North Pacific High Sea

Southwest of the Aleutians, the North Pacific stretches between the island arc and the coast of Kamchatka. The ocean moderates temperatures but also sends frequent storms across these exposed waters, especially in autumn and winter. Voyages in the eighteenth century brought Russian crews east from Kamchatka; on the return journey of Bering's expedition in 1741, the difficulties of the ocean were compounded by sickness and the loss of the ship near the Asian coast.