HIGH ARCTIC ODYSSEY
Remote Russian Archipelagos
A Contents
1 Overview 2 Itinerary 6 Arrival and Departure Details 8 Your Ship 10 Included Activities 11 Dates & Rates 12 Inclusions & Exclusions 13 Your Expedition Team 14 Extend Your Trip 15 Meals on Board 16 Possible Excursions 19 Packing Checklist Overview High Arctic Odyssey: Remote Russian Archipelagos
One of Earth’s last regions to be discovered, and the newest destination in Quark EXPEDITION IN BRIEF Expeditions’ portfolio, the High Russian Arctic is a place of mystery, beauty and Experience a true expedition as we wonder. On this stirring voyage along Russia’s ice-draped coastlines, we invite explore rarely visited Severnaya Zemlya you to become one of the first passengers to visit this little-known region and Encounter iconic Arctic wildlife, such as encounter sights rarely seen by even the most intrepid adventurers. polar bears, walrus and seabirds
From the breathtaking glaciers of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land to the Explore glaciated Novaya Zemlya, where stark, secluded islands of the icy Kara Sea, the remarkable features of this isolated the earliest Arctic explorers overwintered wilderness will leave you awed and inspired. An incredible 22-day journey that Visit significant sites at Franz Josef Land will take you to far-flung landscapes unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed, and learn about the region’s fascinating history High Arctic Odyssey is exclusively designed to allow you to maximize your time exploring these pristine environments, appreciate the rich and dramatic polar Discover rarely visited islands of the icy Kara Sea history of these faraway destinations, and, especially, increase your chances of observing the region’s diverse and magnificent wildlife, such as whales, seals, muskox, walruses and polar bears. If conditions allow, this itinerary will also include Severnaya Zemlya, the last major territorial discovery on Earth. Come aboard and venture to one of the most remote corners of the globe with the most experienced expedition team in the industry.
1 Itinerary
DAY 1 | HELSINKI, FINLAND DAYS 3 AND 4 | AT SEA Your Arctic adventure begins in Today we sail through the Barents GREENLAND Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary Sea, named for the great Dutch Arctic Ocean North architecture and design scene and explorer Willem Barents, who led Pole ° intriguing mix of eastern and western two expeditions to Novaya Zemlya Greenland Sea influences. If you arrive early, explore Severnaya in the 1590s. Your Expedition Team Franz Josef Zemlya Svalbard Land the many museums, galleries and will prepare you for the adventures restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna that await. Learn about the intriguing Barents Sea or wander the vibrant Design District Kara history and politics of the region, its Novaya Sea Zemlya before retiring at your included hotel. fascinating wildlife, geology, ecology Murmansk and climate, and the incredible sights DAY 2 | EMBARKATION IN Helsinki A MURMANSK, RUSSIA you will soon explore. Expedition Staff RCTIC CIRCLE After breakfast, we will transfer to the will also keep a lookout for the seabirds, RUSSIA Scheduled route Flight route airport and board our private charter such as kittiwakes, skuas and fulmars, Areas where ice may be present flight to Murmansk, Russia. Once soaring above your ship. Whale and seal aboard, get acquainted with the ship and sightings may also be possible in this HIGH ARCTIC ODYSSEY Remote Russian Archipelagos crew and settle in for your voyage north. biologically rich sea. Onboard the Ocean Adventurer Flights to/from Helsinki
