1730: North East Passage - The Northern Sea Route - Westbound 31 July 2017
Day 1: Monday 31 July
Anadyr
After a long flight from Moscow across Russia, or across the Bering Strait form Nome in Alaska, we all arrived at Anadyr airport. From there, we were transferred to the pier where we met the Heritage Expeditions team and our home for the next month, the Akademik Shokalskiy, and her crew. During the afternoon, we could see Largha Seals fishing salmons in the Anadyr River, playing with a very strong current, up to 8 knots! Our expedition leader, Rodney Russ, introduced his staff; a briefing about safety on board was given, followed by a practical life boat drill. Some of us went then straight to bed, due to long travel and jet lag, others enjoyed the first diner on board. Around 9:00pm, we set sail for our great journey towards the Northern Sea Route.
Day 2: Tuesday 1 August
At Sea and Bukhta Preobrazheniya
We spent this morning at sea, enjoying bird watching from the outside decks or the bridge. This was a good opportunity to see our first puffins and other alcids, Short-tailed Shearwaters, and also fulmars. Rodney also gives us an introduction of this journey and a Zodiac briefing prior to our afternoon activity.
After lunch, we dropped our Zodiacs to cruise Preobrazheniya Bay. Despite the swell we succeeded to approach a magnificent cliff and look at many birds such as Black-legged Kittiwakes, both Common and Brünnich Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant and Glaucous Gull.
Day 3: Wednesday 2 August
Yttygran Island and Gil’mimyl Hot Springs
Early this morning, we dropped anchor at Yttygran and Arakamchechen Islands. We then went ashore to a place called Whale Bone Alley, where Gray and mainly Bowhead Whale skulls and other bones were put together by ancient people. We were also able to observe Northern Pikas and Arctic Ground Squirrels. The first one belongs to order of the lagomorph, while the second is a rodent.
A 10:30am after a nice landing, we Zodiac cruised the strait between Yttygran Island and Arakamchechen Island, where we saw Gray Whales, and very friendly walruses. Some of them came right next to our boats, probably curious or to investigate us.
After lunch, we had our second landing of the day at Gil’mimyl. Most of us walked towards the hot spring and had great time there in a very hot water! Some of us stayed local with Yvan and his family, the occasion to learn about life up here in the tundra. We could also taste some local products such as dry salmon and mushrooms.
This afternoon was also the perfect time to enjoy the tundra and discover the vegetation and its inhabitants such as the Arctic Ground Squirrel and a few birds.
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Day 4: Thursday 3 August
Cape Dezhnev and Uelen Village
Despite the fog and a bit of wind, we succeeded to land this morning at the eastern most point of the Eurasian continent: Cape Dezhnev. This place was named on behalf of the Cossack Semyon Dezhnev, the first (known) to have sailed through the Bering Strait in 1648. The landing was an opportunity to see the lighthouse where a monument on behalf of Dezhnev is located, but also to discover the old village of Naukan. In the 1930s there were about 62 yarangas and around 400 people were here. It’s a very strange feeling to wander between the remains of the village, facing the Bering Strait and Alaska. If you listen carefully, you may hear the whispers of the people who lived there. The only inhabitants of the area are now Arctic Ground Squirrels, who used the stone walls as borrows and winter quarters.
Just after lunch, we landed at Uelen Village as we entered the Arctic Ocean. This was the only cultural stop for the duration of our expedition. It was a perfect moment to appreciate the Chukchi culture, people, and language. We visited the school, and were welcomed by one of the professors and then went to the museum to discover some objects carved by local people, most of them were carved on walrus tusks, but also on whale bones and reindeer antlers. These objects were very impressive, with a lot of detail to see on closer inspection. To finish this nice afternoon, an ensemble performed for us in the theatre, this was an occasion to appreciate music and dances from the Chukchi people. As we farewell this village, all of us probably remember all the kids waving at us as we left the landing site.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 5: Friday 4 August
Kolyuchin Island and At Sea
After a cultural landing yesterday, this morning we discovered the amazing island of Kolyuchin. This island of 4.2km long is home of thousands of sea birds. From the top of the cliffs, we could see guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins, cormorant and gulls flying right next to us. Most of the birds were however sitting on the cliffs with their eggs or chicks. This morning we had a great blue sky and sun, this was enough to forgive the few mosquitos we encountered!
This afternoon, we were at sea on the way to the unique island of Wrangel. Conditions were still great and calm, so we could appreciate the navigation on deck. We spotted good numbers of whales, both humpback and the rare bowhead. Also there were a lot of birds with our first Pomarine, Long-tailed Skuas, and Arctic Terns.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 6: Saturday 5 August
Wrangel Island
Around 7am this morning, we dropped anchor at Doubtful Bay. After breakfast we landed at the Rangers place, to meet them, but also to do our first walk on the island. Most of us were surprised by the beautiful flowers on the tundra. We also saw on a distance our first Polar Bears and Snowy Owls, two top predators of the island. Thanks to a great blue sky and sun, the light and the landscapes were absolutely stunning! At the end of our landing, we took the team of three Rangers on board with us for the duration of our stay at Wrangel Island.
This afternoon, we moved to another location and decided to land at the 180° meridian. We split into two groups: long and medium walks, this was another chance to stretch our legs and enjoy wandering amongst the tundra.
After dinner tonight, we lifted up the anchor, and moved to our next location for tomorrow, the west coast.
