In the far west of mainland North America, there is a cape named after the Prince of Wales. It is located on the shores of the Bering Strait, is part of the Seward Peninsula in Alaska, USA. It is the closest mainland point of this country to the territory of the Russian Federation. It is only 86 km from Cape Dezhnev in Chukotka.
Cape got its current name in 1778. So he was named by the English navigator James Cook during his third round-the-world trip.
A look into the distant past
The Cape Prince of Wales is the remainder of the continental bridge that connected North America with Eurasia with a bridge. It existed during the last ice sheet, about 20 thousand years ago. At that time, the ocean level was 100 meters below the current coastline. To these depths, the seabed was coastal wide plains. The tundra and forest-tundra were located here, considerable areas were in a boggy state, the mouths of large rivers flowed here.
It was found that even a large number of various animals, including mammoths, lived. Archaeologists speculate that people inhabited these lands at that time, but there is no evidence for this yet.
Accordingly, the Cape of Prince of Wales is a witness to global paleogeographic events that remained on the surface of the Earth after vast territories were absorbed by sea water.
Russian discovery
Historical chronicles confirm the fact that for the first time the western extremity of North America was discovered in August 1732. This was done by the Russian expedition on the boat "Saint Gabriel" (according to other sources, this sea vessel was called "East Gabriel"). Discovered and described in detail the cape - the extreme western continental point of North America - surveyor M. Gvozdev. His formal boss, sub-navigator I. Fedorov, was bedridden due to illness. The Russians, having landed in the area of the current Cape of the Prince of Wales, discovered the local population living here, which they called the "Chukchi". Since the latter led a similar lifestyle with the indigenous inhabitants of the Chukotka Peninsula, they also lived in yurts, engaged in marine fishing.
This expedition became the first European to sail from Asia to North America. And the cape discovered by the Russian cartographer became known as Gvozdev Cape.
Briefly about the Russian discoverer
Gvozdev Mikhail Spiridonovich is known as a researcher of new lands of the Asian and North American regions located on the Pacific coast. He served in the Russian Empire as a military surveyor, cartographer, and navigator. As a member of several expeditions, he described and mapped in detail over 300 km of the coast of North America (Alaska). Discovered a number of islands.
In the mid-18th century, Gvozdev compiled the most accurate and detailed map of the Bering Strait, as well as the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk and Sakhalin. His name is immortalized in the names of the islands in the Bering Strait, as well as in the name of the cape on the island of Sakhalin.
The role of James Cook in the name of the cape
In 1778, an English explorer, navigator James Cook, rediscovered this cape for his country and world. During his last and tragically ending round-the-world expedition, he traveled to the northern latitudes between Eurasia and North America. He visited the Chukchi Sea, unable to break through to the north due to impassable ice.
In the Aleutian Islands, Cook met Russian industrialists who introduced him to their maps, they turned out to be much more accurate than those that guided the Englishman. He zealously copied them. Admired by the courage of the Russian sailors, he named in his cartographic research the strait between America and Asia on the maps of the Bering Strait. Nomys, discovered by a Russian cartographer, named after the heir to the English crown.
Initially, this name was considered unofficial. It was documented only in 1944.
Before it was discovered by M. Gvozdev in the first half of the 18th century, the local Eskimos had their own name for it - Cape Nykhta.
A little about Prince of Wales - King George IV
As mentioned above, North America received the name of its western tip in honor of the Prince of Wales, the future king of Great Britain - George IV.
The reign of this monarch is connected with a number of significant and fateful historical events on a global scale. So, under him there was a struggle between Great Britain and France during the time of Napoleon, which ended in the victory of England.
During his reign, Britain completed the industrial revolution and carried out the agrarian revolution. A farm class emerged, which subsequently played a major role in agriculture.
During the reign of King George IV, the first railway in the world was built. Under him, a mass exodus of the British from the country began, associated with a spasmodic increase in unemployment, which gave another impetus to relocation to the modern United States of America.
However, George IV was an extremely unpopular ruler. Contemporaries considered him a cold egoist, indifferent to their loved ones, subjects. His main passions and hobbies were gluttony, outfits, and patronage of artists.
Climate
The Cape Prince of Wales is located in the marine climate zone of Alaska. The weather on the Steward Peninsula is greatly influenced by the climate of the Pacific Ocean. In summer it is determined by air currents that move from the west, from the waters of the Bering Strait. In winter, air and wind flows coming from the continental part of Alaska and from the Arctic region become decisive.
In the area of Cape Prince of Wales, the average annual rainfall is quite high, ranging from 3000 to 5000 mm per year. However, the distribution of the seasons is uneven. Precipitation falls mainly in the form of snow. Snow cover can last almost the whole year. Strong winds and fogs are constant here. The temperature in the winter is about minus 15-20 degrees Celsius, it can drop to minus 40 degrees.
The summer period is cold, the temperature rises for a short period (three to four weeks) to plus 8 degrees Celsius.
City of Wales
The main and only settlement of the Cape Prince of Wales is the city of Wales. It was founded in April 1964. Its area is just over 7 square kilometers, the population is about 140 people. The main inhabitants are the indigenous representatives of Alaska and the American Indians, accounting for more than 83% of the total. The city is located 1000 km northwest of the state's main city - Anchorage.
Prior to the formation of the city of Wales, an American missionary organization that was engaged in reindeer breeding was located in this place. Since the construction of the city, it has become one of the main centers of whaling, as it was located next to the main migration routes of whales.
It got its name in honor of the administrative historical province of Great Britain - Wales. This city is also known for the fact that in 2002 it commissioned a unique at that time wind-diesel hybrid energy system.
Culture Birnik
Near the city of Wales, some time ago, researchers discovered an ancient mound, which is a sample of the Birnik culture. Currently, this place is recognized as a national monument.
Birnik is one of the trends of the Bering Sea culture. It developed approximately in the period 500-900 years of our era. It is characterized by peculiar semi-basement houses with tunnel entrances. The buildings were created quadrangular. The culture was based on the hunting of small pinnipeds. This is confirmed by discovered hunting devices and equipment.
In a much later period, the Birnik people mastered whaling, but not entirely successfully. Modern researchers claim that the bearers of culture are people who came to this earth. They do not have genetic ties with the local, previous population. As a result, their burial sites are located in much more remote and inconvenient places.
In good weather, from a high point on the Cape of the Prince of Wales, it is possible to see Cape Dezhnev (Russia), which is the easternmost point of our state. Two islands are clearly visible between them. The larger is the Russian island of Ratmanov. The smaller one belongs to the United States and is called Small Diomede. They are separated by only 4 km.
Coordinates of the Cape Prince of Wales: 65 ° 35 ′ 47 ″ north latitude; 168 ° 05 ′ 05 ″ West.