Amchitka Pass is a strait in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It is located in the

Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...

on the

180th meridian The 180th meridian or antimeridian is the meridian (geography), meridian 180° both east and west of the prime meridian in a Geographic coordinate system, geographical coordinate system. The longitude at this line can be given as either east ...

, between the

Rat Islands The Rat Islands ( ale, Qax̂um tanangis, russian: Крысьи острова) are a group of American High islands, volcanic islands in the Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska, between Buldir Island and the Near Islands group to its west, ...

group to the west and the

Delarof Islands The Delarof Islands ( ale, Naahmiĝun tanangis; russian: Острова Деларова) (ca. ) are a group of small islands at the extreme western end of the Andreanof Islands group in the central Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The Delarofs consist ...

to the east. Amchitka Pass has a least width of 50 miles (80.5 km) and depths of 249 feet (76 meters) to over 6,000 feet (1,829 meters). The islands on both sides of the pass should be cleared by at least 5 miles (8 km). Heavy tide rips have been observed off the east end of Amchitka Island. The pass is dangerous in heavy weather, particularly for small and medium craft; currents appear erratic in direction and velocities may be strong. This may account for reports of very large seas and strong tide rips.U.S. Coast Pilot 9, Chapter 7, Aleutian Islands
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References

Straits of Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska Straits of Alaska {{AleutiansWestAK-geo-stub