Day 7: Sunday 6 August
Wrangel Island
We decided this morning to Zodiac cruise the coastline near Komsomol where we also wanted to land, but heavy swell and grounded ice didn’t allowed us to do so. Along the shore we saw a few Polar Bears, groups of Snow Geese, and Long-tailed Ducks.
Back on board for lunch, we shifted position and dropped anchor at Ptichiy Bazar. Again there was a lot of ice on the shore and the swell prevented us landing, but we had a great Zodiac cruise into the drifting ice where we approached Polar Bears and birds. This evening as we passed by Cape Florens, Thomas and Blossom, Polar Bears could still be seen on the slopes of the west coast, estimation and counting for today gave us at least 200 sightings!! 
Photo credit: Heritage Expeditions
Day 8: Monday 7 August
At Sea towards Medvezhyi Islands
When waking up today, the swell was still present on the south-western side of Wrangel Island, together with low rain and fog. The three Wrangel Island Rangers were dropped back to Doubtful Bay and the Shokalskiy set sail westward. The fog became denser throughout the morning, clearing up only in mid-afternoon.
A lecture program was organized, it started with a presentation on Sea Ice, to help us understand how it forms and shapes the polar environments, as well as its key role in the Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems and on the entire planet helping regulate the temperature of the globe. The second lecture was an introduction to the Cetaceans of the North Pacific, to learn about identification and natural history of the species we have encountered or are likely to encounter. In the afternoon, a documentary called “Life in the Field of Bones” was screened. Filmed by Nikita Ovsyanikova, who studied Polar Bears for more than 20 years on Wrangel Island, it gives a very interesting insight into the lives of Polar Bears on the island. The last lecture of the day was on the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, an iconic bird breeding in Chukotka and almost led to extinction. Evgeny, who is part of the conservation project and efforts, gave us the background on it. Heritage Expeditions has also been part of the project with special Spoon-billed Sandpiper expeditions.
This evening the sun reappeared and we enjoyed very good sea conditions as we are sailing towards Medvezhyi Islands.
Day 9: Tuesday 8 August
Eastern Siberian Sea and Medvezhyi Islands
We started the day at sea with still smooth conditions. After breakfast a presentation on Polar Bears was given, to learn more about the ecology and biology of this iconic species of the Arctic, yet threatened by climate change, pollution and hunting.
Around 11am strange shapes, looking like sticks started to appear on the horizon. A few minutes later, we could see land! The easternmost island of the Medvezhyi Islands (= the “Bear Islands”) was indeed in sight. On top of it those two “sticks” appeared to be pillows. The island was name Chetyrekhstolbovoy, which means “four pillows” island because of these rock formations. Close to the two high pillows is a smaller one which has partly collapsed, and the fourth one is located more to the east and closer to the sea. Rodney gave us a briefing on these islands, so that we could be ready to go just after lunch. On Chetyrekhstolbovoy Island there was a weather station and a navigation station, both abandoned at the end of the Soviet Regime. The Zodiacs dropped us on a nice sandy beach, and we climbed the above slope to reach a plateau where the navigation station was located. Many rusty barrels welcomed us and buildings almost ready to collapse, but telling part of the story of this station and the men living there about 30 years ago. We split in two groups, one going to the pillows on the hill and the other one walking further to the other part of the island where the weather station was located. This latter is an example of the relationship between the melting permafrost and the coastal erosion, as some of the houses closer to the sea had collapsed or are ready to do so. A few birds were also sighted and we enjoyed the sun on a rich tundra coloured by Arctic flowers.
In the evening we sailed to the north-west towards Pushkareva Island where we made a landing after dinner. Another sandy beach welcomed us, protected from the southerly wind. Some of us went for a walk along the beach, while others walked on the tundra towards an old lighthouse. On the sand, they were many bear tracks, together with fox and bird tracks. And soon we saw a few of these wanderers from a distance: 8 bears were sighted in total on what we could see of the island! The tundra revealed a few ponds and streams, in between the green polygons formed by the thawing of the upper layer of the permafrost. As the sun was slowly going down, we enjoyed the colours in the sky, before going back on board after a beautiful day in the “Bear Islands”.
Later at night, Akademik Shokalskiy set sail for the New Siberian Islands, as a southerly swell was preventing another landing on the Medvezhyi Islands in the morning.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 10: Wednesday 9 August
At Sea towards the New Siberian Islands
During the night we could feel the ocean swell and the Shokalskiy was rolling more than in the past few days. The swell continued through the morning, but eased in the afternoon. After a leisurely breakfast, the “Bird Club” met in the Bar/Library to catch up on the wildlife list from yesterday. Then we joined Rodney and his team in the lecture room for a recap on our time at the Medvezhyi Islands and a briefing on our plans for the next destination, the New Siberian Islands. In the afternoon, two lectures were given. The first one was on walrus called “tooth walkers and much more”, to learn about the ecology and natural history of the biggest of Arctic pinnipeds. The second presentation was on Semyon Dezhnev, a Cossack who was in 1668 the first to cross the Bering Strait, sailing eastward from the Kolyma River.
Day 11: Thursday 10 August
Laptev Strait and Great Lyakhovskiy Island
Today we spent the morning at sea, before entering the Laptev Strait, south to the New Siberian Islands. After breakfast the ‘Sea Shop’ was open in the Bar/Library, followed by two lectures. Continuing on our historical lecture series, we learnt about Vitus Bering’s Exploration of the North Pacific, leading huge expeditions which aims were to discover and delimit the northern and eastern borders of the Russian Empire. The next presentation was on the indigenous people of the far north, their origins and characteristics, with a focus on the Marine Mammal Hunters.
