410 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 9, Chapter 8 19 SEP 2021 178°W 174°W 170°W 166°W 162°W 158°W KOTZEBUE SOUND T I A R R USSIA T S G 16190 N I R E B Cape Rodney 16206 Nome 64°N NORTON SOUND 16200 St. Lawrence Island 16220 ALASKA 16240 BERING SEA Cape Romanzof 16304 St. Matthew Island Bethel E T O L Nunivak Island I N S T 60°N R A I T 16322 16300 16323 KUSKOKWIM BAY Dillingham 16011 Naknek 16305 16315 16381 BRISTOL BAY 16338 Pribilof Islands 16343 16382 16380 16363 Port Moller 56°N 16520 U N I M A K P A S S 16006 S D N A 52°N S L I N I A U T A L E NORTH PA CIFIC OCEAN Chart Coverage in Coast Pilot 9—Chapter 8 NOAA’s Online Interactive Chart Catalog has complete chart coverage http://www.charts.noaa.gov/InteractiveCatalog/nrnc.shtml 19 SEP 2021 U.S. Coast Pilot 9, Chapter 8 ¢ 411 Bering Sea (1) This chapter describes the north coast of the Alaska 25 66°18.05'N., 169°25.87'W. 27 65°56.20'N., 169°16.11'W. Peninsula, the west coast of Alaska including Bristol Precautionary Area E Bay, Norton Sound and the numerous bays indenting 26 65°56.20'N., 169°25.87'W. 29 65°45.52'N., 169°25.87'W. these areas. Also described are the Pribilof Islands and Nunivak, St. Matthew and St. Lawrence Islands. The 27 65°56.20'N., 169°16.11'W. 30 65°47.69'N., 169°34.01'W. communities of Nome, Unalakleet, Bethel, King Salmon, 28 65°45.52'N., 169°16.11'W. 31 65°52.82'N., 169°25.87'W. Naknek, Port Moller and St. George are also discussed. Two-way route connecting Precautionary Areas E and B 28 65°45.52'N., 169°16.11'W. 16 65°02.60'N., 168°37.28'W. (2) Routing Measures, Bering Sea and Bering Strait 29 65°45.52'N., 169°25.87'W. 15 65°05.00'N., 168°29.75'W. (3) The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has 32 65°29.65'N., 169°25.87'W. 33 65°30.71'N., 169°16.11'W. adopted routing measures, which includes recommended Two-way route connecting Precautionary Areas E and F two-way routes, precautionary areas and areas to be 29 65°45.52'N., 169°25.87'W. 34 64°28.31'N., 171°36.35'W. avoided, in the Bering Sea and Bering Strait (See 30 65°47.69'N., 169°34.01'W. 35 64°26.14'N., 171°28.60'W. IMO SN.1/Circ. 336). These routing measures are Precautionary Area F recommended for all ships of 400 gross tonnage and The waters contained within a circle of radius 4 miles, centered upwards. The geographic points of these areas are shown on 64°24.36'N., 171°36.61'W. below. Coordinates are North American 1983 Datum (NAD 83) (4) Precautionary Area A (5) The waters contained within a circle of radius 4 miles, centered Area to be Avoided Nunivak Island on 58°45.00'N., 167°27.81'W. 1 60°17.05'N., 167°37.80'W. 4 59°32.80'N., 165°28.80'W. Two-way route connecting Precautionary Areas A and B 2 59°54.89'N., 167°40.98'W. 5 60°39.86'N., 165°41.70'W. 1 58°48.91'N., 167°26.26'W. 7 64°55.19'N., 168°27.77'W. 3 59°41.44'N., 166°49.08'W. 2 60°10.86'N., 168°19.58'W. 8 63°29.57'N., 167°42.57'W. Area to be Avoided King Island 3 61°29.47'N., 167°35.89'W. 9 62°25.26'N., 167°11.99'W. 6 65°03.12'N., 168°19.56'W. 8 64°53.54'N., 167°46.98'W. 4 62°25.14'N., 167°03.13'W. 10 61°30.52'N., 167°43.95'W. 7 64°51.01'N., 168°14.82'W. 9 65°05.53'N., 167°52.92'W. 5 63°30.44'N., 167°33.86'W. 11 60°10.74'N., 168°27.94'W. Area to be Avoided St. Lawrence Island 6 64°56.08'N., 168°18.60'W. 12 58°47.65'N., 167°33.56'W. 10 63°08.57'N., 173°31.02'W. 14 63°17.99'N., 168°12.54'W. Precautionary Area B 11 62°44.38'N., 168°58.32'W. 15 63°59.95'N., 171°06.18'W. 6 64°56.08'N., 168°18.60'W. 16 65°02.60'N., 168°37.28'W. 12 62°46.14'N., 168°21.24'W. 16 63°54.80'N., 171°50.94'W. 13 64°59.22'N., 168°20.29'W. 17 64°58.14'N., 168°29.36'W. 13 63°01.78'N., 168°04.38'W. 14 65°05.00'N., 168°20.30'W. 7 64°55.19'N., 168°27.77'W. Coordinates are North American 1983 Datum (NAD 83) 15 65°05.00'N., 168°29.75'W. Two-way route connecting Precautionary