Ulak Island

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Ulak Iceland ( aleutian: Yuulax ^ ) is an uninhabited island in the Andreanof Islands and is one of the Aleutian Islands (Alaska). The island is located 6 km north- west of Iceland Amatignak.

The small island is 1.4 km long and up to 300 m wide and has a total area of ​​46.5 ha The highest elevation is 206 m high. Ulak lies in relatively shallow water and the surf is often so heavy that boat traffic to the island is not possible. The climate is typical maritime climate in northern latitudes, with cool temperatures, high winds, lots of rain and fog and frequent, heavy storms. The average daily temperature at sea level is 8.8 ° C in summer and 4.8 ° C annual average. The annual rainfall amounts to 166 cm. Snowfall at sea level is rarely more than 0.5 m per year. There is no permafrost.

The vegetation is typical of maritime and alpine tundra and consists mainly of grasses, sedges, peat mosses, lichens, and various herbaceous plants. Trees and shrubs are absent. The south side of the island has steep slopes with fairly deep soils that are densely covered with beach rye. Breed here thousands of seabirds, including petrels, shearwaters, Tufted Lunde and Aleutenalken. On the north side is dominated by steep cliffs which are populated by cormorants, Aleutenalken and thousands of guillemots. On the rocky coastline and the vegetated screes numerous Bartalken have their nests.

One of the worst maritime disasters in the history of Alaska occurred on 17 December 1964 when the Liberian-flagged propelled, 158 m long cargo steamer San Patrick broke on the rocky coast of Ulak; the entire crew of 32 men was killed.