2 DAYS 5 TO 7 | EXPLORING Boasting one of the most picturesque A significant site in polar exploration, NOVAYA ZEMLYA glaciers in the entire archipelago, Novaya Zemlya also offers a number The largest of the Eurasian Arctic Inostrantseva Bay provides breathtaking of opportunities for you to trace the archipelagoes, the rarely visited panoramic views of pristine Arctic footsteps of famous explorers and reflect Novaya Zemlya (“New Land”) is wilderness. If conditions allow, we may on the region’s history. the third-largest wilderness area in explore ashore, or Zodiac cruise along Europe. This seemingly long, thin the face of the glacier, at a safe distance, DAYS 8 TO 13 | EXPLORING THE KARA SEA & SEVERNAYA ZEMLYA possibly witnessing the wonders of island actually consists of two main Say goodbye to Novaya Zemlya as we calving ice. Encounters with Brünnich’s islands, Severny (northern) and Yuzhny cruise farther east, exploring the Kara guillemots (thick-billed murres) are (southern), separated by the imposing Sea. The westernmost Asian sea off likely, owing to a small colony in the Matochkin Strait. These islands are Siberia, the Kara Sea is known as the coastal cliffs. pure, rugged Arctic beauty at its best— “ice cellar” of the Arctic, as it is often massive extinct volcanoes, jagged ice To the east of Severny Island are the encumbered by trapped ice floes. Ice cliffs and the most isolated mountain Oransky Islands. Wildlife abounds here, conditions will be considered by your range in the Barents Sea. with a variety of animal and plant life to skilled captain during navigation— be discovered, walrus have been sighted luckily sea ice happens to be a great As we explore Novaya Zemlya, expect here on previous expeditions. Coming habitat for iconic Arctic wildlife. There a new adventure every day. Each across a walrus haul-out is unforgettable. are several sites and small archipelagoes expedition will be unique, depending These giant pinnipeds of the Arctic along the Siberian coast we hope on the weather and ice, but a few create a raucous as each walrus vies for to explore, tracing the path of polar landing sites we strive to visit include a choice spot of coastline. Encounters explorers searching for the Northeast Inostrantseva Bay, the Oransky Islands, with whales and seabirds are possible, as Passage. Weather and ice will determine Cape Zhelaniya, Cape Spory Navalok well as polar bears, a genetically distinct where we explore, but some areas we hope to visit include Russky Island, and Russkaya Gavan. subpopulation here. Troynoy Island and Cape Chelyuskin.
3 Both Russky Island and Troynoy Island Dependent on ice and weather DAY 14 | AT SEA are part of the Great Arctic State Nature conditions, an exploration of Severnaya There are several activities to keep you Reserve, the largest reserve in Eurasia. Zemlya embodies the true spirit of engaged while at sea. Attend dynamic Russky Island is the site of a former adventure. Dominated by glaciers and presentations by your Expedition Team, polar station, established, in part, to polar desert, the archipelago was not relax in our polar library or simply monitor navigation along the Northern discovered until 1913 and remained spend some time on deck, admiring the Sea Route, the Russian section of the virtually unexplored till 1930–32, the last sea and searching for wildlife. Northeast Passage. major undiscovered territory on earth. Amongst many possible destinations, DAYS 15 TO 18 | EXPLORING Troynoy Island is the largest of the we hope to visit a number of glaciers, FRANZ JOSEF LAND Izvesti Tsik Islands, about 90 miles including the Vavilov Ice Cap and This remote group of approximately (150 km) off the coast of the Taymyr those at Marat Fjord. If conditions are 200 islands, many ice covered, forms the Peninsula. The island is uninhabited, favorable, we may cruise the Red Army most northerly archipelago in Eurasia except for the researchers at the weather Strait, flanked by the massive Academy and lies entirely within the Arctic Circle. station. Home to an ivory gull colony, the of Sciences Glacier (which also runs A nature reserve, it is part of the Russian island is also frequented by polar bears. along the eastern shore of Zhuravlev Arctic National Park. Our exploration Bay) and the smaller Rusanov Glacier. of the region is highly determined by At the tip of the Taymyr Peninsula is weather and ice conditions, but we hope Cape Chelyuskin, the northernmost As one of very few people to ever explore this remote area in depth, to explore historical sites, remote seabird point of the Russian and Eurasian colonies and walrus rookeries such as mainland and the site of another active you’ll want to have your camera ready to capture these amazing sights. Cape Flora, Cape Norway, Bell Island and research station. Here, at “the edge of the Tikhaya Bukta. Polar bear encounters are earth,” we hope to explore on foot. also probable.
