01 Aug 2014

Wrangel Island Sunshine

We operated three Zodiac excursions in brilliant sunshine at Wrangel Island yesterday.  In the morning we took a cruise through the sea ice to look for wildlife and were rewarded with views of Pomarine Skuas as they chased Kittiwakes, Bearded Seals popping their heads out of the water to spy on us and a Gray Whale feeding close to shore.  We managed to pick our way through the ice to approach a group of Walrus and got close enough to appreciate the sounds, smells and behaviours of this iconic species.  Later we spotted our first Polar Bear on land this season as we made our way back to the ship for some lunch.  In the afternoon we took a walk to investigate the unique botany of the tundra and saw a solitary Musk Ox along the way. A late evening cruise along the cliffs provided spectacular lighting for our viewing of huge numbers of breeding sea birds and some early season chicks. It was a beautiful end to a memorable day on and around Wrangel and Herald Islands!