Guest
Unalaska Island (formerly known as Dutch Harbour) is about as far from big city America as you can get. Nestled in the heart of the Aleutian chain, this remote island in the North Pacific Ocean lies halfway between Alaska's largest city of Anchorage and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. This isolated island is home the United States' largest fishing port, with millions of tonnes of fish exported from its bustling port annually. This was my second trip to this amazing town in the middle of the North Pacific, and I was eager to return to explore it in more depth. In collaboration with the amazing folks at the Unalaska Visitors Bureau and Ravn Alaska Airlines, I boarded the 3.5 hour flight from Anchorage and headed west to explore this breathtaking and fascinating island. The ancestral homeland of the Unangan (Aleut) people, Unalaska/Dutch Harbour is much more than just an isolated fishing port. It's a place that is rich in indigenous culture, and I was eager to learn more about the Aleut people during my three days on this stunning island. My trip began with a tour of the islands's Unangax archeaological dig sites, followed by a visit to the Carl Moses Boat Harbour to tour the newest boat that will be featured on the coming 20th season of the Deadliest Catch (which is filmed here every fall!). After meeting Father Tim at the historic Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Ascension, we hiked up Mount Ballyhoo for some incredible views and to explore the abandoned WWII ruins at Fort Schwatka, followed by a bountiful seafood buffet courtesy of the Grand Aleutian Hotel. Next up was a visit to the Museum of the Aleutians and the WWII Visitor Center to learn more about Unangan culture and the island's sordid history as the only location in North America that saw active combat during the second world war. On my last day on the island, I was invited to give an interview on KUCB Alaska Public Radio and to give a series of short presentations at the local schools, before heading out onto the land to enjoy some of Unalaska's most stunning mountains and ocean vistas. This island is like no other place in Alaska, nevermind America. Offering a bounty of natural beauty, cultural attractions, some of the friendliest and most open locals in the country, delicious seafood, Russian colonial architecture, and a Hollywood-meets-bluecollar fishing port, Unalaska/Dutch Harbour was truly one of my highlights of all of my travels, and I can't wait to return. 00:00 Intro 01:43 Ravn Alaska 02:30 Arriving on the island 05:12 Fishing Port / Archaelogical Site 08:23 Deadliest Catch Boats 09:51 Russian Orthodox Cathedral 11:48 Fort Schwatka Ruins 18:49 Seafood Buffet 21:11 Museum of the Aleutians 27:06 WWII Visitor Center 29:02 Mountain Drive 30:57 Norweigan Rat Saloon 33:22 Radio Interview (KUCB) 38:53 Summer Bay / Morris Cove 44:18 Sea lions 45:03 Leaving Dutch Harbour Vlog Number 189 | #NorthAmerica #United States #Alaska | #Unalaska #DutchHarbour | Filmed October 2023 SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel to stay up to date with my travels (click the bell for notifications!) and be sure to hit that LIKE button if you enjoyed this video! Sincere thanks to the following sponsors for making this video possible: Unalaska Visitors Bureau - Ravn Alaska Airlines - Grand Aleutian Hotel - The Museum of the Aleutians - KUCB Alaska Public Radio - Download the following music used in this episode with a free trial of Epidemic Sound! () 1993 by They Dream By Day Quiet Before the Tempest by Across the Great Valley Not Blue (Instrumental Version) by Kylie Dailey Skateboards and Sunsets by Rocket Jr Stock footage by Adobe Stock Video & YouTube Creative Commons SUPPORT MY CONTENT ON PATREON! JOIN MY 50,000 FOLLOWERS ON TIKTOK! @ FOLLOW MY REAL-TIME STORIES ON INSTAGRAM: LIKE ME ON FACEBOOK! Thanks for Watching & Happy Drifting! 😎
