Aialik Bay, (Russian:) also known as Dora Passage between Harbor Island and the

Harris Peninsula Alexander Island, which is also known as Alexander I Island, Alexander I Land, Alexander Land, Alexander I Archipelago, and Zemlja Alexandra I, is the largest island of Antarctica. It lies in the Bellingshausen Sea west of Palmer Land, Antarc ...

, is a

fjord In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...

on the

Kenai Peninsula The Kenai Peninsula ( Dena'ina: ''Yaghenen'') is a large peninsula jutting from the coast of Southcentral Alaska. The name Kenai (, ) is derived from the word "Kenaitze" or "Kenaitze Indian Tribe", the name of the Native Athabascan Alaskan tribe ...

of Alaska, United States. It has no permanent settlements, but there are two public use cabins located on the bay, one at its head and another at Holgate Arm. The Kenai Fjords lodge also hosts visitors. Aialik Bay is 33 miles south of Seward. The bay received its name from Russians recording the indigenous name as "Ayalyk Bay". It is likely that the bay once terminated at Aialik Sill, by Pedersen Lagoon prior to the year 1700. At this sill, the bay's bottom rises to less than 60 feet below sea level, and is as shallow as 18 feet deep in some places.

Aialik Glacier The Aialik Glacier is a glacier in the Kenai Peninsula Borough of Alaska. It drains into Aialik Bay. Part of Kenai Fjords National Park, it (along with many other glaciers) drains the Harding Icefield. Aialik Glacier, a little over 15 miles from ...

, which has created the bay via the process of

overdeepening Overdeepening is a characteristic of basins and valleys eroded by glaciers. An overdeepened valley profile is often eroded to depths which are hundreds of metres below the deepest continuous line (the thalweg) along a valley or watercourse. This p ...

, has since retreated by 4.5 miles. It is a major destination within the

Kenai Fjords National Park Kenai Fjords National Park is an American national park that maintains the Harding Icefield, its outflowing glaciers, and coastal fjords and islands. The park covers an area of on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, west of the town ...

, as many water taxis, kayak tours, anglers, and recreational boaters use the bay to access its many coves.

Geography

At its head, Aialik Bay hosts the tidewater

, along with Skee Glacier. Other glaciers flowing directly or indirectly into the bay include Pedersen Glacier, Addison Glacier, and Lechner Glacier. It has a maximum depth of , between McMullen Cove and Three Hole Bay. It contains many sub-basins, most notably Holgate Arm, with the advancing

Holgate Glacier Holgate Glacier is a glacier located in the U.S. state of Alaska, in Kenai Fjords National Park. It flows outward from the Harding Icefield toward Holgate Arm of Aialik Bay. Tour boats from Seward, Alaska offer tourists the opportunity to view th ...

. To the west, Aialik Bay is bordered by the Harris Peninsula and the adjacent

Harris Bay Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle of ...

and Northwestern Fjord. To the east, the bay is bounded by the

Aialik Peninsula Aialik Peninsula is a peninsula on the larger Kenai Peninsula of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies roughly 15 miles southeast of Seward. The peninsula has a peculiar Swiss cheese-like shape, making it appear partially sunken. It contains very r ...

and

Resurrection Bay Resurrection Bay, also known as Blying Sound, and Harding Gateway in its outer reaches, is a fjord on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, United States. Its main settlement is Seward, located at the head of the bay. The bay received its name from Al ...

Campsites

Though the bay is part of Kenai Fjords National Park, it can only be accessed by boat. Abra Cove is a popular camping spot featuring freshwater, tall cliffs, waterfalls, and views of glaciers. Verdant Cove, Tooth Cove, McMullen Cove, Pedersen Lagoon, and Bear Cove also have landing beaches and are sailing/camping destinations during Alaska's summers.

References

{{Authority control Bays of Alaska Bodies of water of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area