1336: Jewel of the Russian Far East 4 Sept 2013
Day 1: 4 September 2013
Anadyr
After long flights from all corners of the world, we our group gathered together in Anadyr, the administrative capital of Chukotka and the gateway to the Russian Far East. After exploring the town we boarded the Spirit of Enderby in the afternoon and sailed during a beautiful sunset with Beluga Whales right beside the ship, a good omen for our journey. After a brief introduction from Rodney and the chance to meet the other members of the expedition crew, we settled in for dinner and our first night at sea.
Day 2: 5 September 2013
Bukhta Gavrilia
After a night of rough seas, we arrived off Cape Navarin just before breakfast. This major projection of the Russian continent out into the Pacific is notorious for wild weather and sure enough, as soon as we rounded the cape and made our way further south, conditions improved. After lunch and a brief siesta, we arrived at Bukhta Gavrilia in the early afternoon and launched the Zodiacs for our first excursion. The back of the bay is hemmed in by steep mountains, but we found a small stream that empties out through a narrow valley and headed up the creek to explore. Lots of birds were seen in the thick willow scrub including Dusky Thrushes, Wagtails and Ptarmigan. The hillsides were covered in berries which many of us enjoyed as a pre-dinner snack. We also had good looks at seals and even a Gray Whale which passed close to shore. When we arrived back at the ship for dinner, we were treated to another spectacular sunset which was a fitting finale to our first day!
Day 3: 6 September 2013
Pika River / Meinypil'gyno
We woke to an early breakfast under blue skies with a warm breeze. The ship anchored off the Pika River and even as the Zodiacs were unloaded we could see a string of whale and walrus blows in the bay which we wanted to investigate. Dozens of Gray Whales, many of them mothers with young calves, were seen feeding in the shallow sand and mud along the shoreline. They seemed oblivious to our Zodiacs, offering us a rare chance to see these gentle giants up close and personal. Along several narrow cobble beaches we also found large groups of walrus hauled out enjoying the sun. One group had certainly picked the most scenic spot around, lounging near a lovely waterfall that also seemed to be a hotspot of activity for the thousands of Kittiwakes that were hanging around on the cliffs. We also saw good numbers of Common Eiders, Pelagic Cormorants and many Northern Fulmars, which were also nesting on the cliffs. Nobody complained that the weather was more like summer than September!
We continued south and a few hours later were anchored of off Meinypil'gyno, a Chukchi village situated on a narrow lagoon between the mainland and a long narrow gravel spit. In town we were entertained by the local dance troupe who shared their songs and dances with us. Afterwards we took the opportunity to stroll through the village, visit the museum and chat with some of the friendly locals. Another beautiful sunset rounded out a truly spectacular day.
Day 4: 7 September 2013
Buhkta Natalii
After three straight days of blue skies, today we woke to mist and fog. Cruising into Bukhta Natalii, the seas are dead calm and the mountains shrouded by clouds. On the water around us sat thousands upon thousands of Tufted Puffins along with Kittiwakes, Murres and Auklets. Bukhta Natalii forks off into two smaller bays, Petra and Pavel, and after exploring Petra by ship, we split up into two groups. The first group led by Rodney headed off for an ambitious overland trek across the hills towards Pavel Bay, while the second group continued their exploration of Petra Bay by Zodiac. Towards afternoon the ship repositioned and welcomed the thoroughly soaked overland hikers back on board. They were in high spirits despite their outward appearance. Both groups had enjoyed good looks at Reindeer, and while the overlanders caught distant glimpses of Brown Bears, the Zodiac cruisers managed to spot a Peregrine Falcon cruising the cliffs. Both groups had once again made a good effort to put a dent in the local berry supply, but still saved room for dinner.
Day 5: 8 September 2013
Tintikun Lagoon
We spent the morning at sea enjoying some excellent birding from the bridge which included the sighting of a rare and endangered Steller's Albatross. The Spirit of Enderby arrived at Tintikun Lagoon in the early afternoon and a more picturesque place is difficult to imagine. This hidden bay is tucked away behind towering mountains which appear to tumble into the sea. It is accessible only through a narrow and shallow channel that can only be crossed at high tide. Once within the bay, a panorama of mountains and cliffs surrounded us on all sides. We slowly cruised into the bay and landed on a narrow gravel beach to look for bears. After a quiet half hour wait (during which some chose to take a dip in a small hot spring), a bear appeared on shore a few hundred metres away. We sat quietly and waited as the bear ambled closer and closer, eventually sitting down only a few dozen metres from us. Once memory cards were full and we had had our fill of this incredible encounter, we loaded back into the boats and continued on to where a small river empties out onto a braided gravel delta. Dead salmon littered the banks and many fish still lingered in large pools near the river mouth, while along each bank was a well-trodden bear track. We stopped to explore, eating berries, taking photos and enjoying the surreal scenery. Finally, and very reluctantly, we began to make our way out, spotting no fewer than five more bears along the hills as we worked our way out of the channel and back into the ocean towards the ship.
Day 6: 9 September 2013
Koryakskiy Reserve/Verkhoturova Island
High winds today threatened our plans to explore the shores of the Koryaksi Reserve and Verkhoturova Island, but as always we remained “rigidly flexible”, ready to adapt to any situation. We found shelter in a lovely bay where we went Zodiac cruising and enjoyed looks at a whole army of gulls which had appropriated an old shipwreck before landing on a small beach near a river running down from the hills. As soon as we landed we noticed four Peregrine Falcons streaking along the beach. A breeding pair and their offspring lingered around their nesting site atop a rocky pinnacle near the summit of one of the steep hills behind the bay. These iconic birds obliged us with some excellent close views so the birders were particularly satisfied with the encounter. We headed up the river and into the tundra with another target in mind – Brown Bears. After waiting patiently (and eating the ever-present berries all around us) we spotted a mother and cub slowly making their way towards us down the river. As they came closer and closer, the only sounds were the click of camera shutters and the splashing of the water tumbling down the stream. After spending half an hour going about their business, the bears continued on their way and we too decided it was time to make our way back to the ship. There are more places to explore and sights to see.
