DOCSLIB.ORG

Across the Top of the World

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Across the Top of the World EXPEDITION DOSSIER 19TH AUGUST – 2ND SEPTEMBER 2019 ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL AND HERALD ISLANDS © J Ross TO WRANGEL AND ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD HERALD ISLANDS This unique expedition crosses the Arctic Circle and includes the isolated and pristine Wrangel and Herald Islands and a significant section of the wild North Eastern Siberian coastline. It is a journey only made possible in recent years by the thawing in the politics of the region and the retreat of summer pack ice in the Chukchi Sea. The very small distance between Russia and the USA along this border area was known as the Ice Curtain, behind which then and now lies one of the last great undiscovered wilderness areas in the world. The voyage journeys through the narrow Bering Strait, which separates Russia from the United States of America, and then travels west along the Chukotka coastline before crossing the De Long Strait to Wrangel Island. There we will © G Riehle spend four to five days under the guidance of local rangers on the nature reserve. Untouched by glaciers during the last ice age, this island is a treasure trove of Arctic biodiversity and is perhaps best known for the multitude of Polar Bears that breed here. We hope to catch many glimpses of © G Riehle this beautiful animal. The island also boasts the world’s largest population of Pacific Walrus and lies near major feeding grounds for the Gray Whales that migrate thousands of kilometres north from their breeding grounds in Baja, Mexico. Reindeer, Musk Ox and Snow Geese can normally be seen further inland. A visit to massive bird cliffs on nearby Herald Island is also planned. The ‘mammoth steppe’ vegetation complex, a rich and diverse relic from the Pleistocene epoch nurtures over 400 plant species and never fails to astound © A Russ visitors with its sublime beauty. The number and type of endemic The human history of Wrangel recently, the establishment of this plant species, the diversity within Island is fascinating on its own. world class nature reserve. A host of plant communities, the presence Highlights include a 3,400 year similarly enthralling stories hail from of relatively recent mammoth tusks old Paleo Eskimo camp in Krassin several optional landings along the and skulls, a range of terrain types Bay, controversy over discovery northern coasts of Chukotka. Our and geological formations in the and ownership of the island, the expert expedition team will take you small geographical space are amazing story of the survivors of the on guided walks, Zodiac cruises and all visible evidence of Wrangel’s Karluk, Ada Blackjack the heroine provide lectures to help you better rich natural history and its unique of the island, the Soviet occupation understand and appreciate this evolutionary status within the Arctic. and militarisation and more unique High Arctic landscape. 2 http://www.carolegobeil.ca/upcoming-expeditions/ [email protected] 1 800 298 6607 x 204 TO WRANGEL AND ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD HERALD ISLANDS ITINERARY opportunity to explore Anadyr, the administrative centre of the NOTE: You can join this expedition Chukotka region, before getting either in Anadyr or in Nome, Alaska. to know your fellow voyagers and Those starting in Nome will fly by a crew on board the Spirit of Enderby. Heritage Expeditions charter flight If flights have been on time we to Anadyr and will join the ship and plan to depart Anadyr this evening. the expedition members who have As we depart you are invited to travelled direct to Anadyr. join the captain, officers and the expedition team on the bridge. The Day 0: Nome Anadyr estuary is renowned for its © L Whitehouse Those departing from Nome, Beluga Whales. Alaska, should arrive in Nome Island (Bird Island) where a large before midday and preferably the Day 2: Anadyrskiy Bay number of seabirds nest. previous night. As we sail across Anadyrskiy Bay towards the Bering Strait there On nearby Arakamchechen Island On arrival, you should check in with will be introductory lectures, an there is a prominent walrus haul out; Bering Air at the Nome Airport who introduction to the staff and ship if the animals are present we will will have details of our charter flight. and a series of compulsory briefings land and walk across the tundra