In the afternoon, as we were entering the Laptev Strait we encountered some sea ice on our way slowing us down. Looking at the chart in the bridge we could see that the strait and waters around the islands was quite shallow, averaging less than 10m deep. For that reason, late in the afternoon the Captain couldn’t bring the ship closer than 2.5 nautical miles (around 4km) from our first landing site, in the south-east of Great Lyakhovskiy Island. After a 20 minute ride which was a bit bumpy as the Zodiacs had to drive in the wind, we stepped foot on land. Above the beach was an abandoned weather station. We wandered among the buildings and on the tundra riddled with Lemming holes. Some of us were lucky enough to spot a few of these Arctic rodents. An Arctic Fox was looking for them, though keeping its distances with the intruders on its territory. As we were leaving the beach, the sun came out, lightening the abandoned buildings as if to make them more welcoming.
Akademik Shokalskiy continued its route through the Laptev Strait, encountering some ice again in the evening, but the Strait was eventually open enough for our ice-strengthen ship to sail through. During the night, Captain Igor sailed in a very shallow area, with only 2.3 meters deep under the keel!
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Day 12: Friday 11 August
Great Lyakhovskiy Island – New Siberian Islands
We arrived during the night at our next destination, Kigilyakh Point, on the south-west of Great Lyakhovskiy Island. A meteorological station was standing there, with four people working and living here for two years. Rodney, Olga and Evgeny went ashore to talk to them. Yuri, the station leader and his companions, including his wife, agreed to welcome us. In the meantime an ice strip drifting from the east was getting closer to the landing site. Rodney was monitoring it and as there was still enough open water to drive Zodiacs ashore, we gave it a go in our five Zodiacs that followed one another. On shore we were welcomed by the meteorologists. We made our way through a lot of rusty barrels, now used as home or perch by Snow Buntings and Lemmings. The latter were also using hillocks made by the thawing of the permafrost (frozen ground) as their home or “castle with view upon the sea”. After about an hour we were called to gather on the beach and board the Zodiacs. Some ice was slowly drifting our way but we sailed towards the ship easily in the Zodiacs and could notice then that the ship was clear of the ice which was around when we left. With wind and currents, the landscape and ice dynamic change very quickly!
We spent the afternoon at sea, heading north-west, to Stolbovoy Island. A historical lectures program was proposed, starting with some “Fascinating stories of Historic Arctic Exploration”, an entertaining talk about various expeditions, including Fridtjof Nansen’s Fram ice drift, Erik Nordenskiöld with his ship Vega, the first to sail through the Northern Sea Route, as well as some Russian explorations. Then Rodney told us the story of the Chelyuskin Expedition, led by Otto Shmidt, Director of the Northern Sea Route Agency (Glavsevmorput). His aim was to sail through the Northern Sea Route and to pave the way for future seasonal shipping. But the expedition turned out to be a disaster as the ship eventually got trapped in ice and the crew had to abandon it and camp on the ice. Being all rescued by the planes of the Glavsevmorput, it was eventually turned as a public relations triumph.
On our way today a good number of Ringed Seals were spotted as we were sailing along ice floes. The Captain dropped the anchor at 9pm and we enjoyed a good calm night before our next adventure.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 13: Saturday 12 August
Stolbovoy Island and at Sea – New Siberian Islands
This morning we landed at Stolbovoy Island. Long and medium walks on the tundra were proposed. The long walkers started first, walking up to get some views and going along Melkoye Lake. The medium walk started on the other side of the lake. On the beach a lot of drift wood had been washed. We went to check some other timber on the tundra above the landing site which appeared to be the foundations of a house likely more than a hundred years old. Among the sparse flowers colouring the tundra, we noticed very tiny ones, a forget-me-not species, as low on the ground as they were colourful. On our way we also found a number of old fox traps made with a wooden tunnel and a big log. Bait would be attached with a string to the log, which would fall onto the fox when pulling the string. The aim was to get the fur without hole or blood on it. Some of us went a bit further towards a bird cliff, while other went back on the beach.
Back on board we enjoyed lunch, before continuing our way west in the Laptev Sea, towards the Taymyr Peninsula. In the afternoon Rodney and his team invited us in the lecture room for a recap on our time at the New Siberian Islands. The first topic was on the different types of stations that we saw (weather, GLONASS the Russian GPS system, navigation stations). Secondly Samuel talked about the low number of birds that we saw since we left the Medvezhyi Islands, and the reasons for that (shallow water areas with low productivity, latitude, location of bird cliffs, time of the year and migration). Thirdly, Evgeny talked about the mammoth’s remains and tusks that can be found on the New Siberian Islands, and the people who are collecting them. In mid-afternoon, part 1 of a German film on the Chelyuskin Expedition was screened. In the evening the fog came, together with a gentle swell.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Day 14: Sunday 13 August
Laptev Sea towards the Taymyr Peninsula
As we crossed the Laptev Sea today, we started with a lecture on ‘The Laptev Sea and the Laptev Brothers!’ Dmitriy and Khariton Laptev were both part of the Great Northern Expedition led by Vitus Bering. From 1735 to 1742 they were involved in the exploration of the northern coast of the Russian Empire, Khariton in the Lena-Yenisei expedition and Dmitriy in the Lena-Kolyma one. Interestingly they eventually both ended up as leaders of their expedition after their commanders respectively died of scurvy. In 1913 their name was given (by Akademik Shokalskiy) to the sea they both sailed in and described. The second presentation of the day was on Arctic shorebirds and the East-Asian Flyway. We learnt about waders in Chukotka and the Russian Arctic coast, their distribution according to census made by ornithologists like Evgeny, and also about their flyway. The East-Asian Flyway is a very significant one, but unfortunately, part of it is threatened by human infrastructures meaning habitat loss, plus hunting on a large scale.
