Itinerary. Useful information.
Tourists should
keep in mind that this is a unique expedition
to a remote and very little explored part of
the globe. Our sample itineraries should
therefore be read as a guide only, depending
heavily on weather and ice conditions, as well
as on other circumstances. Our aspiration is
to visit historic sites and to learn the
wildlife of these astonishing islands.
Franz Josef Land is home to Polar bears,
walruses, seals and a great variety of
Arctic birds. All of them are likely to be
seen all over the archipelago, so the
following program contains no special
reference to Arctic fauna representatives
that we expect to watch.
Proposed day by day
itinerary:
Day 1
A charter
flight departs from Helsinki to Murmansk.
After a bus transfer
we embark the icebreaker "Kapitan Dranitsyn".
We will be briefed on our vessel’s design and
her features. We will also get acquainted with
the crew and expedition staff.
Day 2
The whole day we are at sea on the way to
Franz Josef Land. Our lecturers will
deliver reports on the history of the
archipelago’s discovery, as well as a series
of lectures on the local fauna representatives
that we are likely to view in the course of
our expedition.
Day 3
We
expect to reach the archipelago towards
evening today. The lecturers continue
to instruct those interested in the history
and wildlife of the islands. The officers on
duty at the navigation bridge keep a constant
watch for whales to advise timely the
tourists. Weather permitting, our cooks plan
to serve a picnic on the open deck. Today we
are also to land on the Bell Island for a hike
in order to visit the house built by Lee Smith
expedition in 1881, that has remained in
perfect condition up to now.
Day 4
In
the morning we are to attempt our landing at
Cape Flora on the Nordbrook Island, that was
discovered by Lee Smith expedition in 1880.
The expedition had to winter on this
island after the steam yacht “Aira” had been
crushed by ice and sunk in the immediate
proximity of the coast. It was the expedition
headed by Jackson (1894-1897) that dwelled
here longer than any other one and made a
major contribution to the exploration of the
archipelago. A whole settlement was built by
the expedition; its remains may be seen there
nowadays. In 1897 a memorable meeting of
Jackson and Nansen took place on the island.
Several memorial steles were erected on the
island over past decades, to commemorate
daring Arctic explorers.
A huge sea
birds colony
has its home on the cliffs
towering over the southern side of the Cape
Flora. Today we are also to reach Tikhaya Bay
on the Hooker Island. There is a huge cliff,
the famous Rubini Rock in the bay, that is
home to thousands of sea birds. We will try to
approach the cliff as close as possible, but
very cautiously in order to watch kittiwakes
and other Arctic birds without disturbing
them. There is a derelict Polar station in the
bay. Weather permitting, we will land on its
shore by helicopters.
Day 5
During
the night we will have sailed to Cape Norway
on the Jackson Island. In 1895-1986
Nansen and Johansen wintered there over 7
months, after a failed attempt to conquer the
North Pole. The remains of their hut and a
memorial wooden post may be seen there. The
place is frequented by polar bears, white
whales and narwhals.
Day 6
Today we will touch Stolichky and Appolonov
Islands. The main attraction of the
islands is walrus rookeries. We will lower our
boats and get as close as possible to the
rookeries.
Day
7
We
arrive at Cape Geller on the Vilchek Island.
In 1899 two sailors, members of the Welle
expedition wintered there, waiting for the
core of the group that was trying to conquer
the North Pole.As everywhere on the Franz
Josef Land, we are very likely to view Polar
bears and sea mammals. Attracted by unfamiliar
smells, the bears come to the very board of
the vessel and rising to the hind legs, sniff
the air, thus providing a unique possibility
of taking pictures of the Lord of the Icy
Realm in his habitual environment.
Day 8
Today our goal is the Champa Island. It is
located in the very center of the archipelago.
Its landscape is majestic, being its
cliffs and ice-capped mountains the highest on
the archipelago. We are to land on Cape Fiume,
where remarkable Nature creations are to be
found, among them stones of ideal spherical
shape (up to 3 m of diameter). Weather
permitting, we will undertake helicopter
excursions along island shores, landing on the
very top of the glacier.
Day 9
We are at the Alger Island. Our goal today is
to land at the wintering place of the American
Arctic expedition headed by A. Baldwin.
If the weather is calm, we will lower Zodiac
crafts and dodge among drifting icebergs in
order to admire and to take pictures of these
majestic giants from the very sea level. Polar
bear are frequent visitors to these places.
Day 10
“On August, 30, 1873, toward the midday
–Julius Payer recalled afterwards – we were
standing on the deck, leaning on the ship’s
board and staring aimlessly at the mist, that
had began to dissipate in some spots.
Suddenly the mist dissipated completely in the
North-West, and we saw cliffs. In a few
minutes we caught an astonishing sight of a
majestic mountainous landscape and glaciers,
that dazzled us in the sunshine. For a few
seconds we stood stunned and couldn’t believe
our eyes. Then, overwhelmed by emotions, we
burst out crying: “Land! Land!” And we named
this unknown land after the Austrian Emperor
Franz Josef Land. The first land seen by the
expedition headed by Weyprecht and Payer was
the Galle Island. Cape Tegetthoff bears the
name of the expedition’s vessel. The island
sights are very impressive: huge cliffs
resembling dorsal fins of gigantic sharks
submerge into the depths. The remains of
wooden structures built by the Wellman
expedition (1989-1899) may be seen there.
To commemorate
our arrival at the island on the eve of the
130 anniversary of its discovery a special
solemn ceremony will be held on board the
vessel.
Day 11The
whole day we are at sea.We get together for
our farewell meeting and review our cruise
experience. We recall the unforgettable
places we have visited and the wonderful
wildlife of the islands, animals and birds -
dwellers of this astonishing, though severe
regions, that we have seen.
Day 12
In the morning we arrive at Murmansk.
We disembark and transfer to the local airport
for the flight to Helsinki.
Posted January 15, 2005
