20 Aug 2019

A Day in Egvekinot

Our first landing on our 'Jewel of the Russian Far East' voyage saw us exploring the small, picturesque town of Egvekinot which is perched on the shores of Kresta Bay. Climbing aboard a robust 6x6 Russian bus we made our way to the Arctic Circle, located at latitude 66.33° and marking the line from which the sun neither rises nor sets for more than 24 hours in a row, twice a year. We wandered around the valley atop a carpet of moss and lichen, welcomed by beautiful weather and surrounded by jagged mountainscapes.

During the day we heard the stories and checked out the harsh accommodations of the Gulag prisoners who were forced to build the town and the 200-kilometre road to it back in the middle of the 20^th Century, and delved into the rich Chukchi history and culture at the local museum.

Back aboard Spirit of Enderby, we enjoyed the pre-dinner company of Humpback whales and Largha/Spotted seals which swam alongside our ship as we sailed towards Bukhta Gavrilla.

Image (c) J.Michina, Heritage Expeditions