In the afternoon, part 2 of the film on the Chelyuskin expedition was screened. Then we learnt about the fascinating life and work of the Naturalist Georg Steller, who became a member of Bering’s Great Northern Expedition and described flora, fauna, landscapes and even the indigenous people he met around the Baikal Lake, Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka, the Alaskan coast, Aleutian Islands and the Commander Islands. His legacy is very significant. Steller made the only description of the Sea Cow, later named after him and which became extinct only 27 years after, due to extensive hunt. Before the bar opened, Rodney gave a briefing outlining the possibilities for our time in the Taymyr Peninsula area in the next days. From the Bridge today quite a few Black-legged Kittiwakes and Brunnïch Guillemots were observed, almost all flying from south-west to north-east.
After dinner we reached Pronchishcheva Peninsula and the entrance of an estuary, to the eastern side of the Taymyr Peninsula, where the Captain dropped the anchor. A group of Laptev Walruses were hauling out on the beach. A few bears were also spotted on the coast.
Day 15: Monday 14 August
Taymyr Peninsula, Pronchishcheva Peninsula, Kleshnya Island
After breakfast we went Zodiac cruising to see the walrus haul out at the entrance of the estuary. Whether or not the Laptev Walrus can be considered as a subspecies has been a debate among walrus experts for many years, but according to recent genetic studies it is likely to be a separate population of the Pacific Walrus and not a subspecies. Nevertheless it was certainly special to approach our first Laptev Walruses. And in fact it was not so much us approaching them than the opposite! Indeed three young animals swam towards our Zodiacs without any hesitation. Several times the drivers had to move back or faster to avoid a too close encounter which could have lead to a puncture of the rubber boats by walrus tusks. It was a very interesting behaviour to observe, different from what we saw in Chukotka with animals in the water being curious but shyer than these three bold teenagers. They were probably at least seventy animals in the haul out, and despite the rain we had good views at them, plus sound and smell! The steam escaping from the haul out added to that special atmosphere. Then we continued Zodiac cruising along the coast towards an abandoned weather station. En route we saw two bears, a mother and her cub. They were grazing on a green bank and stopped to look at us. We did a short landing at the weather station, before returning back to the ship.
In the afternoon, we Zodiac cruised along Kleshnya (“claw”) Island. A bear was walking on a long beach, while a group of a dozen Pomarine Skuas were almost pausing on an ice floe or flying over our Zodiacs. Then we made a landing on the flat island, a polar desert with ponds where a few flowering plants like the Arctic Poppy were surviving.
During the evening we started to sail towards Maliy Taymyr, through the Vilkitskiy Strait, usually the most difficult passage to go through in the Northern Sea Route, due to ice blocking it. Indeed during the night we could hear the ice banging against the ship, while the vessel was making its way through. The light was beautiful and the attempt successful.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Day 16: Tuesday 15 August
Vilkitskiy Strait, Maliy Taymyr and Cape Chelyuskin
We are at the eastern entrance to the Vilkitskiy Strait, almost through, the hard part was last night. The Captain and crew did a magnificent job bringing the ship through some heavy ice, but the ice maps suggest that we are through the worst of it. There was yet another time change last night and breakfast was scheduled for 0730 (which was really 0830 by everybody’s body clock). There was still a considerable amount of ice around. We were approaching Maliy Taymyr Island as breakfast was finishing. The charts and maps we had showed an old research base, other than that very little was known about the island. Evgeny said there were virtually no ornithological records from the island. There was a lot of ice along the shore line, a landing didn’t look promising. We dropped anchor offshore of the old base and Rodney launched a Zodiac to check out the landing. Samuel and Olga accompanied him on the scouting trip. They succeeded in making a brief landing below the base, but the ice was drifting along the shore threatening to trap them there. It was a similar situation several hundred meters along the beach at the lagoon entrance. The risk of getting everybody marooned on the islands by shifting ice was simply too high and the proposed landing was abandoned.
With the Zodiac back on board we set a south-westerly course across the Vilkitskiy Strait to Cape Chelyuskin, the most northerly point of the Eurasian Continent. The fog descended on us as we crossed the strait. We enjoyed lunch during the crossing (it was 35 miles across), the ice thinned quite significantly too. As we approached Cape Chelyuskin the Border Guards contacted us and wanted to know our intentions. Foreign passengers weren’t allowed to land, Russian citizens were invited. Rodney decided it was all or nobody. The Border Guards then gave permission for a Zodiac cruise. Five boats were launched and we went inshore. There is sadly only one way to describe the area, an environmental disaster and a disgrace. Empty 200 litre drums and other assorted rubbish littered a huge area, the majority of buildings were in disrepair and worse there was diesel oil leaking into the ocean, we could not only see it we could smell it. What a tragedy to see such a significant geographical site neglected and abused. We saw three or four men, they had climbed onto a roof on the pretence of repairing the radar but were watching us closely. Attempts to get them to wave or at least acknowledge us all but failed, we got a weak wave from one of them.
