Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Tools for finding the names of towns, bays, points, islands, lighthouses and other landmarks

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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

I've had no issues with the site, and i'm mainly using firefox, maybe just expired certificates that got fixed.

Cape Kuyuyukak is actually on geonames: https://www.geonames.org/5866971/cape-kuyuyukak.html position 56.89744, -156.828
It was a little (few hundred meters) off place but was definitely there, maybe a typo while searching... it wouldn't surprise me, these Alaskan names can be pretty weird.
While editing Thetis, i've come across an awesome report of reindeer operations which has helped a lot. In that report, along the many other info there is a chapter on "The Eskimo of St. Lawrence Island", with a section on numerals which is just awesome (it's page 219 in the report). Shortly here's their numerals, transliterated in 1899, probably today they'd be written differently, yet definitely tongue twisters :D
One — Atassik.
Two — Mal(g)ho.
Three — Pinglyoot.
F our — Stammet.
Five — Tathsleemet.
Six — Achovindluk.
Seven — Maharachovindluk.
Eight — Pinglyoonungingloluk.
Nine — Stammenungingloluk.
Ten — Kohla.
Eleven — Kolam atassik seepnukloga.
Twelve — Kolam mal(g)hok seepnuklokuk.
Thirteen — Kolam pingiyoot seepnukloga.
Fourteen — Kolam stammet seepnukloga.
Fifteen — Akamiak seepnukloga
Sixteen — Kolam achovindluk.
Seventeen — Kolam maharachovindluk seepnukloga.
Twenty — Yuweena.
Twenty-one — Yuweenam atassik seepnukloga
Thirty — Yuweenam kolam seepnukloga.
Forty — Yuwokomal (g) hok.
And the remark before that is just awesome:
There are words for counting numbers as high as 400, but there are probably few of the people who ever count higher than 100.
Added both Cape Kuyuyukak and Ashiiak Island to the db. Thanks!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Thanks again for all your help
Here are another couple of places in geonames but not the db
Marmot Strait is in Alaska at Lat 58.22, Long -151.93
https://www.geonames.org/5868302/marmot-strait.html

Tonki Cape is on Afognat Island at Lat 58.35, Long -151.99 and the lighthouse is situated off the Cape according to this pilot guide
https://www.geonames.org/5876443/tonki-cape.html
https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publica ... 05_WEB.pdf

The relevant info in the pilot guide is under Pilotage Alaska, tracking the lighthouse is challenging. It doesn't feature after using many standard searches but I eventually hit a combination which brought up the nautical charts link.

I think I would get tongue cramp giving today's date in eskimo!!!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Pioneer also refers to Uganik Light which I can't find anywhere. However, there are a couple of Islets off Uganik Island called the Noisy Islands which are in the database. According to the pilot, linked in previous post, there is a lighthouse on them referred to as Noisy Islands Light (!!). Do you think that could be Uganik Light? If so it is at 57°55'55"N., 153°33'48"W. The reference is on p267 of the pilot. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks again
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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

All added to database. Will edit reference threads soon. Thanks!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Not one of my locations, unfortunately, but there is a Seal Rocks Lighthouse on your Seal Rocks (1)
https://www.charts.noaa.gov/BookletChar ... tChart.pdf, thought I'd let you know

Pioneer also mentions a light on Pilot Rock. The only reference to it I could find was in this 1938 pilot guide
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=o8Z ... ka&f=false

And there is also one on Seal Rocks (2) in the 1938 Pilot
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=o8Z ... ka&f=false
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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

Hi studentforever!

Seal Rock (1) is the one just below Sanak Island (54.29619, -162.59102), there's no current light there and i think there never was. I've checked a few maps just to be sure, but also the link is not about that area.

The modern noaa chart in the link you provided is probably mentioning another Seal Rock (it's one of the most common names for rocks in Alaska), or Seal Rocks, not sure about which one you were addressing, looking at the other two you pointed below and at the link i guess it's in the Seward area... there's a Seal Rocks (which was also mentioned as Seal Rock in logs) shortly south of Pilot Rock, which is Seal Rocks (2) in the database, alternate Seal Rock (2), which could be that one.

