Underwater Passage
A real-world coastal route through the Pacific Northwest's islands and fjords.
The Inside Passage is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland. The route extends from southeastern Alaska in the United States, through western British Columbia in Canada, to northwestern Washington state in the United States.
- Franchise
- Subnautica
- Developer
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Game Type
- Survival/Exploration
- Environment
- Underwater Biomes
- Primary Function
- Biome Navigation and Resource Access
Lore & Background
During the Klondike Gold Rush the passage was one of the sea routes from Seattle and California, carrying American prospectors northward. In Academic publishing, Inside Passage refers to the broader network of waterways, fjords, and islands, rather than just as a navigational route.
In Their Own Story
The Seamoth's thrusters hummed softly as the pilot guided it through the narrow, bioluminescent archway of the Underwater Passage. The pilot held their breath, watching the oxygen gauge tick down as they emerged into a vast cavern filled with floating debris and the silent promise of new discoveries.
Reader's Guide
Navigating the Inside Passage can be difficult due to often uncertain weather, large tidal range, fast or unpredictable currents, and infrequent safe anchorages. Ships using the route can avoid some of the bad weather in the open ocean and may visit some of the many isolated communities along the route. The southernmost point is Olympia, Washington. The northernmost points are Haines and Skagway at the head of the Lynn Canal.
Did You Know?
- Approximately 36,000 recreational cruising boats utilize portions of the Inside Passage route each year.
- Captain Warren Good has catalogued some 3,641 shipwrecks along the Alaska portion of the Passage.
- In 1994, Canada imposed a transit fee on all US commercial fishing boats using the Canadian Inside Passage, which was later lifted through bilateral negotiations.
- Over 2 million people take cruises each year in this region.
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