or Inland Passage
Natural sheltered sea route along the U.S.-Canadian coast from Seattle , Wash.
, to Skagway, Alaska. Extending northwest for more than 1,000 mi (1,600 km), it comprises channels and straits between the mainland and islands (including Vancouver Island ) that protect it from Pacific storms. It is the favoured route for coastal shipping to Alaska. Ports in British Columbia include Victoria , Vancouver , and Prince Rupert; those in Alaska include Ketchikan, Wrangell, and Juneau .