4 On Jackson Island, Cape Norway is DAYS 19 AND 20 | AT SEA where Norwegian explorers Fridtjof As your Arctic expedition winds down, IMPORTANT REMINDER Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen wintered you have a couple of days to sail through Embracing the unexpected is part from 1895 to 1896. The conditions were this wildlife-rich sea, where whales of of the legacy—and excitement—of astonishingly difficult, but they survived various species are often seen. Take in expedition travel. When traveling until the summer and continued their a presentation, reminisce about your in extremely remote regions, your journey south. The remains of their stone journey with your shipmates, relax in Expedition Team must consider the hut are still here today, with a memorial the lounge while swapping stories and sea, ice and weather to guide the route marking the event. photos or enjoy the solitude of the sea. and itinerary details. This itinerary is Expedition staff will be on hand to a tentative outline of what you may Exploring Tikhaya Bukta (Calm Bay), answer any questions and spot wildlife. experience on this voyage; please be the site of an abandoned weather station aware that no specific itinerary can be on Hooker Island, is a step back in time. DAY 21 | DISEMBARKATION guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife There is plenty to discover as you wander MURMANSK & FLY TO HELSINKI encounters as described are expected, the ruins, immersed in Russian polar Returning to Russia’s most northerly but not guaranteed. Your Expedition history. As this station is now seasonally city, you’ll have time to bid farewell to Team will use their considerable used by the national park rangers, you your Expedition Team and crew before experience to seek out wildlife in may even be able to send a postcard from catching our group charter flight back to known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or the post office! Helsinki, where you will have one more marine wildlife is not guaranteed. night in this exquisite city. Another possible landing site, if time and weather permit, is Cape Tegetthoff DAY 22 | HELSINKI on Hall Island, where we hope to visit After breakfast, spend time exploring the remains of a historic base. The more of the Finnish capital or catch your scenery here is spectacular, and we may homeward-bound flight. be fortunate to view polar bears and Atlantic walrus.
5 Arrival & Departure Details
As you prepare for your journey, you may be interested in your arrival and departure details. Since international air transportation is not included in the cost of your expedition, you have some flexibility in planning your flights. Looking to extend your adventure beyond your polar expedition? On page 14, learn how to add on a pre- or post-expedition stop—or both!—in Helsinki or a nearby region of your choice. Arrival Day and Embarkation ARRIVING IN HELSINKI You may arrive in Helsinki at any time during Day 1 of the itinerary. Your included accommodation will be at the airport hotel, so arrival transfers are not necessary. On arrival at the hotel, you will receive a welcome letter outlining the departure information for the following day’s flight. An agent representing Quark Expeditions® PLEASE NOTE will be available in the lobby of the hotel that evening to answer any questions about There is a strict luggage limit of 44 lbs the charter flight(s) scheduled for the following morning. (20 kg) checked luggage and 11 lbs (5 kg) cabin baggage on the flights between MURMANSK AND EMBARKATION Helsinki and Murmansk. Should you have additional luggage, it can be stored Your flight to the Arctic is expected to depart from Helsinki to Murmansk on Day2 of at the hotel in Helsinki. There is NO the itinerary. The scheduled flight time will be communicated in your welcome letter, option to pay for additional luggage. and you will be transferred from your hotel to check in at the airport. Upon arrival in Murmansk, you will be transferred to the port and onto the ship.
6 Final Day and Included Departure Accommodations IMPORTANT REMINDER DISEMBARKATION IN MURMANSK Your included accommodation begins on Your ship is scheduled to arrive back at Day 1 of your itinerary, and the specific Russian visas are required for tourists from most countries. See the pier in Murmansk before 8am local hotel(s) will be indicated on your final your country’s Russian consulate time, but may arrive earlier depending voyage confirmation. If you are arriving or embassy for details. on Murmansk tides. After breakfast, and prior to Day 1 of your expedition or are once the ship has docked, you will have staying after the disembarkation day, time to bid farewell to your Expedition please contact your Polar Travel Adviser Team and shipmates before completing for hotel options. your disembarkation. The process takes about an hour. After disembarkation, Arrival and Departure you will transfer to the airport for your return charter flight to Helsinki. Transfers HELSINKI AIRPORT TRANSFERS DEPARTING FROM HELSINKI Arrival and departure transfers in Upon arrival in Helsinki, there will be a Helsinki are not included in the group transfer to your included post- expedition. Your first night’s included expedition hotel in downtown Helsinki. accommodation will be provided at After breakfast the following morning, the airport hotel, so please make your you may make your way to the airport to way to the lobby for check-in when connect with your homeward flight, or you arrive. A departure transfer to stay longer if you have booked additional the airport is not provided from the accommodation. downtown hotel at the end of your stay in Helsinki.