to During this flight you will cross the and drills. There will also be a view them from the cliffs. International Date Line, arriving into chance to relax or enjoy some Anadyr on Day 1 of the expedition. ‘birding’ with our naturalists and/ Day 4: Cape Dezhnev and You will clear Russian Customs and or settle into ship life and for many Uelen Village Immigration. of you adjust to the time changes. Sea conditions permitting, we will Late this afternoon we will be in land at Cape Dezhnev early this Day 1: Anadyr the vicinity of Preobrazheniya Bay morning. The north-eastern most All expedition members will arrive where there are some outstanding point of the Eurasian continent, it is in Anadyr; depending on your ‘Bird Cliffs’ which we will Zodiac sometimes possible to see the coast time of arrival you may have the cruise before dinner. of America from this remote and lonely outpost. It is also an historic Day 3: Yttygran, Nuneangan and landmark named after the Siberian Arakamchechen Islands Cossack, Semyon Dezhnev, who in Yttygran Island is home to the 1648 became the first European to monumental ancient aboriginal sail from the Arctic to the Pacific. site known as Whale Bone Alley. Whalebones stretch along the A steep scramble from the beach beach for nearly half a kilometre. brings you to an abandoned There are many meat pits used for Border Guard base, a monument storage and other remains of a busy to Dezhnev and another to all the © A Terauds whaling camp that united several sailors who have sailed these seas. aboriginal villages at a time. In one location, immense Bowhead Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska lies Whale jawbones and ribs are 89km across Bering Strait. A few placed together in a stunning arch nautical miles to the west of Cape formation. Dezhnev we visit Uelen Village; the most north-eastern village in Russia. Gray Whales are frequently seen Archaeological work has revealed around the island. After landing that walrus, seal and whale hunters at Whale Bone Alley we will take have lived here for over 2,000 the Zodiacs on a whale-watching years. Today the population is excursion. We will also cruise close predominantly Chukchi, with some inshore of neighbouring Nuneangan Russians and Inuit. Hunting is still very © A Terauds 3 http://www.carolegobeil.ca/upcoming-expeditions/ [email protected] 1 800 298 6607 x 204 TO WRANGEL AND ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD HERALD ISLANDS important but the village is also one At the south-eastern end of the of the largest centres for traditional island there is a prominent walrus Chukchi and Inuit art in the world. haul out, if the animals are present it is one of the easiest places to We will be entertained by villagers observe them and get some good and visit the bone-carving workshop photographs. during our visit. Sculptures from the bone-carving workshop in Uelen Days 6 to 10: Wrangel and can be found in most of the major Herald Islands museums in Russia. Ice and weather conditions permitting, we will spend the next © J Shaw Day 5: Kolyuchin Island few days on Wrangel Island and if This small island was once an possible we will also include a visit to patience we should be rewarded with important Russian Polar Research nearby Herald Island. a number of encounters. Musk Oxen Station and one of a number and reindeer were introduced to the dotted across the Arctic. Sadly Wrangel Island is one of those island in 1975 and 1948 respectively, with the collapse of the USSR there islands that you have to visit to though reindeer numbers are low. was no money to maintain them appreciate. The earliest human We also have a chance to visit Dragi and they were abandoned; the occupation is dated 3,200 years BC Harbour where the survivors of the buildings are derelict but the wildlife and it has been established that Karluk which was crushed by ice in the men studied are still there. Near they were seasonal hunters from 1914 scrambled ashore and lived until the abandoned station at the north- Siberia. The island’s presence was they were rescued. If ice conditions western end of the island are some speculated about and marked on permit, we will explore Herald Island of the most amazing bird cliffs in maps by early Russian explorers to the east of Wrangel Island. the Arctic; puffins, guillemots, gulls but it wasn’t until 1849 that it was and cormorants can be observed ‘rediscovered’ by the British. A Day 11: North