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During this 25-day icebreaker expedition
from Anadyr, on Russia's Asian shore to
Murmansk, near the Finnish border, we
intend to explore the Chukotka Peninsula,
Wrangel Island, the New Siberian Islands,
Severnaya Zemlya and Novaya Zemlya and Franz
Josef Land. These remote islands are
accessible for only a few short weeks
annually.
Day 1: Anchorage,
USA
Your spend the first night of this 7,000 km
(4,000 mile) expedition in Anchorage, Alaska,
USA. The largest city is home to 42% of the
population of the entire state!
Day 2: Embarkation
Day
We transfer you as part of a group from the
hotel to the airport for the flight to Anadyr,
Russia. En route you will cross the
International Dateline, losing a day. You meet
the Expedition Team, a well-informed group of
specialists who deliver our shipboard
education program, an engaging series of
illustrated presentations on all things Arctic
- political, biological and geological.
Days 3-5: Chukotka
Peninsula
To reach the Northeast Passage, we sail
northward through the Bering Strait, past Cape
Dezhnev, the eastern most point of Asia. Two
of the anticipated shore landings are a visit
to the small village of Uelen, and an
exploration of the uninhabited island of
Kolyuchin, where puffins and other seabirds
nest. Onboard helicopters and Zodiacs makes
these remote and possibly ice-bound places
accessible.
Days 6-7: Wrangel
Island
The Delong Strait crossing may provide
opportunities to witness Kapitan Khlebnikov
breaking ice, from the air and the bow.
Landings are planned on Wrangel Island, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated for its
diverse flora, and its importance as a habitat
for migratory birds. Musk oxen thrive there.
Days 8-14: New
Siberian Islands
We make our way through the pack ice of the
East Siberia Sea to the New Siberian Islands,
where, if conditions permit, we'll hike the
tundra, explore the old hunting camps and see
the northernmost point of the European
continent. A wildlife watch will be mounted,
as this is the habitat of the rarely seen
Leptev walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).
Days 15-19: Severnaya
and Novaya Zemlya
Landings on the least accessible group of
islands in the Arctic, Severnaya Zemlya, are
intended. Our wildlife watch continues for
Ross' and Sabine Gulls, as well as beluga
whales in the Kara Sea. The archipelago of
Novaya Zemlya thwarted attempts to complete a
transit of the Northeast Passage until the
development of engine driven surface vessels.
We plan landings and aerial flight-seeing.
Days 20-21: Franz
Josef Land
Well above the Arctic Circle lie the most
northerly islands in Eurasia, Franz Josef
Land. They are the habitat of polar bear and
Atlantic walrus. We plan to visit Cape Flora,
where remains of three historic expeditions
are found. If conditions permit, Zodiacs will
cruise the base of towering cliffs where
seabirds nest. We expect to use the
helicopters for aerial flight-seeing and
transfers to otherwise inaccessible landing
sites.
Days 22-25: Barents
Sea
We sail the Barents Sea to Murmansk, the home
port of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet.
We'll fly you from Murmansk to Helsinki, where
you'll spend the night, before flying home |
