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St. Matthew Island: An Isolated Arctic Wilderness
St. Matthew Island, located in the Bering Sea, is one of the most remote and fascinating islands within the United States. Here are some key points about this extraordinary island:
St. Matthew Island lies approximately 295 kilometers (about 183 miles) west of Nunivak Island, Alaska. It is part of the Bering Sea Wilderness and administered by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
The island covers an area of about 334 km² (approximately 129 square miles), making it larger than many of its neighboring islands. It is accompanied by two smaller islets: Hall Island to the northwest and Pinnacle Island just off the northern coast.
The island is volcanic in origin, featuring rolling hills, rugged cliffs, and low-lying wetlands. Although its volcanic activity ceased long ago, the island’s dramatic landscapes are shaped by ancient lava flows, erosion, and the relentless forces of the wind and sea.
The climate of St. Matthew Island is classified as subarctic maritime. Temperatures remain relatively mild given its northern latitude, with cool summers and cold winters. Fog, strong winds, and frequent storms are common conditions on the island, contributing to its harsh yet alluring atmosphere.
Unique Biodiversity of St. Matthew Island
St. Matthew Island’s isolation has led to the development of some unique and specialized flora and fauna. The island is home to a distinct Arctic tundra ecosystem, dominated by mosses, lichens, and low-growing shrubs. Flowering plants such as Arctic poppies and saxifrages add rare bursts of color in the short summer months.
The island is a crucial nesting site for a variety of seabirds, including murres, puffins, auklets, and kittiwakes. Additionally, it supports populations of Arctic foxes, which were introduced to the island in the 1940s but are now feral inhabitants.
Perhaps most famously, St. Matthew Island is known for its infamous reindeer population. In 1944, the U.S. Coast Guard introduced 29 reindeer to the island as a potential emergency food source during World War II. With no predators and plenty of lichens to eat, the population exploded to around 6,000 animals by 1963. However, after the vegetation was overgrazed, the population collapsed rapidly, leaving only 42 individuals by 1966—and eventually none at all.
Marine mammals such as walruses and seals often haul out on the island’s remote beaches, and gray whales are sometimes spotted migrating offshore.
Human History and Exploration
Despite its remote location, St. Matthew Island has seen occasional human visitation for hundreds of years. Archaeological evidence suggests that prehistoric Siberian or Inuit peoples might have briefly used the islands, although no permanent settlements have been found.
The first recorded European sighting was by a Russian expedition led by Gavriil Pribylov in 1767, who charted nearby St. George Island and likely sighted St. Matthew in the process. Later, fur traders and explorers sporadically visited the island throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
During World War II, the United States established a short-lived weather station on the island, manned by Coast Guard personnel. Following the war, St. Matthew returned to its status as an uninhabited and largely forgotten outpost.
Today, legal access to the island is limited to scientists, wildlife managers, and occasional organized expeditions with appropriate federal permits, helping to preserve its fragile ecosystem.
Interesting Facts About St. Matthew Island
– St. Matthew Island is one of the most geographically isolated pieces of land within the U.S., further from a permanent settlement than almost anywhere else.
– The now-extinct St. Matthew Island blue king crab was a unique species found only in the waters near the islands.
– The collapse of the reindeer population is often cited as a classic ecological example of overpopulation and resource depletion.
– Vegetation mapping studies conducted on the island have provided crucial insights into Arctic and subarctic plant communities, informing ecological research worldwide.
– The island’s forbidding weather and rugged landscape have made it an ideal natural laboratory for studying the effects of isolation and climate change on ecosystems.
Legends and Mysteries of St. Matthew Island
Given its isolation and dramatic environment, St. Matthew Island has inspired numerous legends and mysteries among sailors and native peoples alike.
One of the oldest tales among Alaskan coastal communities speaks of a “Ghost Herd” roaming the island. According to legend, the spirits of the extinct reindeer continue to wander across the tundra in the cold mist, visible to unprepared visitors as ghostly shapes in the fog.
Another legend is that of the “Voices of the Wind.” Visitors and crew members who have landed on the island occasionally report hearing eerie sounds carried by the constant gales—whispers, cries, or the muffled sound of footsteps—despite the island being uninhabited. Scientists attribute these sounds to the peculiar acoustics created by the island’s geography and weather patterns, but the haunting sensation they create lingers in many expedition diaries.
Finally, Alaskan folklore tells of a shipwreck from an ancient era, lost and frozen beneath the island’s surface, said to contain treasure buried in the never-thawing permafrost. Although no such ship has been found, tales of hidden riches continue to spark imaginations.
A Relic of Raw Nature
Today, St. Matthew Island remains one of the most untouched pieces of wilderness left in the United States. It stands as a haunting testament to the raw power of nature, the fragility of ecosystems, and the enduring fascination remote islands hold over the human imagination. Visitors fortunate enough to reach its shores are met with profound solitude, awe-inspiring landscapes, and a visceral reminder of what a truly wild place feels like.
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