We were able to get close to the large white (quartz) rock that marks the Cape, immediately behind the rock an antiaircraft (?) gun was mounted. It didn’t look like it had ever fired a shot and certainly was not capable of firing one now, as it, like everything else was rusting away. After about 1 hour we loaded the Zodiacs back on board and departed. By this time the fog had cleared and we got a great view over the entire Cape.
There was a briefing at 6pm to outline our hopes (and dreams) for the next couple days here; this was followed by dinner at 7.30pm. Another day on our exciting journey along the Northern Sea Route completed. 
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 17: Wednesday 16 August
Shokalskiy Strait
Meghan woke us (hers was the voice of choice) at 0555 just as we were entering Tel’Mana Fiord. Weather was overcast but calm. We cruised slowly up the fiord enjoying a wide range of views and habitat. There was one band of ice to push through, after which it was open water. Captain anchored in a small embayment on the south side at the head of the Fiord. Immediately after breakfast (it started at 0730) there was a Zodiac shuttle ashore. Samuel, Agnes and Meghan formed the top boundary (or limit) on where we could climb to. We were free to wander, some folk stayed on board, preferring to enjoy the view from the ship, and others spent a short time ashore before coming back on board. The weather deteriorated, the cloud ceiling lowered and there were strong southerly winds with rain, this brought everybody else back to the landing. All back on board by 10am and we lifted anchor and cruised back down the Fiord to Shokalskiy Strait.
The weather deteriorated quite quickly (we were very lucky with the time that we had had there). Out in the Shokalskiy Strait the wind was even stronger and quickly obvious that we wouldn’t be able to visit Marata Fiord as it was very exposed to the southerly winds. We turned north through the Strait with the intention of visiting Cape Peschаnyy region. The wind and sea eased north of the Strait. We enjoyed some pleasant travelling conditions, weaving our way through numerous icebergs. Captain dropped anchor off Cape Peschаnyy. Rodney, Olga and Evgeny went ashore to meet with some people that we could see at the old (obviously abandoned) base. It transpired that they were researchers from the nearby Research Station. They were welcoming but a little discouraging about us having any activities in the region. On this basis and with the weather forecast indicating the wind was going to drop we decided to steam back to Marata Fiord. Samuel gave a very good presentation on Icebergs, which was very appropriate given that a) there were numerous icebergs around and b) we were in one of the few areas in the Arctic where icebergs actually occur.
There was a happy hour at the bar tonight with complimentary Red and White wines. After dinner we screened the Russian film “What I did with my summer” (that is the best translation) filmed in Chukotka on a Polar Weather station, it is the story of two observers and their work and lives there (you need to watch it for the full story).
Day 18: Thursday 17 August
Marata Fiord
We spent the night at anchor near the entrance to Marata Fiord. The wind dropped out (as predicted) and by the time we woke, sea conditions had calmed. Clocks went back another hour last night and breakfast was at 0730. The team had three Zodiacs in the water by 0830 and were offering shuttles to (and from) a narrow, but spectacular, peninsula on the northern entrance to the fiord. We were given 1.5 hours to enjoy ourselves, wandering at leisure. Rodney and Olga acted as the northern boundary. There was some old Polar Bear sign (footprints, droppings and a few scraps); we also saw quite a number of Snow Buntings and one pair of Purple Sandpipers with 2 young chicks. Everybody was back on board by 11am and Captain took the vessel up Marata Fiord. Lindsay and Kath organised some hot chocolate and we enjoyed hot chocolate on the front deck. There were plenty of icebergs floating on the fiord and we also had great views of the glaciers at the head of the fiord and a couple on the southern side. Lunch was announced at 1230. The timing was perfect as we had just left the fiord.
We sailed along the coast of October Revolution Island and as we turned north to head towards Sredniy Island we ran into ice. Captain turned south for several hours (the southerly wind had obviously shifted the ice around). Once through the ice we turned towards Sredniy Islands and picked up speed. 
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Day 19: Friday 18 August
Sredniy, Domashniy and Golomyianyi Islands – Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago
We were approaching Sredniy Island at 0630. The fog which had been a constant companion throughout the night started to disperse. We could make out Sredniy Station, it is a Border Guard and military base. There is also a significant runway there, we are not certain whether it is used in the summer, but certainly used in the winter. We could see a plane in the distance; it appeared as though it had run off the runway. Breakfast was at 0730. Rodney, Olga and Evgeny went ashore on nearby Domashniy Island for a scouting trip. They came back to the ship, and gave us a briefing. There was an important Ivory Gull colony near the landing and on the hill above the landing there was a memorial to George Ushakova, an important and significant leader of early Arctic Expeditions including first leader of Wrangel Island 1926-29 and the 1930-1932 Severnaya Zemlya Expedition, and who also played a major role in the rescue of the Chelyuskin. It was his wish that he be buried here.
Everybody who wanted to landed, we were asked to keep around the edge of the beach so as not to disturb the gulls. Evgeny had spent some time here during the briefing and had counted about 70 nests, but did not see any young birds; it appears the breeding failed (maybe Polar Bear). This species has declined significantly in the last few years. Hopefully there were a few good photos and observations.
