He discovered and charted some of the Aleutian Islands while he was deputy to Vitus Bering during the Great Northern Expedition.

[3] It is known that Chirikov began his service in the Russian Imperial Navy in 1716, and later in 1721 he graduated from the Naval Academy with the rank of Sub-lieutenant.

Unable to find a harbor he sailed north along Baranov Island past the later Russian base at Sitka.

Now without any small boats Chirikov had no way of searching for the two longboats or landing on the coast to explore or replenish his supply of fresh water.

Chirikov took part in creating the final map of the Russian discoveries in the Pacific Ocean (1746).