Areas B and C (6) 14 65°05.00'N., 168°20.30'W. 19 66°26.57'N., 168°29.75'W. ENCs - US5AK95M, US3AK95M, US2AK95M, US- 18 66°26.57'N., 168°20.30'W. 15 65°05.00'N., 168°29.75'W. 4AK95M Precautionary Area C Chart - 16006 The waters contained within a circle of radius 4 miles, centered on 66°30.00'N., 168°25.00'W. (7) The south limit of the Bering Sea is a line running Two-way route connecting Precautionary Areas C and D from Kabuch Point (54°49'N., 163°22'W.) on the Alaska 20 66°30.64'N., 168°34.79'W. 22 66°20.83'N., 169°11.21'W. Peninsula through the Aleutian Islands to the south 21 66°24.59'N., 169°14.72'W. 23 66°26.90'N., 168°31.34'W. extremes of the Komandorski Islands and on to Cape Precautionary Area D Kamchatka in such a way that all the narrow waters The waters contained within a circle of radius 4 miles, centered between Alaska and Kamchatka are included in the sea. on 66°21.50'N., 169°21.00'W. The north limit is the Bering Strait. Two-way route connecting Precautionary Areas D and E (8) Much of this area has been only partially surveyed, 24 66°18.05'N., 169°16.11'W. 26 65°56.20'N., 169°25.87'W. and the charts must not be relied upon too closely, 412 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 9, Chapter 8 19 SEP 2021 especially near shore. The currents are much influenced Bering Sea. The north drift is probably not more than 0.5 by the winds and are difficult to predict; dead reckoning knot in the open sea well north of the Aleutian passes. Wind is uncertain, and safety depends upon constant vigilance. and atmospheric pressure are said to materially affect the (9) The chapter area is entirely within the 100-fathom- drift. In a disturbed area the current will generally set with depth curve, which extends northwest from Unimak Pass a strong wind or toward an atmospheric depression, and and passes to the southwest of the Pribilof Islands. Depths such a current may serve as a storm warning. vary more or less uniformly in the open sea except near (16) Along the north side of Unimak Island, the currents the off-lying islands, which are volcanic and rocky and are fairly strong and generally parallel the coast. They range in height to more than 2,000 feet. attain a maximum velocity of 2 knots 1 mile off Cape (10) From the head of Bristol Bay to Norton Sound, Mordvinof and probably do not exceed 2.5 knots anywhere shoals or banks formed by river deposits extend many along this coast. Velocities have been estimated at 2 to 2.5 miles from the mainland, in some places completely out knots as far as 12 miles from shore in depths of about 40 of sight. Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers are the principal fathoms. drainage systems along this stretch of coast. As fog and (17) Between St. Matthew Island and Nunivak Island, the thick weather are common during the navigation season, current sets northwest with prevailing northeast winds coasting vessels are advised to sound constantly and to during the navigation season and northeast with northwest stay in depths greater than 10 fathoms unless feeling their or southwest winds. This north current continues and way in to the land. increases between St. Lawrence Island and the mainland, (11) Navigational aids are few, and all are seasonal. The being stronger toward the mainland north of the Yukon rocky islands and the rocky parts of the mainland are River where it has a velocity of about 1 knot except in frequented by thousands of birds whose constant cries early summer when the Yukon freshets may increase it may serve to indicate the approach to these places in to 2 knots or more. A strong north current, amounting thick weather. Port facilities are rare, and most of the at times to 2.5 knots, has been observed setting on the villages scattered along the coast lighter their supplies Yukon flats.