16 Jun 2018

Iturup Island

We were blessed with calms seas overnight while sailing toward Iturup Island. Loaded with pack lunches we disembarked the ship looking forward to exploring the island. A cold and overcast sky on the coast cleared to a wonderful clear sunny day as we travelled inland. The main attraction for the day was the geothermal hot pools, located up in the volcanic highlands. Those looking for a more relaxed experience, revelled in a good long soak in the natural springs followed by a walk to the small lake where the hot water originates. The birders in amongst us went further afield in search of their ‘list species’, joining in on the trip back down to the town of Kurilsk where we enjoyed a stroll around the small settlement before returning to Spirit of Enderby.