Alaska

Between Alaska and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula lies a mysterious 1,500 km volcanic island chain—the Aleutian Islands. Composed of 14 volcanoes and over 50 small islands, it forms a natural barrier separating the North Pacific Ocean from the Bering Sea. While fierce winds and waves are commonplace, this wildness nurtures one of Earth's most unique ecosystems: northern sea lions lounge on reefs, short-tailed albatrosses soar above the waves, humpback whales breach the surface, and sea otter families drift peacefully through kelp forests…