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Zodiac cruise among icebergs

Sea of Okhotsk: Seals, Seabirds and a Legacy of Sorrow

Example 12 Day Cruise aboard Spirit of Enderby
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Seabird numbers in the Sea of Okhotsk can only be described as spectacular. Other birds include guillemots, puffins, auklets and fulmars. But the richness of birdlife is not restricted to pelagic species. The Sea of Okhotsk has one of the highest concentrations of the majestic Steller's sea eagle of anywhere in the Russian Far East. Waterfowl are common as are many migratory species. Harder to see but not uncommon on this expedition are the magnificent Kamchatka brown bear and other mammals such as the Arctic ground squirrel. On three small islands within this sea, hundreds of Steller sea lions haul out each year to breed. One of these, Tyulenly Island, also is home to one of the largest concentrations and breeding colonies of Northern Fur Seals in the Russian Far East.
A photographer quietly oberves a local birdClose up of a sea lion.View an abundance of birds on your expedition cruiseSpirit of Enderby, Russian Far EastZodiac cruise among icebergs
Highlights
  • Photograph the seals and sea lions around Tyuleniy Island
  • Travel by Zodiac inshore to Piltun Bay and search for gray whales
  • See the largest colony of birds in North Pacific
  • Enjoy entertainment and a cultural display in Okhotsk Town.
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Sakhalin Island, Port of Korsakov | Embark

This morning, board a coach for transfer to the Port of Korsakov some 40 minutes south of the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk where you will board the Akademik Shokalskiy. Once on board, you will be shown to your cabins and there will be a chance to unpack and explore the vessel. There will be briefings and introductions to the ship, staff and crew after you sail towards the Sea of Okhotsk.

Day 2: Tyuleniy Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Visit little known Tyuleniy Island off the southeast coast of Sakhalin Island. This small island is a stronghold for Northern fur seals and Steller sea lions. Fur seal numbers have increased since an International Convention signed in 1911 banned seal hunting here. In the 1990s, Steller sea lions started breeding on the island and their colony now numbers about 2,500 animals. Sea conditions permitting plan a landing here for an opportunity to photograph the seals and sea lions.

Day 3: Piltun Bay, Sakhalin Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
It was the discovery of oil and gas in this region which put Sakhalin Island on many people’s maps. Piltun Bay is an important habitat for the small population of Western gray whales. Researchers monitor the population during the summer months. Go in search of the gray whales that live here, traveling by Zodiac inshore to the shallower waters where they are known to feed.

Day 4: Iony Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Iony Island lies in the middle of the Sea of Okhotsk. It is just a rock but what it lacks in physical size, it more than makes up for wildlife. Birds appear to take up all available space; there are guillemots, kittiwakes and various species of auklets, with parakeet, whiskered and least being the most prominent. You will Zodiac cruise around the island as Steller sea lions occupy the few rocky beaches, making any landing impossible.

Day 5-6: Shantar Archipelago

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Lying in the western sector of the Sea of Okhotsk close to the continent, the islands in this archipelago are among the last place in the Sea of Okhotsk to become ice-free each year. This late ice can sometimes restrict how far you can explore here; on the other hand, ice increases your chances of seeing some of the seals including bearded, ringed, largha and ribbon seals that breed here. If you can land there will be birding, botany and photography excursions led by your team of on board naturalists.

Day 7: Mal’minskie Islands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
In Mal'minskie Islands, there are birds everywhere, in the air, in the water and on the land. Numerous species breed here including large numbers of spectacled guillemots. Other species include ancient murrelet, rhinoceros auklet, parakeet auklet, horned and tufted puffin, crested auklet and both common and Brunnich’s guillemot. There is also a good population of Steller’s sea eagles on the island and on the adjacent mainland. Landing on the island is restricted to a small gravel spit; however, on the mainland, you can stretch your legs and explore the taiga forest.

Day 8: Okhotsk Town

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This town has featured in Russian Far East history since the earliest Cossack explorers came from the west. Vitus Bering traveled overland from St Petersburg to Okhotsk in 1725 and again 1733 and traveled to Kamchtka and beyond. Today, Okhotsk is the center of fishing in the region. The port exports significant quantities of salmon and other fish. Visit the town, landing by Zodiac up the river near the town center. The local people are generous and welcoming and will provide entertainment in the town center and a cultural display.

