Sand Point

Location/Climate: 570 air miles from Anchorage, on Popof Island, off the Pacific coast of the Alaska Peninsula. 33"/yr. precip., 52"/yr. snowfall, -9°F–76°F.

Population: 989 (49.3 percent native, mainly Aleut).

Travel Attractions: Ferry link, access to Shumagin Islands of Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and to Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting There: Scheduled air service from Anchorage, scheduled ferry service from Homer and Kodiak.

Information: City Office, 383-2696.

Located on Humboldt Harbor on Popof Island, Sand Point was founded in 1898 by a San Francisco fishing company as a trading post and cod-fishing center. Scandinavian fishermen and Aleuts were early residents. The town served briefly as a repair and supply center for regional gold mining, but before and since it has been dominated by fishing. Today it is home to the largest fleet on the peninsula. A large transient population arrives to work seasonally in the canneries. The 1933 St. Nicholas Chapel, a Russian Orthodox church, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Adventurers can use Sand Point for access to the Shumagin Islands and south coast of the Alaska Peninsula. There are no outfitters on the island, but small-boat charter is possible for drop-offs.

Where to Stay and Eat in Sand Point

Anchor Inn Motel, 383-3272. $85 rooms, the only place in town.