Trip
Information
Dates:
June 17 - 30, 2009 (14 days)
Our Vessel: Spirit of Enderby
Price: Starting
at $6,523.00 USD Click here for more information
Tour starts in in Port of Korsakov, Sahkalin Island and ends in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.
Highlights
• 14 days onboard the Spirit of Enderby amid stunning scenery
•
Top notch resource team
•
Tremendous viewing of unique arctic wildlife including seabird nesting
cliffs
•
Incredible scenery of the Kuril Islands and the Kamchatka Coast, plus
Commander Islands
•
Fascinating wildlife, geology, culture and history
Featured
Birds & Mammals:
•
Steller’s Sea-Eagle
• Whiskered Auklet
• Crested Auklet
• Red-legged Kittiwake
• Red-faced Cormorant
• Siberian Brown Bear
•
Steller’s Sea-Lion
• Walrus
• Northern Fur Seal
• Horned Puffin
Summary
•
Includes all meals and accommodation
• Exact itinerary
is weather dependant
• Shore excursions by zodiac
• Onboard educational program by a diverse resource team
• Easy to moderate walking |
The
Russian Far East coastline dominates the North Pacific but few people
have experienced it. Our cruise on board “The Spirit of  Enderby” offers
a unique opportunity to explore many fiords, bays and islands along
this coastline. We visit outstanding nature reserves experiencing a
huge range of natural habitats from the rugged Kuril Islands in the
south to the Commander Islandes and volcanic wonderland of Kamchatka
in the north. At Kunashir Island and the Kurilsky Zapovednik Reserve,
a World Heritage Site, we will look for some spectacular birds including
Red-crowned Crane, Blakiston’s Eagle-Owl and both White-tailed
and the majestic Steller’s Sea-Eagles. Steller’s Sea Lion,
Harbor Seal, Sea Otter, Dall’s Porpoise and Humpback Whales occur
along the Kuril Island chain. Sea birds include Slaty-backed Gull,
Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros Auklet and others. We then visit Chirpoy,
Simushir and Yankicho Island where landings and seabird life, especially
the masses of Crested, Whiskered and Parakeet Auklets, is nothing short
of utterly spectacular. Matua Island holds sobering remnants of World
War ll; here the smart Siberian Rubythroat is common. Onekotan, Paramushir
and Utashud Islands all have their own attractions and charm, and we
negotiate the Zhupanova River on the Kamchatka Peninsula where we make
expedition landings. The Commander Islands are rich in history, including
legendary explorer Vitus Bering, and support colonies of Horned Puffins,
Whiskered, Crested and Parakeet Auklets, Thick-billed Murres, Red-legged
Kittiwakes, and Red-faced Cormorants. Finally we cruise to our final
destination, Petropavloski-Kamchatskiy, for our flight connections
home.
Click
here to download a registration form
Crested Auklets ©
Aaron Russ;
Steller's Sea-Eagle; Zodiac cruising on the Zhupanovo River © Aaron Russ |
Itinerary
Day
1: Port of Korsakov
You will have arrived in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and had the opportunity to
explore the city. This afternoon you will be transferred to the Port
of Korsakov to embark the ‘Spirit of Enderby’.
Day 2: Kurilsky Zapvednik Reserve
An afternoon visit ashore at Kurilsky Zapvednik (Reserve) on Kunashir
Island. Over one third of this island is held in nature reserves. The
southern part of Kunashir has a particularly high biodiversity. Many
species of plants common on the island are rare and endangered elsewhere.
Rare birds include the red-crowned crane, Blakiston's Fish-Owl, two
sea eagles and a mountain hawk eagle.
Day 3: Iturup Island and Rubetskiy volcano
At Iturup Island with morning zodiac landings with excursions to forest
areas. Iturup Island, along with Kunashir, Shikotan and Haboniai Islands,
has been administered by Russia since 1945 but Japan still claims them.
An afternoon expedition by ‘bus” to Rubetskiy volcano and
an opportunity to visit a higher altitude habitat.
Day 4: Chirpoy Island
A morning at sea watching for seabirds which should include common murres,
spectacled
guillemots, ancient and marbled murrelets, rhinoceros auklets, tufted
puffins, harlequin ducks,
common mergansers, pelagics and Japanese cormorants, slaty backed gulls,
northern fulmars and Steller’s sea eagles. Offshore we should be
able to spot Dall’s porpoises, sea otters and harbour seals, including
the Kuril Island subspecies. We plan an afternoon naiad cruise at Chirpoy
Island where dramatic headlands rise out of the ocean covered in kittiwakes,
guillemots and puffins clamouring to complete their breeding season.
Sheltered coves give opportunities to explore.