Day 7: 10 September 2013
Karaginskiy Island
This morning we awoke extra early, and despite some grumbling around the coffee station there was nothing but excitement once we loaded up the Zodiacs. An early morning excursion to Karaginskiy Island proved to be the best possible start to the day. The early morning mist slowly lifted off the tundra as we set out to wander around our landing site. This large island off the coast of Kamchatka is an important breeding area for many species of waterfowl. Although their breeding season was over, many were still gathered in large flocks in the ponds and sloughs inland and on the coastline in preparation for their migration south. We enjoyed good looks at White-winged Scoters and Common Mergansers as well as several large flocks of Pacific Golden Plovers. The abundant berries were once again a distraction from birding and taking photos, but the reward for kneeling down is not just a tasty snack but a whole new perspective on the miniature forest that is the low arctic tundra. Over a dozen species of lichen grow amongst dwarf birches, dwarf willows, blueberry, lingonberry, crowberry and bearberry shrubs. Here and there we saw huge mushrooms, some ripe for the picking, others already feeding an entire army of small insects and their larvae. Once back on board we settled in for a day at sea en route to our next destination, the Commander Islands.
Day 8: 11 September 2013
Bering Island
We arrived at the Commander Islands early in the morning and anchored off the small village of Nikolskoye. After cruising to shore and checking in with the border guards, we were free to roam around the town. We split up into small groups which all managed to visit the museum, a small gallery run by an eccentric artist, the beautiful wooden church and other attractions in town. A few of us wandered off into the large expanse of dunes on the other side of the river in search of birds and were rewarded with good looks at Lapland Longspurs and Pipits. After lunch back on board the ship we cruised slowly past the spectacular seabird colonies on Ari Kamen Island as we worked our way towards the northwest cape. After landing in a protected cove we hiked through a valley of shoulder high beach grass to a fabulous lookout high on the cliff overlooking a large rookery of Fur Seals. From here we also enjoyed amazing looks at Steller Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Harbour Seals and even an inquisitive fox that scavenged along the beach amongst the seals. The group spent a very pleasant few hours sitting in the sun with a warm breeze blowing, taking in the amazing spectacle below. It was a truly beautiful day in a remarkable place.
Day 9: 12 September 2013
Medniy Island
This morning we geared up for an excursion to Medniy Island after an early breakfast. Brilliant sunshine, blue skies and warm temperatures made it feel like summer as we cruised up into narrow Peschanaya Bay, which is surrounded by towering cliffs accommodating thousands of nesting Puffins and Fulmars. While a number of us headed off with Rodney for a long walk into the hills, the rest of the group was content to explore the tidepools, sea stacks and rocky headlands on either side of the small beach at the landing site. The remains of an old border guard station were inhabited by scores of Pipits and Snow Buntings, while the small stream running down from the grassy valley behind the beach was filled with spawning salmon. Those still hoping to see the rare Red-faced Cormorant felt that today offered their best chance yet as they watched Winter Wrens hopping around on the boulders near the shoreline. After enjoying the sun and the scenery, we headed back to the ship for lunch and the short cruise back to Bering Island. The wind which had been slowly building all day proved to be too strong for our intended landing at Commander Bay this afternoon, so we had to settle for distant but spectacular views of the last resting place of Vitus Bering and his crew. Despite the sunny afternoon, the howling winds gave us a taste of what life must have been like for those men on this remote speck of land in the middle of the Bering Sea. Sadly it was time to bid farewell to the Commander Islands and set a course for the mainland of Kamchatka again. Back at sea the wet, wild and windy conditions prevailed, offering great looks at the seemingly endless streams of Fulmars, Shearwaters, Phalaropes and other seabirds gliding around us, undaunted by the high winds and whitecaps.
Day 10: 13 September 2013
Olga Bay
This morning the lecture programme kept some of us occupied after a leisurely breakfast, while others spent time scanning the skies from the bridge. Some fantastic birding towards lunchtime brought a crowd out onto the decks and despite a rough start to the day, conditions improved remarkably as we rounded the cape into Olga Bay. After consulting with some local rangers regarding landing conditions on the beach we boarded the Zodiacs and set off to explore the long sandy beach and dense forests surrounding the bay. We all had great views of a Brown Bear that rambled along the beach, as well as our first look at a magnificent Steller's Sea Eagle.
Day 11: 14 September 2013
Zhupanova River
As we entered into the mouth of the Zhupanova River this morning we knew we were in for a rare day. Clear skies offered views all the way to the horizon and the immense volcanoes along the coast seemed close enough to touch. Heading up river by Zodiac was a totally new experience. Instead of chop and swell and exposed coastline, we slowly worked our way through green foliage with mountain views beyond. Finally, after cruising for about an hour seeing Larga and Harbour Seals, River Otters and many bird species, we rounded a bend and came upon a juvenile Steller's Sea Eagle, our target species for this excursion. Although most of us had experienced a good look at this bird yesterday, this one allowed point-blank views and perfect photo opportunities as it perched in a riverside snag. It was yet another highlight to cap off our final day along the Kamchatka coast.
Day 12: 15 September 2013
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
When we arrived in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, some of the group disembarked and headed for their homes around the world while others remained on board for another night, spending the day exploring this spectacular volcanic region. The late summer sun had set on our voyage down this remarkable coastline, but the memories, friendships and images linger on.