Day 9: Talan Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
An internationally known, but very difficult bird island to get to, Talan is famous largely because of the hundreds of thousands of crested auklets that nest there. There is also an extraordinary number of black-legged kittiwakes nesting along the cliffs and not surprisingly a large population of Steller’s sea eagles. Plan to circumnavigate the island by Zodiac before landing and then return in the late evening to witness the huge flocks of crested auklets amassing at sea before coming ashore.

Day 10: Koni Peninsula

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This is a mountainous region to the south-east of the town of Magadan, part of which is included in the Magadanskiy Zapovednik Reserve. This reserve protects among other animals brown bear and snow sheep. Many of your landings are expeditionary although you have landed at several places along the coast, many will be new and unknown to you, so you are never quite sure what you will find. That is part of what makes this style of travel so interesting.

Day 11: Yamskiye Islands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
These islands are claimed by some biologists to be the largest bird colony in the North Pacific. According to bird counts, there are an estimated 7 million birds nesting on Matykil Island, the largest in the group. Birds include common and Brunnich’s guillemot; crested, parakeet and least auklets; tufted and horned puffins; and Northern fulmars. The most abundant of these is the least auklet. Zodiac around the coast as no landings are permitted.

Day 12: Magadan | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
The name Magadan is synonymous with Stalin’s oppressive Gulags or prisons but there is very little evidence now of this town’s tragic past. The local museum has an excellent display about the Gulags but the most poignant reminder is the ‘Mask of Sorrow,’ a large monument on a hill overlooking the town. Today, Magadan is a town of about 100,000 people. Fishing is important and gold mining is experiencing a revival. The infamous Kolyma Highway or the ‘Road of Bones’ connects Magadan with Irkutsk and ultimately greater Russia. Plan to arrive here midday where your journey ends. You will be transferred to a central hotel or the airport.

Ship/Hotel

Spirit of Enderby

Seating for all passengers in the Lecture Room
Heritage Suite
South Pacific fish

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$6,590
Main Deck Triple-Spirit of Enderby
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Main Deck Triple
One cabin located on the Main Deck, with two lower bunk beds, one upper bunk bed, outside porthole, wash basin, desk and chair, wardrobe with hanging space, and shared bathrooms on same deck.
Main Deck-Spirit of Enderby
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Main deck
Thirteen cabins located on the Main Deck, with two lower bunk beds, outside porthole, wash basin, desk and chair, wardrobe with hanging space, and shared bathrooms on same deck.
Superior Cabin-Spirit of Enderby
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Superior
Four cabins located on the Middle Deck,with one lower and one upper bunk, side-facing windows, desk and chair, wardrobe with hanging space, and private bath facilities.
Superior Plus Cabin-Spirit of Enderby
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Superior Plus
Eight cabins located on the Upper and Middle Decks,with two lower bunk beds, side-facing windows, desk and chair, wardrobe with hanging space. and private bath facilities.
Mini Suite- Spirit of Enderby
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Mini Suite
Two cabins located on the Upper Deck, with one double bed in separate room, side-facing windows, separate lounge area with a single bed, desk and chair, wardrobe with hanging space, and private bath facilities.
Heritage-Spirit of Enderby
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Heritage Suite
One cabin located on the Upper Deck, with one double bed in separate room, forward- and side-facing windows, separate lounge area with a single pull-out bed, desk and table area, wardrobe with hanging space, and private bath facilities.

Notes

- Travel Insurance is mandatory for all passengers aboard the Spirit of Enderby.
- Single clients are matched with a sharer of the same sex in a twin-share cabin. Payment of a single supplement guarantees a single cabin. The single supplement is 1.8 times the price of the voyage with the exception of the suites which are double the single rate.
Included
  • 11 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 11 Dinners
  • 11 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Pre- & Post- Cruise Transfers
  • Complimentary boot rental is available. However, due to the limited supply of boots available aboard the ship, it is recommended that you bring your own rubber boots for best fit and availability. Youth size boots are not available.
  • House beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
  • One night hotel accommodation in a twin share room (incl. dinner/breakfast)
  • All expedition shore excursions
  • Programme of lectures by noted naturalists
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Required Visas if applicable
  • Laundry 
  • Mandatory medical evacuation insurance

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