04 Aug 2019

Unforgettable Wrangel Island Expedition

As Kapitan Khlebnikov steams towards Anadyr and our second Wrangel Island expedition of the season comes to an end, Expedition Leader Nathan Russ looks back over an unforgettable 14 days.

"This has to have been one of the best Wrangel Island expeditions for experiencing wildlife from massive walrus haul outs, Musk Ox and numerous whale species to 52 Polar Bear encounters - 16 of which were mind-blowing. Highlights include three visits from curious Polar Bears which came right up to our vessel on the pack ice with a female and her 2 clubs standing less than 15 metres off the bow, and another female and her cub playing in the snow right in front of us. This really brings home just how amazing this Island is, and how inquisitive the Polar Bears are here.

Even our approach to Wrangel Island delivered, within the first 3 hours of departing Kolyuchin Island we encountered our first pack ice and Polar Bears, a 150-strong Walrus haul out, and 6 Bowhead and 50 Humpback Whales. As an Expedition Leader you know it is good when you have Polar Bears on one side of your vessel and a pod of feeding Bowhead Whales on the other."

Nathan includes 7 landings on Wrangel Island, great views of Musk Ox among the Arctic tundra in bloom and some unbelievable views of Walrus swimming underwater alongside Kapitan Khlebnikov among the voyage's numerous other highlights.

Image from file (c) E.Sabanina