North Slope · AK
Kaktovik
The polar bear village inside the Arctic refuge.
- Population
- 283 (2020 census)
- Incorporated
- 1971
- Tides
- Two highs, two lows, uneven
Then
- Late 1800s
Barter Island is a major trade center for Iñupiat and Canadian Inuit.
- 1950s
A runway and DEW Line station draw people here.
- 1971
Kaktovik incorporates.
Now
Visitors come to watch polar bears feed near town. The village sits in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
On the water
From NOAA's predictions for Barter Island, AK over the next 365 days. Heights are in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW).
- Pattern
- Two highs and two lows a day, one noticeably bigger than the other
- Typical daily range
- 0.5 ft
- Biggest swing
- 0.8 ft on Oct 25
- Smallest swing
- 0.2 ft on Oct 19
- Highest high
- 0.7 ft, Oct 27 at 2:18 AM
- Lowest low
- −0.1 ft, Feb 23 at 8:30 AM