This long, slender island lies just southeast of Prince William Sound, outside its protective bosom and exposed to the open Pacific. Sticking out as it does, Kayak Island was the first place in the state that Vitus Bering encountered during his 1741 voyage of discovery for Russia.

But even if its historical reputation drops a notch, Kayak Island remains an alluring hideaway with both scenic beauty and a wealth of wildlife.

Walking the shoreline of Kayak Island can be a treasure hunt: all sorts of flotsam drifting on the Pacific – rubber duckies, running shoes, glass fishermen’s floats, and the classic messages n bottles – washes up on the island’s southwest facing beaches.