstoi Point.

The anchorage in Zapadni Bay, on the SW side of the island, in 10 fathoms, affords shelter with winds from ENE to NNW. A reef extends about 0.2 mile offshore S of the anchorage. With N winds, a landing may sometimes be made at Garden Cove S of Tolstoi Point, on the sand beach. The anchorage affords shelter from NW winds, but with the exception of a small area the bottom is rocky.
Currents: In the open water the tidal current is rotary, turning clockwise. Along the N and S shores of the island the current in general sets E on the flood and W on the ebb. The largest velocity observed over a period of about 6 days in July and August was about 1.5 knots.
With opposing wind and current, tide rips occur off Tolstoi and Dalnoi Points. These rips are not heavy enough to be of any consequence, except that to strangers they appear to be breakers. The water is deep off both points, which can be passed close-to with safety. The approach to North Anchorage is marked by a private marker about 0.5 mile N of St. George. The most prominent landmarks in the village of St. George are the white roofs of the quadrangle of sheds, low down at the water’s edge. The roofs loom up first through the fog. Also conspicuous is a tight group of
buildings on the slope and ridge back from the beach. Most easily identified is the Russian Orthodox church whose bell tower has a green onion-shaped roof topped by a white St. Andrew’s cross.

Vessels should keep the street which extends through the village bearing 164°. Good anchorage will be found about 700 yards from the landing. There is swinging room for a 400-foot vessel riding to 45 fathoms of chain. The landing is a square block of reinforced concrete
next to a cutting in the rocks. The area around the landing, and for about 75 feet to seaward, practically bares at extreme low water. The landing can be used by small shallow-draft boats 3 hours on either side of high water. A launching ramp is at North Anchorage. East Landing, just NE of the village, is better protected from a W swell. A ledge awash is a short distance off the landing. If desired, a boat will come out to anchored vessels when landing is practicable.

Local magnetic disturbance: Differences of as much as 11° from the normal variation
have been observed on St. George Island.

Pilotage,St.George: Pilotage, except for certain exempted vessels, is compulsory for all vessels navigating the waters of the State of Alaska. The Bering Sea is served by the Alaska Marine Pilots.
The U.S. Public Health Service maintains a Native Health Services clinic in the village of St. George.
Communications: St. George Airport provides air services four times a week. Peninsula Airways Aircraft Charter will provide air transportation in an emergency.