7 Your Ship
Quark Expeditions® boasts the largest polar-class fleet of any polar operator, and the ability to offer you this incredible voyage on one of our ice strengthened vessels.
The entire Quark Expeditions® fleet is built for challenging polar environments, allowing us to take you to places ordinary cruise companies wouldn’t dream of going.
8 FUNNEL
OBSERVATION DECK
BRIDGE
FUNNEL OCEAN ADVENTURER —Newly Renovated! BRIDGE DECK
Our popular ship Sea Adventurer has been relaunched as OBSERVATION DECK Ocean Adventurer after a multimillion-dollar renovation. CLINIC POLAR A team of marine architects, engineers, interior designers LIBRARY BRIDGE and polar expedition specialists worked together to enhance this nimble and intimate fleet favorite. Upgrades include CAPTAIN’S DECK BRIDGE DECK a refreshed look and feel throughout, plus the complete
PURSER’S CLINIC OFFICE remodeling of the lounge, dining room and bar. All cabins CLIPPER CLUB POLAR LIBRARY received brand new bathroom facilities. Six new deluxe DINING MAIN ROOM WC EL LOUNGE OFFICE cabins as well as three new suites have also been added. RECEPTION CAPTAIN’S DECK Major technical enhancements include two new Rolls-Royce UPPER DECK POLAR BOUTIQUE PURSER’S OFFICE engines, which yield increased speed and fuel efficiency, and CLIPPER CLUB
DINING MAIN ROOM WC EL LOUNGE a minimized carbon footprint. OFFICE RECEPTION ZODIAC BOARDING UPPER DECK SHIP SPECIFICATIONS: ROOMS POLAR BOUTIQUE M GY
Staff & Crew:87 MAIN DECK Guests: 128 ZODIAC BOARDING ROOMS
Lifeboats: 4, partially enclosed M GY Ice Class: 1A MAIN DECK
Visit QuarkExpeditions.com to view deck plan details. STERN BOW STERN BOW LOWER DECK LOWER DECK
Triple Superior Triple Superior Lower Deck Twin Deluxe Lower Deck Twin Deluxe MainMain Deck TwinDeck Porthole Twin PortholeSuite Suite MainMain Deck TwinDeck Window Twin WindowOwner’s SuiteOwner’s Suite
9 Included Activities
Ready for a little adventure beyond your ZODIAC CRUISING will introduce you to the fascinating ship? Each Quark Expeditions® voyage Zodiacs are the workhorses of polar history, biology, ornithology, and offers a variety of recreational activities expeditions, taking you to places the glaciology of the region, and much, much to enhance your polar experience. ships can’t access, allowing you to reach more. remote shorelines, explore shallow inlets and search for unique wildlife. POLAR PLUNGE Expedition staff make stepping in and This rite of passage, scheduled only once out of them safe and comfortable. per expedition, gives you the chance to jump safely into the bracing Arctic HIKING waters under the watchful eye of our Led by experienced staff, exploring on staff—and just about every single camera foot is the best way to appreciate the on board! polar landscapes. Our guides are able to accommodate a range of skill levels PHOTOGRAPHY to suit every passenger. Walking poles Documenting your voyage so you can are provided at each landing for your take the memories home is a rewarding convenience. As there are a limited experience. Our photography guides will number of poles available, please bring help you hone your skills to capture the your own if you require them on every beauty of the polar regions. landing, as some landing sites will offer Contact your Polar Travel Adviser or your more demanding options than others. Travel Professional for more information about your Included Activities and Adventure PRESENTATIONS Options, including the necessary experience, Enjoy daily chats with and presentations physical requirements and cost. from our world-class onboard polar experts—guides, scientists, naturalists, historians and other special guests who
10 Dates
High Arctic Odyssey: Remote Russian Archipelagos
OCEAN ADVENTURER
Dates Days Start / End ARCTIC 2021 JUL 28 – AUG 18, 2021 22 Helsinki ARCTIC 2020 JUL 22 - AUG 12, 2020 22 Helsinki
