11 Aug 2013

Wrangel Island Bound

We embarked on our second Wrangel Island Across the Top of the World expedition of the season on 7 August. Most passengers arrived in Anadyr on our charter flights from Nome, Alaska to board the ship. We enjoyed good sailing conditions for the first couple days and the Zodiacs were busy. Firstly we took them out to cruise some spectacular bird cliffs, then we landed on Arkamchrchen Island at the site of an ancient Eskimo village. Later the group used them to visit the hot springs in Gil’mimyl Bay.

As we sailed north through the Bering Strait yesterday we encountered strong north-north easterly winds which effectively eliminated any chance of a landing along the northern coast of Chukotka, so we headed directly towards Wrangel Island. The weather is now grey and overcast and the cold north wind persists. Fortunately the forecast is looking good and we plan to make landfall this afternoon at the remote and rarely visited Herald Island which lies to the east of Wrangel.