I've added the Pilot Rock Light to geonames and the database and updated Pilot Rock position
I've added the Seal Rocks Light to geonames and the database, with alternate Seal Rock Light, and updated Seal Rocks (2)/Seal Rock (2) position
I've updated Seal Rock (1) position since i was checking it, as it was a little off place

Thanks!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

This time Pioneer is anchored for the night off triangulation "Slop" in Belkofsky Bay [sic]. Since Belkofski Bay is fairly large the triangulation would narrow down her overnight stop.

http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ow3/ ... 9108_0.jpg

Help as ever gratefully received.
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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

It should be the triangulation station just over Slavna Point... in the two 1983 maps i've found it's named "Slope" but it should definitely be that one.

Added to geonames and our db as Slope, with alternate name Slop:
https://www.geonames.org/12719884/slope.html in position 55.06252, -162.19129

Thanks!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Thanks again. Most of the triangulation names are 3 or 4 letters. I wonder if "Slop" had unfortunate associations and later mapmakers added the 'e'.
I do hope other people have need of these locations as a reward for all your efforts.
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Pioneer references 'Priest Rock Light' when leaving Dutch Harbor. Another couple of NHN vessels mention it, without any location details in the transcription but the only likely other reference I found is this one
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CZI ... -u7-y3.htm

Personally I find it near incomprehensible even when I found it so I hope it makes more sense to you.
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

Looking at the maps available on usgs topoview the light was surely present 1951 to 1989, and has disappeared at some time between 1989 and 2020.

Looking at noaa charts, the light is absent in 1992, is present since 1925 and it wasn't existing in 1916.
Have not digged furtherly as we're capable to say there was indeed a light on the rock at least from 1925 to 1989, enough info to add it.

The rock itself is a major landmark and it's addressed pretty often when leaving Unalaska towards East.

I've added the light to geonames and our database.
Thanks!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

The interesting thing to me was the lack of reference to that light on the lighthouse history websites or the Alaska history websites. Amazing how these structures drop out of general knowledge and don't make it onto today's sources of information. Glad you could make use of the info.
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

"Pioneer" is now about to anchor off triangulation "Cab" in Balboa Bay. It looks as if she will stay there for a day or two. This is her first mention of the site - can I ask you for an accurate location please.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/247055502?objectPage=19

Thanks again.
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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

Of course!

The Balboa Bay has few coverage on topoview, but fortunately the Cab station appears on the margin of a 1983 map... its the northern point of the Lefthand Bay. I've mixed two maps in the following image.



I've added the station to geonames (position: 55.54518, -160.669) and our database
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Thank s again Matteo. That has pinned down her anchorage point very nicely.
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Thanks again
Pioneer references an Ill-written Pirate Cove Light at 7.48pm
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/247055502?objectPage=10

Delving around reveals that it was referenced by some other coastguard ships without location details but this reference seems to give data
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Tjc ... ap&f=false

Hope this helps
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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

Yep a Light was present there from 1939 (oldest map i found showing it... in 1921 it wasn't present, but found nothing in between) to quite recently, in 1983... on topoview it's still there in 1988 and no more in a 1989 noaa chart, so it was surely on that promontory at least 1939-1988

I've added Pirate Cove Light both to geonames (position 55.36211, -160.36394) and to our db.
Thanks!
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Pioneer likes lighthouses/beacons. Her latest is Cape Wedge light. It appears as a beacon a couple of times on google search but I can't persuade the page which it shows to link to somewhere which gives me a location = I assume its on the Cape but you might want to add it to the database.

Reference 9.26pm
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/247055502?objectPage=10
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Matteo
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by Matteo »

Looking at topoview and noaa charts, light was removed sometime in the 1990s and was there at least since 1921 (missing in 1918, no info in between).

I've added it to geonames (position 55.29042, -159.88056) and to our database.
I've also corrected Cape Wedge position itself... since it was among the first places we added (no. 608) and i was unable to correct its geonames position back then, it had its longitude still clamped at 55.29 (around 200 meters from island shore - now its 55.29066).
studentforever
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Re: Alaskan Place Names -- Discussion

Post by studentforever »

Thanks, you'll be happy to know that she's now steaming down the coast so this deluge of references SHOULD slow or cease.
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