Siberian Coast and photographed from just metres Canadian expedition attempted to Although well mapped and charted, away. establish a permanent settlement there have been very few Expedition and claim the island for Canada; Cruises and consequently there is a they were evicted by the Russians lot of scope for expedition landings. who claimed the island. Depending on weather and sea conditions we will attempt an Today it is a Russian Federal Nature expedition landing today. There are Reserve of international significance several choices, at Cape Vankarem and importance. A lot of its there is a seasonal large walrus haul significance lies in the fact that it is out, the animals may or may not be a major Polar Bear denning area.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Download Itinerary
    SHOKALSKIY | WRANGEL ISLAND: ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TRIP CODE ACHEATW DEPARTURE 02/08/2021 DURATION 15 Days LOCATIONS Not Available INTRODUCTION Undertake this incredible expedition across the Arctic Circle. Experience the beauty of the pristine Wrangel and Herald islands, a magnificent section of the North-East Siberian Coastline that few witness. Explore the incredible wilderness opportunities of the Bering Strait where a treasure trove of Arctic biodiversity and Eskimo history await. ITINERARY DAY 1: Anadyr All expedition members will arrive in Anadyr; depending on your time of arrival you may have the opportunity to explore Anadyr, before getting to know your fellow voyagers and expedition team on board the Spirit of Enderby. We will depart when everybody is on board. DAY 2: Anadyrskiy Bay At sea today, there will be some briefings and lectures it is also a chance for some ‘birding’ cetacean watching and settling into ship life. Late this afternoon we plan to Zodiac cruise some spectacular bird cliffs in Preobrazheniya Bay. Copyright Chimu Adventures. All rights reserved 2020. Chimu Adventures PTY LTD SHOKALSKIY | WRANGEL ISLAND: ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TRIP CODE ACHEATW DAY 3: Yttygran and Gilmimyl Hot Springs DEPARTURE Yttygran Island is home to the monumental ancient aboriginal site known as Whale Bone Alley, where whale bones stretch along the beach for 02/08/2021 nearly half a kilometre. There are many meat pits used for storage and other remains of a busy DURATION whaling camp that united several aboriginal villages at a time. In one location, immense Bowhead Whale jawbones and ribs are placed 15 Days together in a stunning arch formation.
    [Show full text]
  • Redacted for Privacy Abstract Approved: John V
    AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF MIAH ALLAN BEAL for the Doctor of Philosophy (Name) (Degree) in Oceanography presented on August 12.1968 (Major) (Date) Title:Batymety and_Strictuof_thp..4rctic_Ocean Redacted for Privacy Abstract approved: John V. The history of the explordtion of the Central Arctic Ocean is reviewed.It has been only within the last 15 years that any signifi- cant number of depth-sounding data have been collected.The present study uses seven million echo soundings collected by U. S. Navy nuclear submarines along nearly 40, 000 km of track to construct, for the first time, a reasonably complete picture of the physiography of the basin of the Arctic Ocean.The use of nuclear submarines as under-ice survey ships is discussed. The physiography of the entire Arctic basin and of each of the major features in the basin are described, illustrated and named. The dominant ocean floor features are three mountain ranges, generally paralleling each other and the 40°E. 140°W. meridian. From the Pacific- side of the Arctic basin toward the Atlantic, they are: The Alpha Cordillera; The Lomonosov Ridge; andThe Nansen Cordillera. The Alpha Cordillera is the widest of the three mountain ranges. It abuts the continental slopes off the Canadian Archipelago and off Asia across more than550of longitude on each slope.Its minimum width of about 300 km is located midway between North America and Asia.In cross section, the Alpha Cordillera is a broad arch rising about two km, above the floor of the basin.The arch is marked by volcanoes and regions of "high fractured plateau, and by scarps500to 1000 meters high.The small number of data from seismology, heat flow, magnetics and gravity studies are reviewed.The Alpha Cordillera is interpreted to be an inactive mid-ocean ridge which has undergone some subsidence.
