Nature
Prince William Sound is a broad inlet on Alaska’s south coast, known for its islands, fjords, sheltered coves, and major communities including Valdez, Cordova, Whittier, Chenega, and Tatitlek. It entered European records in 1778 with James Cook, was soon renamed for Prince William Henry, and later saw Spanish exploration under Salvador Fidalgo and early Russian shipbuilding tied to Alexander Andreyevich Baranov. Enclosed by the glaciated Chugach Mountains, it is both scenic and historically significant. Its modern history includes the devastating 1964 Good Friday earthquake and tsunamis, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, and ongoing tsunami concerns at Barry Arm.
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