11 Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions Exclusions RATES INCLUDE: RATES SPECIFICALLY • Leadership throughout your voyage by our • Formal and informal presentations by our DO NOT INCLUDE: experienced Expedition Leaders, including shore Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled • Mandatory Transfer Package* landings and other activities • A photographic journal documenting the expedition • International airfare • All Zodiac transfers and cruising as per the daily • A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for • Arrival and departure transfers in Helsinki program landings and Zodiac cruising excursions • Passport and visa expenses • All shore landings as per the daily program • An official Quark Expeditions® parka to keep • Government arrival and departure taxes not • Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping • Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin mentioned above • All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board • All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges • Meals ashore unless otherwise specified throughout your voyage (Please inform us of any throughout the program • Baggage, cancellation, interruption dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. • All luggage handling aboard the ship and medical travel insurance—strongly Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare • Emergency Evacuation insurance for all passengers recommended kosher meals.) to a maximum benefit of USD 500$ ,000 per person • Excess-baggage fees on international flights • Beer and wine during dinner; and coffee, tea and • Russian invitation letter for visa application cocoa available around the clock • Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac provided after final payment cruising, or any other gear not mentioned • Laundry, bar and other personal charges *MANDATORY TRANSFER PACKAGE INCLUDES: unless specified • One night’s pre- and post-expedition hotel accommodation in Helsinki • Phone and Internet charges • Round-trip flights from Helsinki to Murmansk • Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for • Transfers to and from the ship in Murmansk shipboard staff and crew • Transfers between the airport and hotel in Helsinki in conjunction with charter flight • Additional overnight accommodation • Adventure Options not listed in Included PACKAGE PRICE: $1,995 USD Activities
12 Your Expedition Team
Our Expedition Leaders and their teams bring diverse expertise in subjects as varied as polar history, marine biology, glaciology, ornithology and photography. Their knowledge and enthusiasm will greatly enhance your immersion into the polar environment and further deepen your connection to the Arctic.
With over 30 years of experience bringing passengers to remote polar regions and an industry leading staff-to-guest ratio, we know how to safely handle the unexpected. Ensuring this hard earned experience is passed on, our new expedition staff receive comprehensive training in Quark Academy, which provides hands-on polar expedition training prior to any staff member’s first voyage as well as ongoing training for experienced staff.
13 Extend Your Trip
PRE- AND POST-EXPEDITION TRIP EXTENSIONS You can extend your trip by booking extra days to explore other northern cities before or after the voyage. Since you’re traveling such a long way, you may want to spend extra time in Helsinki. This dynamic city known for melding old-world architecture with modern metropolitan ways, has plenty to offer culture enthusiasts and foodies alike. Stroll Helsinki’s charming streets, grab a pint at a microbrewery, or visit dazzling shops, galleries and a traditional public sauna.
FROM TOP: Helsinki; the Sibelius Monument; Helsinki Cathedral
14 Meals on Board
If there is one constant on board, it is that you’ll enjoy delicious meals daily. While meal times may change due to landings and wildlife encounters, you’ll always be served three well-prepared meals per day. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated by letting us know prior to your expedition.
Breakfasts and lunches are normally served buffet style, while dinners are served plated. À la carte meals are made at the time of your order, allowing our chefs to prepare each dish to your individual needs, ensuring you receive top-quality meals during the course of your expedition.
Soft drinks and juices are available during meals and when the bar is open; beer and wine are served with dinner; and coffee, tea and water stations are available around the clock – all included in the cost of your package. Spirits, premium wines and champagne are available at extra cost which can be billed to your shipboard account. The well-stocked bars on the ship are open to enjoy with your fellow shipmates in late morning, afternoon and evening.