    [Show full text]
  • Siberian Coast & Polar Bears of Wrangel Island, Russia
    Siberian Coast & Polar Bears of Wrangel Island, Russia Aboard the Spirit of Enderby July 24–August 6, 2013 Tuesday / Wednesday July 23 / July 24 – Anadyr, Russia Arrival Over several days, North American trip participants slowly began to arrive in Nome, Alaska for our charter flights to Anadyr, Russia. Participants from other parts of the world made their way to Anadyr through Moscow. Altogether, passengers included passport holders from 11 countries. Many people had flown into Nome several days early, rented cars, and driven the local roads in search of accessible musk oxen in the meadows near town, Pacific and red-throated loons in small tundra ponds, and gulls, ducks and shorebirds along the coast. On July 23, most of our group consolidated their luggage in our Nome hotel lobby and had it loaded on a truck to be taken to our charter airline hangar, while we followed in a bus with our camera gear. Thick fog was drifting along the coast and, when we reached the hanger, we were informed the Nome Airport was closed to inbound air traffic. That posed no real problem for us because our small airplanes were already at the hangar in Nome, on stand-by and readily available, and, since the fog was intermittent, it seemed certain we would have almost no problem departing to Russia. A breakfast buffet was arranged in the hangar and we were regaled by local Nome personality Richard Beneville—who also organized our land-based transportation—with his tales of moving to Nome following his life as a theater actor in New York City and anecdotes of his decades-long life in hardscrabble Nome.
    [Show full text]
  • Across the Top of the World
    EXPEDITION DOSSIER 22ND JULY – 5TH AUGUST 2019 ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL AND HERALD ISLANDS © J Ross TO WRANGEL AND ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD HERALD ISLANDS This unique expedition crosses the Arctic Circle and includes the isolated and pristine Wrangel and Herald Islands and a significant section of the wild North Eastern Siberian coastline. It is a journey only made possible in recent years by the thawing in the politics of the region and the retreat of summer pack ice in the Chukchi Sea. The very small distance between Russia and the USA along this border area was known as the Ice Curtain, behind which then and now lies one of the last great undiscovered wilderness areas in the world. The voyage journeys through the narrow Bering Strait, which separates Russia from the United States of America, and then travels west along the Chukotka coastline before crossing the De Long Strait to Wrangel Island. There we will spend four to five days under the guidance of local rangers on the nature reserve. Untouched by glaciers during the last ice age, this island is a treasure trove of Arctic biodiversity and is perhaps best known for the multitude of Polar Bears that breed here. We hope to catch many glimpses of this beautiful animal. The island also boasts the world’s largest population of Pacific Walrus and lies near major feeding grounds for the Gray Whales that migrate thousands of kilometres north from their breeding grounds in Baja, Mexico. Reindeer, Musk Ox and Snow Geese can normally be seen further inland.
    [Show full text]
  • Chronology of the Key Historical Events on the Eastern Seas of the Russian Arctic (The Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea, the Chukchi Sea)
    Chronology of the Key Historical Events on the Eastern Seas of the Russian Arctic (the Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea, the Chukchi Sea) Seventeenth century 1629 At the Yenisei Voivodes’ House “The Inventory of the Lena, the Great River” was compiled and it reads that “the Lena River flows into the sea with its mouth.” 1633 The armed forces of Yenisei Cossacks, headed by Postnik, Ivanov, Gubar, and M. Stadukhin, arrived at the lower reaches of the Lena River. The Tobolsk Cossack, Ivan Rebrov, was the first to reach the mouth of Lena, departing from Yakutsk. He discovered the Olenekskiy Zaliv. 1638 The first Russian march toward the Pacific Ocean from the upper reaches of the Aldan River with the departure from the Butalskiy stockade fort was headed by Ivan Yuriev Moskvitin, a Cossack from Tomsk. Ivan Rebrov discovered the Yana Bay. He Departed from the Yana River, reached the Indigirka River by sea, and built two stockade forts there. 1641 The Cossack foreman, Mikhail Stadukhin, was sent to the Kolyma River. 1642 The Krasnoyarsk Cossack, Ivan Erastov, went down the Indigirka River up to its mouth and by sea reached the mouth of the Alazeya River, being the first one at this river and the first one to deliver the information about the Chukchi. 1643 Cossacks F. Chukichev, T. Alekseev, I. Erastov, and others accomplished the sea crossing from the mouth of the Alazeya River to the Lena. M. Stadukhin and D. Yarila (Zyryan) arrived at the Kolyma River and founded the Nizhnekolymskiy stockade fort on its bank.
