19 Aug 2019
A Grand Finale at Anadyr
On the final day of our 'Across the Top of the World: Wrangel Island' voyage while transferring from Kapitan Klebnikov to the wharf at Anadyr, this expedition provided one final wildlife treat. As the small Russian ferry approached the dock, half a dozen Beluga whales surfaced beside us, joined by 20 or more inquisitive Largha seals.
They were here for the salmon which swim into the Anadyr River each summer. As we waited for the coach to take us to the airport, the whales and seals remained just in front of us. The nearest seals performed acrobatic leaps while the mysterious white whales glided back and forth, effortlessly slipping above and below the surface - a wonderful finale to a fabulous expedition!
On a voyage full of highlights, standouts included an incredible total of 101 polar bears; dozens of feeding Gray, Humpback and Bowhead whales; a richly flowering tundra inhabited by Lemmings, Arctic ground squirrels, Snowy owls, Skua, Snow geese, Arctic fox and Musk oxen, as well as towering cliffs packed with thousands and thousands of breeding seabirds. What a privileged experience, in a region so remote we had seen no other shipping or other visitors for almost two weeks.
Image (c) N.Nightingale
17 Aug 2019
Today we visited the most iconic of all archaeological sites in Chukotka - Whale Bone Alley. It's made from large numbers of bones, exclusively of …READ MORE
15 Aug 2019
The distance between Wrangel Island and the Chukotka Peninsula is just 140 miles, less than a day's sailing on Kapitan Khlebnikov, and the weather …READ MORE
12 Aug 2019
Over the last 24 hours the weather has changed and mist set in. It shrouded Herald Island as we approached, creating a sense of mystery. This must …READ MORE