15 Possible Excursions
When traveling in extremely remote murman, which means “the edge of the regions, your Expedition Team must earth”). The following year, as a result of consider the sea, ice and weather the October Revolution, the name was to guide the route and itinerary details. changed to Murmansk. The port remains The following sites are a sample of ice-free all year, making it a significant what you may experience on your naval base and fishing and shipbuilding expedition, whether by ship, Zodiac hub; in fact, the largest city north of cruise, or shore landing. the Arctic Circle is the headquarters of both the Russian Northern Fleet and the Finland nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet. HELSINKI This seaside city is known for its vibrant Novaya Zemlya cultural and design scene, as well as its CAPE SPORY NAVALOK extraordinary mix of architecture styles. The earliest Arctic explorers, led by It was named the World Design Capital in Dutch navigator and cartographer 2012, which also happened to be its 200th Willem Barents, wintered here, on the anniversary as the capital of Finland. northeast coast of Novaya Zemlya, in 1596–97, when their ship became trapped Russia in the ice. It was the third of Barents’ expeditions to search for the Northeast MURMANSK Passage, but also his last. He died a week Founded in 1916, as a supply port during after he and his crew left the cape in the First World War, Murmansk was open boats in the spring. The remains of initially named Romanov-on-Murman their hut were found in 1871. for the Russian royal family (“Murman” likely derives from the Sami word
16 CAPE ZHELANIYA from the harshest conditions. They expeditions, Leigh Smith, Jackson- Located at the northernmost point of boast an abundance of wildlife, including Harmsworth (Jackson’s journal was Severny Island, Cape Zhelaniya (which walrus, polar bears, whales and seabirds. published as A Thousand Days in the means “Cape Desire” or “Cape Wish”) Arctic) and Ziegler-Fiala, camped here. RUSSKAYA GAVAN was named by Willem Barents. It marks Many buildings from the time are in This is the site of a former polar the boundary between the Barents Sea ruins or have fallen into the sea, but station. Built in 1932, it closed in 1993. and Kara Sea, as well as the boundary some remain and can be explored. The surrounding bay is home to seabird between Europe and Asia. A Soviet cliffs and walrus can occasionally be CAPE NORWAY, JACKSON ISLAND station was based here during the Second found on nearby Bogaty Island. The Sometimes difficult to access, weather World War, and then an experimental bay is dominated by the cascading is always a factor at this northern part station during the Cold War. An Shokalsky Glacier. of the archipelago. A variety of Arctic automated weather station has operated flora is found here, making it particularly here since 2005. The cape is protected as interesting for botanists. This is also part of the Russian Arctic National Park. Franz Josef Land the location where Fridtjof Nansen and BELL ISLAND INOSTRANTSEVA BAY Hjalmar Johansen stayed during the In 1881, the Benjamin Leigh Smith From moss and lichen to icebergs 1895–96 winter, and the remains of their expedition built a hut here, but the crew and glaciers, this picturesque bay is stone hut can be visited. never had the opportunity to use it, as often full of surprises. One of the most their ship wrecked off the coast. The CAPE TEGETTHOF, HALL ISLAND memorable sites in Novaya Zemlya, this hut is well preserved and has a number The cape’s impressive tall cliffs are home area is also known to be visited by the of interesting inscriptions on its interior to large numbers of seabirds, while the iconic polar bear. walls. ruins of the Walter Wellman 1898–99 ORANSKY ISLANDS expedition are also found here. With a CAPE FLORA, NORTHBROOK ISLAND Located on the northwestern side of diverse landscape, the island is great for More than half a dozen expeditions Severny Island (Northern Island), these exploring on foot, provided that polar passed through Cape Flora in the late smaller islands are somewhat protected bears aren’t in the vicinity. 19th and early 20th centuries. Three
IMPORTANT REMINDER Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your Expedition Team must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife encounters as described are expected, but not guaranteed. Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or marine wildlife is not a guarantee.