    [Show full text]
  • Wrangel Island in the Russian High Arctic with Mark Carwardine
    Wrangel Island in the Russian High Arctic with Mark Carwardine A very special expedition, with outstanding photographic opportunities, to one of the least explored wildernesses on Earth. 25 July – 8 August 2022 About our trip lifetime journey is made possible only by the retreat of the pack ice in summer. This 14-night expedition cruise, on the Spirit of Enderby Wrangel boasts an astonishing abundance of wildlife. The (which is also known as Akademik Shokalskiy), travels island hosts the largest polar bear denning ground in the along the Chukotka Peninsula, sails through the Bering world and is home to Pacific walruses, wolverines, Strait (which separates Russia from the United States), muskoxen, reindeer, snowy owls, snow geese, king eiders, crosses the Arctic Circle, continues west along the wild ivory, Ross’s and Sabine’s gulls, vast seabird colonies, and coastline of northeastern Siberia, and then pushes much, much more. We will enjoy lots of Zodiac cruises, and 140km further north to one of the most remote wildlife plenty of landings, and will be watching for all sorts of hotspots in the world: Wrangel Island. This once-in-a- wildlife from the ship. The surrounding seas are great for whale watching: humpback, fin and bowhead whales, orcas and belugas all occur here, as well as grey whales, which migrate all the way from their winter breeding lagoons along the coast of Baja California, Mexico, to feed. Add mammoth tusks (Wrangel is believed to be the last place on Earth where woolly mammoths lived and their curved tusks are literally everywhere), hundreds of plant species, phenomenal geological formations, and you can begin to understand why this High Arctic island is so special.
    [Show full text]
  • Tectonic Subdivision of the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas
    RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES, VOL. 5, NO. 3, PAGES 185–202, JUNE 2003 Tectonic subdivision of the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas A. O. Mazarovich and S. Yu. Sokolov Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (GIN RAS) Abstract. A tentative tectonic subdivision for the Chukchi and East Siberian seas has been created based on the processing and analysis of new satellite altimetry and magnetic data and published materials that include information in electronic formats. The Chukchi Sea shelf is composed of correlatives of the Alaskan tectonic zones. The main Alaskan thrust does not stretch into Wrangel Island but is instead located in the region of the South Chukchi Sea Basin. Most part of the shelf is occupied by a zone of zero or slight deformation. The North Chukchi Sea Basin along with the Vilkitsky Trough and the region of maximum subsidence in the Colville Trough make a single entity, the Novosibirsk–Alaska Basin. Introduction other (Canada Basin) topographically uniform [Naryshkin, 2001]. The former accommodates the Lomonosov Ridge and the Alpha, Mendeleev, Chukchi, and Northwind rises, which are linked with the Podvodnikov, Makarov, Stefans- The Arctic shelves of Russia became a focus of keen at- son, Mendeleev, Chukchi, and Northwind basins. All these tention after large hydrocarbon fields had been discovered in morphostructures trend roughly N–S and are truncated by the Barents and Kara seas and on land directly adjacent to the shelf edge. The Chukchi and East Siberian seas are un- the Laptev and Beaufort seas. In recent years, this has pro- derlied with continental crust 30–35 km thick in the transi- vided an incentive to create and publish new tectonic maps tion between the North American and Eurasian lithospheric for all the Arctic seas of Russia, except for the East Siberian plates [Bird, 1999].