It was all back on board at 11am and we sailed towards Golomyannyy Island (it is actually connected to Sredniy by a low sand spit). Lunch was served at midday in anticipation of getting ashore quickly when we got there. The landing site was not obvious, but Border Guards called us up and directed us to a beach below the Metrological Station at the extreme western end of the beach. Our papers were all in order and we were allowed to land, but we were restricted to the Metrological base. The Border Guard stayed with us throughout our visit. We met the wife of one of the staff of the Metrological base; I believe she was also a Metrological observer. Her name was Svetlana and her and her husband had been working on the island since 1990. They had two children, one of who was at University the other was 9 years of age and was being home schooled on the island. They planned to leave the island for good in September this year. Svetlana hosted some of us in her home, there was a magnificent array of (priceless) memorabilia from early Soviet expeditions, including photo albums and paintings. Svetlana also opened up the Metrological office for some of us to see inside, it was a bit like being in a time warp, stepping back in history. After seeing so many abandoned stations, it was great to see a functioning station. Everybody was back on board by 3pm and we headed west towards Vize Island. 
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 20: Saturday 19 August
Vize Island
No victory with a landing at Vize this morning but it wasn’t for want of trying. We arrived there at approx. 0630, the station called us on Channel 16 and wondered “what the hell we were doing there” Olga explained we were a tourist ship. They were very welcoming and were keen to have us ashore. But it wasn’t to be unfortunately, there was a SW swell and we could see breakers on the beach. Rodney, Evgeny, Olga and Samuel took a Zodiac to have a look and reported that a landing was not possible. There was a small sheltered river mouth two miles to the west that might have been possible but a) we would have had problems using the gangway and b) the staff from the station reported that there were at least two grumpy Polar Bears near there.
We lifted anchor and steamed to the NE corner of the island, where we thought there might be some lee. Sea conditions were certainly a lot calmer but there was still a big swell on the beach. Rodney, Olga and Samuel tried but had to abort. They tried once more 11 miles to the west, where it should have been the calmest, but the swell was still crashing into the cliffs. Finally at about 12.30pm we admitted defeat and headed west, with a promise that we would try again on our way back.
This afternoon we enjoyed Part 2 of Evgney’s “Indigenous Peoples of the North – Reindeer Herders” lecture. It was well attended and well received and very informative. Likewise Olga’s lecture on Orca was very informative. We haven’t seen any Orca on this expedition so far but there is still a chance. We did see our first whales for many days late evening. There were two Bowhead Whales along the ice edge as well as a number of Harp Seals on the ice.
Day 21: Sunday 20 August
Alger Island – Franz Josef Land
Made really good time towards Franz Josef Land and by early morning we were amongst the eastern islands. Our destination was Camp Ziegler on Alger Island. Breakfast was scheduled for 0730 and then there was a special Franz Josef Land briefing at 9am. Rodney gave a very brief introduction to the archipelago, in a PowerPoint presentation. He concluded the briefing with a map showing the sites that he hopes to include during our stay here. We approached Alger Island from the north and dropped anchor just off the Camp Ziegler. There was a team of four from the Arctic National Park that we had agreed to transport back to Hooker Island. They included two archaeologists who had been documenting the hut as it is clear that it will soon be lost due to erosion. The hut dates to 1901 and the Baldwin expedition which was funded by William Ziegler of the Royal Chemical company. It was an exceptionally well-funded expedition, but sadly Baldwin was no leader and the expedition was dysfunctional and in the end they abandoned their attempt on the North Pole.
We met the four staff of the Arctic National Park and loaded their gear on board while everybody else explored the site. There was an incredible amount of gear for a 17-day expedition, at least we didn’t have to stow it, and it was simply stacked on the aft deck. The last group came off at 1345 and lunch was at 1400. The ship lifted anchor and steamed towards Cape Triest on Champ Island, but we noted the Nuclear Icebreaker, “50 Years of Victory” heading the same direction, so we altered course for a potential walrus haul out that the Rangers knew about. We arrived mid-afternoon and could see a substantial haul out on the shore, and not too far distance was a Polar Bear sunning itself on some rocks. We launched five Zodiacs and enjoyed a great view (and odour) of the walrus, followed by some ice cruising. The Polar Bear was barely visible, as it had shifted over the ridge soon after the ship dropped anchor.
When we were all on board we steamed back towards Cape Triest as the icebreaker had advised us that they were moving to another location. The ship dropped anchor at the Cape, it is a magnificent setting and to cap it off there were two Polar Bear, one of which was sleeping below some bird cliffs.
We finished up dinner and then offered a walk ashore to the “Devils Marbles” – spherical geodes one of them up to 3m in diameter (unfortunately the site has been pillaged and significant numbers of the geodes souvenired). It was a short ride ashore in the Zodiacs and then a relatively easy walk up a dry river bed, where we enjoyed some great photo opportunities.
And so the day ended, day one of three in Franz Josef Land, it was a special one. 