17 RUBINI ROCK, HOOKER ISLAND Kara Sea and research station (1935–99) was the only Considered by many to be home to the permanently inhabited place in the island most impressive bird cliffs anywhere in Severnaya Zemlya group, which remains uninhabited today. Franz Josef Land. The cliffs here host an CAPE CHELYUSKIN TROYNOY ISLAND abundance of seabirds, and because of This cape was first reached in1742 An international World Wildlife Fund deep waters, ships are able to approach by a land expedition led by Semyon (now World Wide Fund for Nature) the edge of the cliffs for spectacular Chelyuskin. It was initially called Cape delegation visited Troynoy in July 1993 views. Most of Hooker Island’s shores East-Northern, but in 1842, on the 100th at the inauguration of the Great Arctic are dominated by glacier fronts. anniversary of the cape’s discovery, the State Nature Reserve. The island is home Russian Geographical Society renamed it STOLICHKY AND to an ivory gull colony and is sometimes in honor of the Russian polar explorer. APPOLONOV ISLANDS visited by polar bears. The star attractions of this pair of MARAT FJORD VAVILOV ICE CAP small islands are walrus haul-outs. Extending for about 15 miles (24 km), this This high-altitude glacier has been Hundreds of giant pinnipeds are is one of the iconic fjords of Severnaya dramatically advancing in recent years. known to haul out on the islands as Zemlya. well as on ice floes in the surrounding ZHURAVLEV BAY RED ARMY STRAIT waters. Watching large groups of these This bay, named for Russian explorer The largest ice cap in Severnaya Zemlya, boisterous behemoths jockeying for Sergei Prokopyevich Zhuravlev, is located the Academy of Sciences Glacier reaches space is an unforgettable experience. at Komsomolets Island, the northernmost the shore all along the northern edge of Zodiac cruising to watch walrus from a island of Severnaya Zemlya. the strait. The smaller Rusanov Glacier distance is a possibility here. stretches along the eastern part of the TIKHAYA BUKTA (CALM BAY) southern shore. From 1929 to 1963, a weather station was RUSSKY ISLAND based at this bay on the western side of At 119 square miles (309 sq km), Russky Hooker Island. Sections of the old station is the largest island in the Nordenskiöld have been refurbished as an outpost for Archipelago. For many years, the the national park rangers.
18 WEATHER CONDITIONS & TEMPERATURES Weather is very variable; temperatures may hover Packing around the freezing mark and winds can be strong. The continuous daylight warms sheltered areas so that you may sometimes find it warm enough for t-shirts. However, you may encounter snow squalls, fog and white-outs during an expedition and should Checklist be ready for any conditions.
WHAT TO BRING! Packing for the polar regions doesn’t have to be daunting, and to make it easier for you, all Quark voyages include an expedition parka to keep, and a loan of appropriate polar boots. Additional suggested items include:
FOR SHORE LANDINGS SUGGESTED ITEMS Base layers (wool, synthetic or a blend) Waterproof, lightweight backpack or dry sack Mid-layer warm/fleece top Swimsuit (for the polar plunge!) Mid-layer warm/fleece pant Binoculars Wool and synthetic sock (3 to 4 pairs) Camera with extra batteries Extra memory cards Neck warmer or balaclava Earplugs (in case of noisy cabinmates) Warm hat that covers ears Eye masks for sleeping Waterproof pants Seasickness, indigestion, headache Waterproof gloves and glove liners or other medicine Sunscreen Voltage converters and plug adapters Sunglasses with UV protection (220V/European outlets) Spare set of gloves Ski goggles (for Zodiac cruising)
FOR ON BOARD Comfortable casual clothing (pants/jeans, shirts, sweaters) Lighter shirts (in case the ship gets warm) Comfortable non-slip closed-toed unheeled shoes (NOTE: Flip flops or sandals should not be worn on board due to safety concerns)
19 TO BOOK YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE Contact your Travel Professional
PHOTO CREDITS: Acacia Johnson; David Merron; Nicky Souness; Samantha Crimmin; Michelle Sole; Sue Flood; Abbey Weisbrot; Rogelio Espinosa; Irina Skalina; Cindy Miller Hopkins; Hugo Perrin; Grange Productions; Focus Productions; Adobe Stock EXPEDITION BROCHURE December 2019
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