    [Show full text]
  • Herald Island,Russia
    DEN USE AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS OF POLAR BEARS DURING SPRING IN A DENSE DENNING AREA ON HERALD ISLAND,RUSSIA NIKITAOVSYANIKOV,1 Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve, Ushakovskoe,Schmidtovski Region, ChukotskiyAO, Russian Federation Abstract: Estimatesof the numberof polar bear (Ursus maritimus)maternity dens and observationsof social interactionswere made over 40 days in a dense denning area on HeraldIsland, Russia, following female emergence from dens. Twenty-six dens were found throughoutthe accessible areas of the island (density = 6.2 dens/km2);11 were concentratedin the Main Valley (12.1 dens/km2). Females emerged from dens from 17 March (the first observationday) until 31 March 1993. Sixteen females with cubs-of-the-yearwere observed for 156 hours. Mean litter size was 2.0. Females averaged 15.5 days (range = 8-27) in the denning area from emergence until leaving for the ice. Younger females spent less time outside their dens than older females. Number of dens used other than their own averaged2.4 dens for all females. Younger females were not observed to use any den other than their own, whereas older females averaged 3.2 dens/female. Females spent considerabletime grazing on grasses. Interactionsbetween females defending and competing for dens resulted in spatial separationof family groups and limited access to resources. Presence of other females close to dens sometimes caused a female with cubs to abandonher den. Avoidance of older females by younger females may demonstratehierarchy in dense denning areas. My observationssupport the importanceof protectingHerald Island and the surroundingmarine area as key polar bear breeding and foraging habitats. Ursus 10:251-258 Key words: Herald island, maternityden, polar bear, social behavior, Ursus maritimus.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on the Current State of Conservation
    REPORT ON THE CURRENT STATE OF CONSERVATION OF THE WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTIES VOLCANOES OF KAMCHATKA, GOLDEN MOUNTAINS OF ALTAI, LAKE BAIKAL, VIRGIN KOMI FORESTS, WRANGEL ISLAND IN 2015 Report On the State of Conservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Property Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve (Russian Federation, № 1023rev) in 2015 SUMMARY A complex of measures for provision of the necessary facilities and cleaning the territory from the accumulated environmental damage during the previous economic activity was carried out on Wrangel Island in 2015 to ensure the security of the Russian Federation. The area of territory, affected by these works, is less than 0.001% of the total area of the World Heritage Site "Wrangel Island"; at that the location, earlier engaged in business activities, is in use. Furthermore, full-scale study of the Wrangel Island was conducted to estimate the volume of environmental damage accumulated during the last economic activity. 3720 empty drums were removed from Wrangel Island in 2015. Approximately 45 000 empty drums is planned to remove from Wrangel Island in 2016-2017. Thus, specified activity does not affect the outstanding universal value of World Heritage Site "Wrangel Island". Subsoil areas for oil exploration and production are absent within borders of the World Heritage Site. Drilling, mineral exploration and mining are prohibited within the boundaries of the state natural reserve "Wrangel Island" and its buffer zone by the legislation of the Russian Federation. Seismic exploration work, undertaken in the license areas of mineral resources in the marine waters of the East Siberian and Chukchi seas, do not affect the waters of the reserve and its buffer zone.