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Day 22: Monday 21 August
Wilczek Land and Cape Tegetthof – Franz Josef Land
We got underway at 0500, weather was heavy overcast, visibility wasn’t great but that didn’t deter passengers and there was a good turn out on the Bridge. We cruised north and then followed a narrow passage/fiord which was really quite specular, even in the fog. There were walrus on the floes and a small pod of Beluga Whales were sighted. The passage/fiord wound its way through a maze of islands. We eventually dropped anchor near a small island whose name translates “Coal Island” because the island look like coal pine. Breakfast was finished by the time we anchored and a Zodiac cruise was announced, even though it was snowing. We cruised the coast looking for Little Auks; it would appear that with the early winter the majority have already fledged. We enjoyed a terrific display of ice and icebergs as we cruised a glacier front. There was a lone female with a well grown pup floating on some ice. They were both very obliging when it came to photographs. Back on board we cruised across Austrian Strait to Cape Heller on Wilczek Land. We managed a landing through the push ice on the beach and visited the Soviet Monument to American interests and science in Franz Josef Land. More interesting was the remains of Fort McKinley built in 1898/99 by the Wellman expedition. Nearby was the grave of Bentson who died here during that winter.
With everybody back on board we set a course for Cape Tegetthoff. What remained of the afternoon was free and then there was an early dinner in the hope that we might get ashore. The Park Inspectors had warned us it was one of the most difficult sites to land on. Luck was on our side and immediately after dinner those who wanted to were able to land. Cape Tegetthoff was the first part of Franz Josef Land to be discovered. It takes its name from the vessel Admiral Tegetthoff which was the vessel of the Austro-Hungarian Expedition. It was also the base for a number of expeditions including the Wellman Expedition and the Evelyn Baldwin, 1901/02 Expedition.
When everybody was back on board we set sail for Cape Flora. 
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Photo credit: S. Blanc
Day 23: Tuesday 22 August
Ostrov Nortbruk and Bell Island – Franz Josef Land
Another special day in the Russian Arctic Archipelago, Franz Josef Land is coming to an end. The ship has been sailing consistently above 80 degrees north for the day (and approximately 49 degrees east). We left Ostrov Gallya last night, a historical place where the Admiral Tegetthoff, captained by Julius von Payer and Karl Weyprecht, sailed through uncharted waters in 1872-1874 and got crushed and sank in the ice.
Three Zodiacs shuttled people ashore after an early breakfast at 7:30 am. We landed at Cape Flora on the island of Ostrov Nortbruk, a highlight of this trip for any history buff. The day felt very cold because of the Arctic winds, though the sun came out at times, illuminating the towering bird cliffs above the Cape. This landing site, rich with exciting polar history, has rarely been visited by tourists. Although the landing at the stony beach was rough due to swell, all passengers made it safely to shore. We were guided by Yevgeny and the ranger team and were therefore well protected from any potential Polar Bears in the area. There were several historical monuments and relics to be seen, including the remains of huts from the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition (1994-1997). There was a Russian orthodox cross to commemorate brave Russian Arctic explorers to the region. And then, there was an iconic memorial of the historic meeting between Frederick Jackson and Fridtjof Nansen (Fram, 1893-1896) on July 25th, 1896. This meeting took place after Nansen returned from his dash to the North Pole (reaching just above 86 degrees) with his companion Hjalmar Johansen. After hearing several historical lectures during our own Northern Sea Route expedition, it was an amazing moment to stand at this place where both men, coincidentally, met in the middle of the Arctic nowhere. Another memorial commemorated the Brusilov and St. Anna expeditions and the two survivors, Valerian Albanov and Konrad. Their epic adventures are brought to life in the recently published book “In the Land of White Death”.
Returning from our landing on Cape Flora, a walrus mother carrying her calf on her back was swimming along the coast. We were also surrounded by guillemot parents and their recently fledged young sitting on the water.
After lunch, we landed at Bell Island. Surrounded by an exceptional panoramic view we were able to visit the hut of another expedition, the self-funded Benjamin Leigh Smith expedition. During the landing, the wind picked up and getting back into the Zodiacs was a physical challenge for some.
Before dinner we were treated to a presentation by our ranger and historian guides to give us a better understanding of the sites that we had visited today. At the end of dinner, a message from the Bridge suddenly announced Bowhead Whales and we rushed outside to see around 20 animals. The North Atlantic population of Bowhead Whales, nearly hunted to extinction, survive today because of the rich waters around Franz Josef Land. Seeing these animals, frequent blows and flukes was an unforgettable experience.
After this treat, a group of 20 passengers and rangers met in the bar to sing Russian, German, Jewish, and Maori songs until midnight, a true international cultural event. Thank goodness, we were able to turn the clock back another hour, i.e. one more hour sleep. 
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 24: Wednesday 23 August
Hooker Island – Franz Josef Island
After a rather short night sleep for some and breakfast for all, our Russian ranger and historian Yevgeni presented another lecture on the history of Franz Josef Land in Russian, professionally translated into English by Assistant Expedition Leader Olga. We learned how the Julius von Payer and Karl Weyprecht Austrian Tegetthoff Expedition discovered Franz Josef Land. Additional expeditions in the presentation included the adventures of Walter Wellman, Evelyn Baldwin, and the Duke of Abruzzi.
After lunch, we made one final landing at Tikhaya Bay on Hooker Island. The Bay was named by Georgiy Sedov in 1913 during the first Russian North Pole expedition. The polar weather station “Bukhta Tikhaya” was established in 1929. The station has been functioning now as a base for the Russian Arctic National Park, founded in 2009.
On the landing, passengers wandered around, visited a small museum with various interesting artefacts, and went shopping at the local post office. The small shop and post office attendant stamped our post cards and sent them away to every corner of the world. The most sought-after items in the shop were Arctic T-Shirts with either a Narwhal or Polar Bear logo. A helicopter with soldiers, each equipped with an automatic weapon, appeared from Alexandra Land to welcome us, and to check our passports. After exploring the meticulously reconstructed station buildings we finally farewelled our rangers Yevgeny and Alexander who had guided us very well during the last four days.
