St. Paul Island: Alaska’s Secret Surf Spot

in 2023, the film Island X documented a cold-water experiment. Could one find and surf waves on a mysterious patch of land in the Bering Sea known for research on seal colonies? At the end of the movie, the locale is revealed: St. Paul Island,whose population was 413 at the 2020 census,sits north of the Aleutian Islands,fully exposed to some of the harshest seas in Alaska.

While there may have been some grumblings about revealing the source of the waves they found, I highly doubt the island is about to be overrun with surfers, cameras and influencers. It’s not just the bone-chilling temperatures and temperamental weather patterns. It’s also a pain to get to and out of.

“I’m learning that nothing is reliable up here,” says photographer Mark McInnis as flights get delayed and airport logistics complicate. “From the weather to the airlines, you’re