Day 5: Karlomyy Volcano and Yankicho
At the northern end of Simushir Island there is a huge caldera which
gives easy access to slopes of Karlomyy Volcano. The abandoned submarine
base here is a haunting reminder of the Cold War and how many people
were involved. Nature is reclaiming this island with birches and numerous
botanical treasures. In the afternoon we visit Yankicho which must be
considered alongside the great seabird islands of the world, outside
the caldera towering cliffs are obscured by the birds clinging to narrow
ledges. Inside the caldera is home to uncountable masses of Crested,
Whiskered and Parakeet Auklets. Arctic foxes patrol and the sulfurous
geothermal activity completes an other worldly experience.
Day 6: Matua Island
Today we visit Matua Island. There are military remains on Matua Island
dating from the World War II when the Japanese occupied it. On shore
ruby throats are common. Other birds sighted here include the narcissus
flycatcher, rough legged buzzard, and harlequin ducks. Around the island
is a great deal of seabird and marine mammal activity. Tufted puffins
are the most abundant along with the all-black pigeon guillemots. Other
seabirds include common murres, crested and whiskered auklets, northern
fulmars and black legged kittiwakes.
Day 7: Onekotan Island and Paramushir Island
This afternoon we land on the northern end of Onekotan Island, where
we enjoy an easy two km walk to Black Lake. This lake lies in the lee
of Volcano Nemo. Beautiful wildflowers carpet the meadows surrounding
the lake. Among the birds here it is possible to see the red throated
pipit, greenshank, buff bellied pipit and rough legged buzzard. This
afternoon an expedition landing on the southern tip of Paramushir island
in Vasilyeva Bay.
Day 8: Utashud Island
We continue north along the Kamchatka Peninsula to Vestnik Bay and Utashud
Island. The island is small and steep but tufted puffins, horned puffins,
pigeon and Brunnich’s guillemots nest there. The surrounding scenery
of snow covered volcanic peaks provides a wonderful backdrop for a zodiac
cruise.
Day 9: Zhupanova River
We spend the morning in the Zhupanova River region on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
We negotiate this shallow meandering river with our naiads. There are
superb opportunities for birding and nature walks. We are likely to spot
up to 40 species of birds, including such special Siberian species as
the yellow billed loon, yellow-breasted bunting, greenshank, Far-Eastern
curlew and common terns. In the mature birch forest along the river there
is a good chance of spotting a Steller’s sea eagle.
Day 10 & 11: Commander Islands
The Commander Islands group is steeped in history and the only place
where the extinct Steller’s sea cow was ever recorded. These islands
are named after legendary explorer Commander Vitus Bering, who first
observed that Asia and the Americas are separate continents. A simple
tombstone marks his grave on Bering Island. We will visit the small museum
in the village of Nikolskoye, where we will be introduced to the culture
of the local people. The Commander Islands are home to a huge number
of birds, including horned and tufted puffins, crested and parakeet auklets,
thick billed murres, redlegged kittiwakes, and red-faced cormorants.
We may also spot harbour seals, Steller’s sea lions and northern
fur seals.
Day 12: At sea
At sea as we cruise towards Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.
Day 13:
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
We arrive in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy where you will be transferred
to your accommodation, transfers to the airport can be arranged
This itinerary is an outline. Circumstances may be encountered during
our voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to deviate from
this itinerary. These circumstances include poor weather conditions and
opportunities for making unplanned zodiac excursions. Your Expedition
Leader will provide more information at the start of the voyage and keep
you fully informed during the voyage.
What
To Expect
Our
vessel “Spirit of Enderby” is perfect
for Expedition Travel. The real focus and emphasis of every expedition
is getting you ashore as often as possible for as long as possible
with maximum safety and comfort. We carry just 48 passengers in comfortable
accommodation. There is a choice of cabin styles with main deck twin
share with shared facilities, superior cabins with upper and lower
berths and private facilities, superior plus cabins with two lower
berths and private facilities, or mini suite or suite.
Our
program features activities such as walking, wildlife viewing and
Zodiac cruising,
all at a relatively easy to moderate level of exertion.
You will need to be able to climb in and out of the Zodiacs (assistance
is provided), and some of our landings will be “wet”, requiring
that you wear waterproof boots. A reasonable level of mobility is required
to fully enjoy this travel program and to ensure the steady movement
of the larger group of passengers. If you have any questions regarding
your level of mobility, please contact us prior to booking. A complete
clothing list and suggested reading list will be provided upon your
registration. Meals are a great opportunity to meet new friends and
recount the day’s adventures, and special diets can be accommodated
with advance notice. Safety is also a top priority with Eagle-Eye Tours – our
team has extensive experience in the field, and all of our Voyages
are run in conjunction with operators with the highest safety standards.
Landings
at these islands are by permit as administered
by the relevant governments.
Circumstances may be encountered during our voyage which will make
it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. These
circumstances include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned
excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed during
the voyage.
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