    [Show full text]
  • Across the Top of the World
    TRIP DOSSIER, VOYAGE 1332 ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL & HERALD ISLANDS ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL AND HERALD ISLANDS “Near the top of the world in one of the most remote and inhospitable parts of the planet, lie two wild and undeveloped islands of great significance to the conservation of life on earth.” This unique journey not only Untouched by glaciers during the includes the isolated Wrangel and last ice age, this is a treasure trove Herald Islands but also a significant of arctic biodiversity and is perhaps section of the wild North Eastern best known for the multitude of Siberian coastline. Polar Bears that breed on the island. We hope to catch many glimpses It is a journey made possible only of this beautiful animal as well as in recent years by the thawing in Walrus, Reindeer, Snow Geese the politics of the region and the and other migratory species retreat of the summer pack ice that nest here annually. in the Chukchi Sea. Right on the border between Soviet Russia and Of equal importance is the the USA, the area was known as ‘mammoth steppe’ vegetation the Ice Curtain and today remains complex, a rich and diverse relic one of the last undiscovered from the Pleistocene epoch, Our vessel, the Spirit of Enderby wonders of the world. nurturing over 400 plant species. (Professor Khromov) is perfect for The islands’ human histories are expedition travel. We sail through the Bering Strait not without interest either and west along the north Siberian our expert Expedition Team will The real focus and emphasis coastline before crossing the take time to give lectures and of every expedition is getting you De Long Strait to Wrangel Island background to the landscape ashore as often as possible for as and there spend four to five days we move through and the long as possible with maximum under the guidance of local encounters we enjoy.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Itinerary
    ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD ITINERARY This unique expedition crosses the Arctic Circle and includes the isolated and pristine Wrangel and Herald Islands and a significant section of the wild North Eastern Siberian coastline. The voyage journeys through the narrow Bering Strait, which separates Russia from the United States of America, and then travels west along the Chukotka coastline before crossing the De Long Strait to Wrangel Island. There you will spend four to five days under the guidance of local rangers on the nature reserve. Untouched by glaciers during the last ice age, this island is a treasure trove of Arctic biodiversity and is perhaps best known for the multitude of Polar Bears that breed here. The island also boasts the world’s largest population of Pacific Walrus and lies near major feeding grounds for the Gray Whales that migrate thousands of kilometres north from their breeding grounds in Baja, Mexico. Reindeer, Musk Ox and Snow Geese can normally be seen further inland. The ‘mammoth steppe’ vegetation complex, a rich and diverse relic from the Pleistocene epoch, nurtures over 400 plant species and never fails to astound visitors with its sublime beauty. The number and type of endemic plant species, the diversity within plant communities, the presence of relatively recent mammoth tusks and skulls, a range of terrain types and geological formations in the small geographical space, are all visible evidence of Wrangel’s rich natural history and its unique evolutionary status within the Arctic. The expert expedition team will take you on guided walks and Zodiac cruises, and will provide lectures to help you better understand and appreciate this unique High Arctic landscape.
    [Show full text]
  • John Muir Writings the Cruise of the Corwin
    John Muir Writings The Cruise of the Corwin Journal of the Arctic Expedition of 1881 in search of De Long and the Jeannette By John Muir Edited by William Frederic Badè 1917 Contents Introduction I. Unalaska and the Aleuts II. Among the Islands of Bering Sea III. Siberian Adventures IV. In Peril from the Pack V. A Chukchi Orator VI. Eskimos and Walrus VII. At Plover Bay and St. Michael VIII. Return of the Search Party IX. Villages of the Dead X. Glimpses of Alaskan Tundra XI. Caribou and a Native Fair XII. Zigzags among the Polar Pack XIII. First Ascent of Herald Island XIV. Approaching a Mysterious Land XV. The Land of the White Bear XVI. Tragedies of the Whaling Fleet XVII. Meeting the Point Barrow Expedition XVIII. A Siberian Reindeer Herd XIX. Turned Back by Storms and Ice XX. Homeward Bound Appendix I. The Glaciation of the Arctic and Subarctic Regions Visited during the Cruise II. Botanical Notes Index Illustrations Cape Serdzekamen, Siberia Frontispiece From a photograph Map (not in the originally-published edition of this book) Iliuliuk, Unalaska From a photograph by E. S. Curtis Aleut Barábara at Iliuliuk, Unalaska From a photograph by E. S. Curtis Cliffs at St. Matthew Island From a photograph Chukchi Village at Plover Bay, Siberia From a photograph by E. S. Curtis West Diomede Village Siberian Village on a Sand-Spit From a photograph Chukchis and a Summer House at Plover Bay From a photograph by E. W. Nelson Chukchis At Indian Point, Siberia (Cape Chaplin) From a photograph by E.
    [Show full text]