# Kayak camping or who owns these islands **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2025, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882 "2025-08-08T22:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/1 "2025-08-08T22:33:11Z")
I was playing around on Google Maps and noticed something I was unaware of, that there is a [string of islands starting in Alaska](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/92723729-4c37-4d39-b7d9-a16dae6ede61_l.png) and swooping over to Russia. How far could I legally go if I loaded up a kayak in Alaska and started island hoping/camping my way across? I notice that on Attu Island there appears to be a US military national landmark. So at least that far, yes? How far could I go past that? And what would happen if I went all the way to Russia and got caught? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/2 "2025-08-08T22:47:03Z")
Not sure, but on a related note, there’s this story from a few years ago. Thankfully, these men knew what they were doing. > **[Remember the Russian men who fled to Alaska to avoid the war in Ukraine? They...](https://alaskapublic.org/news/2023-01-26/remember-the-russian-men-who-fled-to-alaska-to-avoid-the-war-in-ukraine-they-spoke-to-this-reporter-about-their-ordeal)** > > Charlie McCann, a feature writer for The Economist's long-form magazine "1843," caught up with the men after they spent three months in detention. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/3 "2025-08-08T23:16:59Z")
The Aleutian archipelago? > **[Aleutian Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands)** > > The Aleutian Islands (/əˈluːʃən/ ⓘ ə-LOO-shən; Russian: Алеутские острова, romanized: Aleutskiye ostrova; Aleut: Unangam Tanangin, "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi aliat, or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain of 14 main, larger volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the U.S. state of Alaska, with the archipelago encompassing the Aleutians West Census Area The Aleutia... Mostly US, and mostly State of Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/4 "2025-08-09T01:24:32Z")
Most of these are part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The westernmost part of Alaska’s Aleutians is Attu Island, where a bloody battle was fought after the Japanese captured it in WWII. So “the government” owns it but more importantly we do, and you can go there if you have the wherewithal, I can’t comment on your survivability, personally I would not try a kayak. You might also get strongly discouraged by any Coast Guard. Moving a couple islands east, Amchitka is not possible to visit without going with a scientific team or something. It might be radioactive, but it seems like not much. Further east, Adak Island is the first populated one, there are flights and you need a permit from the Aleut Corporation (the tribal government) which you can get on arrival, they also would probably wonder how you got there when not disembarking from a commercial vessel. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/5 "2025-08-09T06:14:28Z")
Looking at the map, from Attu (which has a network of roads, so fairly inhabited or coast guard facility?) to the two islands next to Russia off Kamchatka is about 208mi. I’m going to guess that Russia is no more tolerant of strangers simply showing up on its territory than the US is. But, you will have more trouble navigating their legal system, I would guess. The question I would have is - do these American wilderness areas on the islands have restrictions? I read somewhere that Midway is closed unless you get a special permit - wildlife protection and all that. Would the same apply to some of the Aleutians? ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/6 "2025-08-09T07:57:16Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > And what would happen if I went all the way to Russia and got caught? [Here](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45059221) (BBC) is a story about a man who did exactly that. [Here](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2018/11/29/the-improbable-voyage-of-an-anchorage-man-who-tried-to-sail-to-china-to-see-his-wife-and-son/) (Alaskan newspaper) is how the story continued. Summary: He was detained by the Russian authorities and ultimately deported. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/7 "2025-08-09T10:47:51Z")
You’ll definitely get the attention of our military if you go to [Shemya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_Dane) in a boat. (I’ve been there. But I flew in, and it was a work assignment.) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/8 "2025-08-09T14:17:16Z")
The new season of Discovery Channel’s _Deadliest Catch_ begins with a two-hour episode featuring Attu Island. Some really good history in the episode. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/9 "2025-08-09T14:49:51Z")
Attu Island is a bucket list location for serious birders attempting a “[Big Year](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_year)”. From wikipedia: _Because it is so physically remote from other parts of North America, there are a number of bird species likely to be found on Attu that are not seen anywhere else on the continent. John Fitchen called the island “the Holy Grail of North American birding”_ ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/10 "2025-08-09T18:46:56Z")
I had some friends who traveled in the region. I think it was summer, but it was still a fairly cold tundra. You could probably do it if you bring a sufficiently massive amount of peanut butter to live on, but I don’t know that it would be the most pleasant trip. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/11 "2025-08-10T00:02:50Z")
As mentioned above, I’ve been to Shemya. In January. Trust me on this, it’s not a place you want to visit. There’s no scenery and there’s nothing “romantic” about it. It’s very hostile from an environmental perspective. When walking between base housing and the main building, you’re required to wear a protective vest, even in the middle of the day. Because the wind gusts are _ **incredible** _, and visibility is low. I had to hold on to a hand rail just to walk to & from the main building, and I’m in good shape. After five days I was ready to get out of there. Place felt like a prison because flights were few and far between. Somehow managed to get an early flight out. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/12 "2025-08-10T01:58:34Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > The new season of Discovery Channel’s _Deadliest Catch_ begins with a two-hour episode featuring Attu Island. Some really good history in the episode. Thanks. I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/13 "2025-08-10T02:26:38Z")
In the early 1990s, I had a pen pal who had been stationed at Adak when she was in the military, in the mid 1970s. At one time, the town had a population of about 6,000, both civilian and military, but now it’s pretty much a ghost town with a skeleton military crew. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/14 "2025-08-10T13:52:30Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > And what would happen if I went all the way to Russia and got caught? I assume you would be treated like anyone else who enters Russia illegally. IOW, it would not go well for you. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/15 "2025-08-10T22:48:53Z")
Simpler just to fly in and land in Red Square… ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/16 "2025-08-11T17:38:18Z")
The Coast Guard facility was closed in 2010 so there’s still facilities but no permanent residents. As a part of a NWR, it’s a place designed to preserve bird nesting areas but these are generally accessible to the public for recreation including hiking, hunting, and camping. But many NWRs may have their own rules regarding how to access or certain limitations on what you can do. You’d contact the US Fish and Wildlife Service who runs this program for details. And maybe USCG. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/17 "2025-08-11T17:42:54Z")
Interesting read. Cobra Dane is a cool name too! ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/18 "2025-08-11T18:04:32Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > And what would happen if I went all the way to Russia and got caught? How would you feel about being pressed into service in the Russian Army? ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kayak-camping-or-who-owns-these-islands/1021882/19 "2025-08-13T02:24:46Z")
The local prison warden would probably volunteer you to defend the Ukrainian portions of Mother Russia.