Once back on board, everyone enjoyed a drink at the bar as we left the Bay that was quickly filling with ice.
Photo credit: Heritage Expeditions
Day 25: Thursday 24 August
At Sea crossing the Barents Sea
We had another pleasant day at sea; we were blessed with only some gentle swells and good visibility as we left Franz Josef Land, heading towards Murmansk.
After breakfast at 8am, the first part of the “Across Russia” Documentary with Jonathan Dimbleby was featured, starting his journey across Russia in Murmansk. Everybody enjoyed this documentary and most likely the next four parts will again be well attended.
At around 10am while sailing along the 250 metres deep Ushakov Bank, we encountered a fantastic wildlife spectacle: thousands of Northern Fulmars, guillemots, kittiwakes and Pomarine Skuas (Jaeger or “Spatelraubmöwen”) were swirling around the ship. Then, the distinctive dorsal fins of up to 20 Humpback Whales appeared together with around a thousand Harp Seals swimming in mobs (Sattelrobbe, Pagophilus groenlandicus). Humpbacks Whales (Buckelwal) can grow up to 17 metres in length. They have been protected since 1964 and their numbers are slowly increasing now. The highly migratory Harp Seal can dive up to 100 metres deep and feed on fish, krill, amphipods, and prawn. This Arctic wildlife frenzy lasted for nearly half an hour with Humpbacks Whales, Harp Seals, and seabirds altogether swimming, diving and flying closed to the ship. It was an unforgettable experience that even the hardiest long-term Arctic travellers and guides had never seen before and made them breathless. Afterwards, some of us were able to watch several White-beaked Dolphins.
The afternoon was filled with part two of the Documentary “Across Russia” as well as a highly interesting and well attended lecture by Samuel with the title “A History of the Discovery of Arctic Wildlife”. We learned about the natural history of Sabine’s Gull, Tufted Puffins, Polar Bears, Steller’s Sea Cows and Ross’ Gull, to name a few.
The day ended, as usual, at the “Globe Bar” with pre-dinner drinks and lots of chats about another amazing day on the Northern Sea Route followed by the evening dinner. At the end of the day we reached 77 degrees parallel.
Photo credit: A. Breniere
Day 26: Friday 25 August
Crossing the Barents Sea
Breakfast was at 8am. The sea was glassy calm. The day started with housekeeping issues since our journey was slowly coming to an end. The last emails were written before the accounts were closed, clothes washed, boots and lifejackets returned. The first Atlantic Puffins were sighted in the morning, finishing off the trio of puffin species of the world, a unique feat in one journey.
After breakfast, Part 3 of the “Across Russia” documentary was screened. This part titled “Motherland” did not disappoint. With a chilling honesty and pragmatism Jonathan Dimbleby exposed controversial aspects of Russian daily life and its’ past; Stalin’s Gulags and the time of the Great Terror were addressed as was the resurgence of nationalism and Stalin cult. Naturally, the audience walked out of this movie room silently and touched. The fourth part of the documentary, called “Natural Resources” was screened after lunch.
In the later afternoon, we were treated with another amazing wildlife encounter: 10 to 12 White-beaked Dolphins bow riding in the rough sea.
The evening lecture slot was filled with a Literature Review presentation by Rodney on the History and the Geographical significance of the Northern Sea Route. There was enough food for thoughts as well as recommendations to read certain books that would take many months. The ship started rolling more intensively during the bar hour and some passengers (and staff) skipped dinner in order to go to bed early to catch up on sleep. 
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Photo credit: M. Kelly
Day 27: Saturday 26 August
At Sea to Murmansk
The wind dissipated overnight according to the weather forecast and everyone awoke rested for an 8am breakfast. The final instalment of the “Across Russia” series was screened for a captive audience as we reflected our own journey across the top of Russia. Some administrative work needed to be done after lunch with Meghan settling our on-board accounts, the collection of passports, and final packing and exchanging of photographs.
The afternoon lecture program included a disembarkation briefing on our plans for tomorrow at Murmansk and a recap of our Northern Sea Route expedition. Rodney highlighted the challenges of this inaugural Heritage Expeditions voyage through the Northern Sea Route, the difficulties of obtaining permits as well as logistical and operational challenges. It was an emotional debriefing of the whole journey, the places visited, the wildlife encountered, the people met on our journey and the amazing landscapes we were cruising through. He personally thanked his professional, hard-working and passionate staff members Olga, Agnes, Samuel, Yevgenyi, Meghan, Lindsay, Cath and Konrad, that he had specifically chosen for this trip. Passengers acknowledged all of them with applause.
In the evening, we were treated with a delicious five course menu and the day ended with another special musical get-together in the bar; Yevgenyi, Konrad, Samuel and Agnes were singing Russian, Jewish, German and French songs altogether.
Day 28: Sunday 27 August
Murmansk
We arrived on time in Murmansk. With all those “icy” uncertainties before and during the voyage, this was an impressive achievement. The whole party song a happy birthday song for Erika, our Viking and writer from Norway (suggest reading her latest book “Sovietistan” which is so far only available in French, German and Dutch). A final group photo was taken in the bar, and sadly our memorable and exciting journey came to an end.
